What fundamentals of friendship apply to girlfriends and our friendship relationships? And why do we need to know them or even attempt to be a better friend?

We’ll start with the “and WHY?” part of the equation. Girlfriendology started in 2006 when two of my girlfriends were dealing with cancer. I thought there should be a site, a community of women, who valued their female friends, who shared Girlfriend advice and who inspired each other to be better friends. Soon after the launch, I found a book ‘The Tending Instinct: How Nurturing is Essential to Who We Are and How We Live‘ by Shelley E. Taylor. This book confirmed that female friendship makes women healthier, happier, less stressed and live longer. (If Oprah sold a pill that did that, everyone would buy it, right?!) I wanted to be a better friend to my girlfriends and loved that that was actually good for us!

In sharing this message, women have asked: Why don’t I have friends? How can I have better friendships? The answers are the same: To have a friend, be a friend. And, even more than that: Be a Better Friend. Here are the ABC’s of Female Friendship to help you do that:

A – Authentic – Be genuine, honest, yourself. Real friends want to be around YOU as you are – not someone you feel like they’ll like better. Be you. And accept your friends, with their flaws and silly ideas. They’ll accept you back.

B – Believe – There’s nothing better than a true friend who believes in you. NOTHING. With that faith, trust and support, you can do anything. Let your friends know that you believe in them. Show them. Support their dreams and celebrate their successes. They’ll do the same for you. That’s a powerful connection and blessing of true friends.

C – Caring – We’re put here for each other. To help ‘carry each others’ burden.’ To help each other, be a good listener, be a better friend. What if we care enough about women to give them the benefit of the doubt? We care enough to give them grace, a second chance, a hand when they need it.

Those are just some basics. Lessons of Female Friendship from years of blogging about it, observing women’s friendships, women telling me about their girlfriends and how very much they mean to them.

What are the basics of female friendship for you? What are the key elements that make a BFF? Share below. Share with your girlfriends. Just practice being a better friend. Remember, you’ll be healthier, happier, less stressed and live longer. And you’ll laugh and care more. Life is good … with girlfriends!

For more inspiration on being a better friend, check out:

• 7 BE’s of BEing a BEtter Friend | The ‘Art’ of Friendship
• 3 Ways to Clear Your Mind AND Be a Friend to You | Forgiveness and Friendship
• Plan the Perfect Girls’ Night Out | Girlfriend GNO Ideas from Adrienne Erin
• 5 Ways to Beat the Heat with Your Girlfriends this Summer!
• What happens when the Girlfriend Book Club ‘gets real?’ | Happiness & Friendship

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