The Remarkable Power of Mid-Life Friendships
Earlier this week I did a Facebook Live about the joy I’ve experienced with midlife friendships.
I’ve always been in awe of women who talk about lifelong friendships. I’m talking about friendships that started as babies and have endured through all of the seasons of life.
I am not one of those women. Not because I chose this but because honestly, I’ve self-sabotaged some of these friendships. I’ve allowed people who were once important in my life to slip away. My autopilot response to stress and overwhelm in my life is to hibernate and keep to myself. At the times I’ve needed friends the most, I’ve created walls that prevent others from supporting me or even comforting me.
As a coach, I know this will also resonate with many of you as well. There’s great research around women and friendship. Unfortunately, the data supports what I’m sharing….under stress, the first thing women let go of is their friendships. Conversely, having a tight circle of friends has a lasting and positive impact on our mental health.
Here’s what else I know…mindset work can be lonely. When we choose to step out of our comfort zones, explore new opportunities, get vulnerable and become adventurous in our own lives we often find ourselves disconnected from others.
I’ve experienced this in my life as well over the last 5 years. I’m a different human than I was when I was 55 and my life turned upside down. I’ve chosen growth over grief. I push myself everyday to model courageous thinking and courageous living.
On the other side of being brave and practicing courage, I have found the deep friendship of truly remarkable women. These mid-life relationships are freakin’ deep. I’m a big believer in the “law of attraction“. My energy has shifted and the way I show up is different from my younger self and I am much more comfortable in my own skin. This has allowed me to attract women who are on similar journeys into my life. We get each other at such a deep level.
The friendships are pure magic and I feel incredibly lucky to have wise and wonderful women in my life.
I’ve literally asked some of these women to be my friends. And they have accepted my invitation.
So here’s my challenge to you. Find women who want to travel alongside you on your journey. Be vulnerable. Receive their friendship with joy and gratitude. Celebrate them whenever you can. You can intentionally make this happen.
If you are struggling to find your tribe, we’ve got you. Join and engage in our Think Courageously Facebook community. Jump into my events. Write yourself a permission slip to follow your intuition about someone and ask them to join you in conversation.
Follow the Think Courageously FB here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thinkcourageously/
Check out our upcoming events here: https://www.thethinkgoodcompany.com/events
