Yay summer is here!!! I love the long days of sunshine and warmth and all the opportunities for adventurous frolics!!! Yessiree summer is a fantastic time to reconnect with all your favorite girlfriends! And I’m not talking about putting together a brunch with friends where all you do is sit around complaining about the men in your life (or lack of) or indulging in gossip.
I’m talking about some serious, soul sister quality time where you drop down into your heart and engage in ways that inspire the release of that fabulous feel-good chemical oxytocin.
Sometimes referred to as “the love hormone,” oxytocin is released after sex, after childbirth and, when we spend time with our closest friends. It’s not surprising then that research points to longer, healthier lives for women with large social circles, while those who isolate themselves experience higher levels of stress hormones (which result in reduced well-being).
To make matters worse, isolation is a vicious cycle. If you’re already feeling lonely and depressed, you’re less likely to go out and engage with other people, which makes it that much harder to make new friends and widen your social circle.
Why Do We Lose Touch with Our Friends?
Sometimes it’s a matter of scheduling or geography. Sometimes we’re afraid of being rejected. You might think, “Oh, my friend has so much going on, I’ll just wait for her to contact me.” Then, when she doesn’t (because she’s not a mind-reader) you feel even more rejected, creating the exact scenario you were trying to avoid.
If you’re married, it’s possible that you’ve made your husband the center of your universe. But even in the closest of marriages, your husband will never fill the same space that your girlfriends do. Men are fixers. They won’t just sit there and chat with you about what’s happening.
Your girlfriends are going through the same challenges that you are—divorce, health issues, aging parents, problems with your kids, weight gain, hormones, all of it. So, prioritize your girlfriend time!
I have one group of friends that’s made it a point to get together on each of our birthdays for the last 40 years! If that’s too much of a commitment for your friend group, then plan one annual get together. It doesn’t have to be some huge trip so long as you make a point of creating something special together.
How to Reconnect If You’ve Let Those Friendships Fall Away
Go here now to learn these valuable tips….
Sparkling love,
Sherri
PS – If you really long to make new friends and meet other heart centered fabulous like-minded women who, just like you, are dedicated to becoming their best most sparkling Self, then I invite you to check out my 2019 Soul Sparkle Retreat, August 14th-17th– at the luxurious Miramar Beach Resort in California.
This exclusive retreat is limited to just 12 women. I have 2 spots left, If you want to be one of them, email me today at Sherri@unleashyoursparkle.com.
