Taking time for your girlfriends makes the best of YOU!
By Cecily Knobler | Contributor
You know that friend you have who just completely “gets” you? She makes you laugh until your ribs hurt, until you’ve smiled so much you can’t feel your face? Yes? Call her right now, and make a plan for a night out. It’s time to reconnect to the gal-pals who recharge your spirit. You know, the ones who love you, even when you’re having “a day” or you’ve got toothpaste on your shirt. The truth is that sometimes you just need a friend to stand in for your sister…or your mother…or you conscience…or your iPhone text decoder. Someone to explain how Snapchat works or to tell you the truth about your “Mom Jeans.”
“Feelings” isn’t a curse word with our girlfriends. They understand that sometimes after a grueling day or week, we just need to take a mulligan, without drama or obligation. When we just want to talk about everything from our husbands to our highlights to good/bad reality TV, our friends help our souls renew so that we can feel like ourselves again. And even if they occasionally refer to us as a “hot mess,” we know they’re coming from a place of love. Because they’ve lived it.
The greatest part about a Girls Night Out is we get to connect to our touchstones. We get to hug our lifelines, and none of it has to be too serious. We can be the silly version of ourselves…or the annoyed version…or the side of us who just wants to kick back and be free of stress. Whether we’re wearing stiletto heels or Converse tennis shoes, our girlfriends see us through the same filter, so there’s no pressure to be anyone other than who we want to be.
How many therapists genuinely make us laugh? How often can we drink wine while deconstructing everything that’s on our minds? With our best girlfriends, nothing is off limits. I mean, I guess if you’re totally obsessed with The Bachelor, there may be a need for tough love. Oh who are we kidding? They’re most likely obsessed with it too.
So let your hair down! Call some friends who love you and reconnect! Make a reservation. Have a martini. Have an extra slice of cake. Book a spa day. Go see a ridiculously sappy romantic movie. Go shopping to replace those Mom Jeans. At the end of the day, you’re not just someone’s wife or mom or daughter or boss or employee. You’re a best friend to someone who loves you, who gets you and who probably needs a night out just as much as you do!
Local Moms Share What Their Girlfriends Mean to Them
L to R: Kim Costigan, Leslie Leach and Jane Ito
“The friendship with my girlfriends is literally the glue that holds me together. They are with me every step of the way – celebrating successes, crying over losses, comparing notes on raising kids, and just being there as I go through the big and the small things that happen every day. Life would definitely be harder and a lot less fun without them.” – Jane Ito
Willow Bend Mall
L to R: Cindy Garrison, Kelly Flynn, Debbie Gillespie, Teresa Niermeyer and Julie Tadlock
“Girlfriends are like Jokers – always there when you need one! The Majh Mavens have been playing together for five years and helping one another through the adventures of life.” – Teresa Niermeyer
L to R: Leslie Gilvar, Susie Learmont, Amy Depner, Sue Benton and Traci Koen
“These are the friends I made when my oldest was in kindergarten. We just sent them off to their first year of college, and they have been my support system for over 13 years. We have shared tears of sadness and joy, much laughter, moral support, times of celebration and times of reflection. They are my lifeline to sanity!” – Susie Learmont
Top Row: Carol Margolis, Lisa Crawford, Rachel Pearlman and Stefanie Toppel
“Girlfriends are so important to me because they ‘get’ me and support me in overcoming obstacles and celebrating successes!”- Carol Margolis
Jo-el Howell, Emily Payne
Middle Row: Tracey Hill, Kelly Dossman, Beth Thompson
Bottom Row: Chris Russo Not pictured: Deborah Stowe
“Meet the Bloody Mary Friday Group! These Moms meet every Friday for lunch in constant search for the best Blood Mary. We truly have a special bond; we celebrate each other and ourselves. It makes all of our relationships richer when we take time for ourselves and connect with strong, positive, loving friends. We talk, laugh, cry and sometimes seek advice. It’s great therapy which is good for the soul!”-Beth Thompson
Third Row: Linda McCullough,
Janey Fullington, Andrea Wood,
Second Row: Susan Cure, Laurie Goyan, Wendi Hart
First Row: Jen Boleman, Ann Myer, Lori Collyar
“True friends help you through life, margaritas and birthdays.”
– Ann Myer