The Importance of Girlfriends in your 30s

It's been a long work week. All you want to do is unwind. You're ready to vent, laugh, and relax with a few like-minded women. But as you scroll through your contacts, you realize you don't have any options. Does this sound familiar? Too many women realize that they've become isolated from their friendships in their 30s. You may fear it's too late to start over again. The importance of having girlfriends in your 30s can't be understated. There is plenty of time to build a high-quality and meaningful social life.

The Importance of Girlfriends in Your 30s

Friendships are essential to your overall health and well-being. While it may not seem easy to put yourself out there and make new friends, it's worth your time to do so. Lasting connections are just around the corner.

According to the Mayo Clinic, having friends can lead to a happier life. You'll have a sense of belonging, lower stress levels, and increased self-confidence and self-worth.

Adult friendships can also help you through the bad times. You'll have someone to listen to when living through a traumatic event. Better yet, they may help you spot your own unhelpful or toxic behavior patterns.

It's easy to withdraw in your 30s.

Your friendships of the past may have fizzled out because of time or distance, leaving you feeling depressed and lonely. You likely feel overwhelmed about where to even look for new friends.

What are the Benefits of Having Adult Friendships?

Having a few close girlfriends can benefit your emotional and mental health. Here are a few reasons that highlight the importance of having girlfriends in your 30s:

• Having female friendships means that you have an empathetic ear to listen to you and help you through times of crisis.
• Friends can help you avoid symptoms of isolation and loneliness. These become more common once people reach their 30s.
• If you're single, you have someone there to be your emergency call when you're stuck on a bad date. Also, you'll have someone to help you sort through your online dating matches. Doing this can help you avoid bad dates altogether!
• If you're in a committed relationship, having a girlfriend to listen to you vent is helpful. Your partner shouldn't be your only shoulder to lean on.
• If you have children, having a girlfriend means you may be lucky enough to have an occasional babysitter. Or, if your friend also has kids, you can share the burden of outings.

In a post-COVID era, there are countless women around the world who want to build female friendships. But how do you find those other women?

The Ingredients of a Healthy Adult Friendship

Not all friendships are created equal, and that's okay! As Baz Luhrmann once said, "Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on."

There are a few things that you can look out for to identify green flag friendships:

• You have common interests and passions that you enjoy experiencing together or discussing.
• You both talk as much as you listen. This promotes equality and creates a safe space for both of you to be yourselves.
• There is safety in celebrating your differences. Where you may disagree, you both have mutual respect for the other person.
• Boundaries are openly discussed and respected.
• You feel good about who you are in your friend’s company.
• Both parties desire to spend time together and make a reasonable effort to see or speak to each other.

While these aren't all the green flags of an adult friendship, these are critical ones. Recognizing when a relationship is healthy is an important life skill. Learning this will help you cultivate a female support squad.

Where to Find Female Friendships

Going to a bar and approaching a strange woman is enough to send most people running for the door. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to find new girlfriends in your 30s without going too far out of your way.

Here are a few easy ideas to get you started:

• Take a class - It could be an exercise, pottery, or any other hobby! Odds are there is one being held either in person or online near you. While in that class, just be yourself and be naturally curious about the other women around you. You may find a kindred spirit!
• Join an online community  - Online communities are a great place to meet new people. Facebook has many dedicated spaces for women looking to find new friends. Join a few and see if they have a group event that you can attend. Because these groups are designed to help foster friendships, you can feel confident initiating a conversation. They're all looking for friends as well!
• Volunteer - Every community is in need of help from volunteers. By volunteering some of your time to give back to the community, you can also make new friendships! Focus your energy on a organization that aligns with your passions. You'll likely find someone cut from the same cloth there.
• Find a club Book clubs, wine clubs, and even playgroups are great places to meet new people. They're often welcoming environments with people who want to cultivate lasting relationships.
• Join Jaumo - Jaumo is a social platform meant to bring people together. Designed to help you socialize more and scroll less, Jaumo is an ideal place to meet female friends. There's no need to be nervous. Everyone is on the Jaumo app to connect!

Female friendships may feel hard to find, but the odds are in your favor if you know where to look! Invest your time wisely and build genuine, lasting relationships with other women.

Start Socializing and Building Online Friendships

Finding friends in your 30s may sound challenging. But if you put yourself out there just a little, you'll be surprised at how easy it can be. All it takes is for you to believe in yourself and take a leap of faith.

Lasting friendships take time, energy, and effort to build, so make sure you respect both your time and your friend’s. Now that you understand the importance of having girlfriends in your 30s, it's time to get out there and start looking!

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