Friendships that Help You Grow

Once in a while, amongst all my trend forecasting and my beauty blabbing, I like to throw in a post with some real substance, a post that can really make you think and shift your perspective and today is one of those days.

Recently, I had a transformational experience with a group of girlfriends that I adore, that really challenged and frustrated me, but most importantly it helped me grow and become a better person by going through it. It also made my relationship with these women even stronger because we were honest, real, confrontational yet constructive.

Do you have friends like this? Friends that call you on your shit? Friends who don’t let you off the hook easily and make you really look at the way you live your life in hopes that you will learn and grow from the experience? I DO!! At times I don’t like it, the self-absorbed little girl inside me says “whatever, I don’t care what you think, I know I am right so there!” but the adult woman inside me knows better. I know I have hurt them by making a decision that impacts their lives without thinking about the consequences of my actions beforehand. My adult self knows how important self-less-ness is, and how in the future I need to think about the consequences of my actions on others before just doing whatever I want. I have learned that its time to be a grown-up, less impulsive and more thoughtful. And it’s not easy, it’s hard but worth it becasue that’s where the growth opportunity—Oh yeah, and admitting you were wrong, that’s hard too.

Is this at all relatable to you? Do you have friends that raise your game? Friends that by being in relation to them, you grow and become a better person? Fluffy relationships are a dime a dozen, but real in-depth honest relationships are the ones that enrich your life and help you grow.

To these women (The Sage, Hippie and Do-Gooder), I say thank you for being in my life, for not letting me off the hook easily and for making our relationship stronger because of your brutal honesty. To those of you reading this, I want you to know how precious these more challenging relationships are and that they definitely are worth fighting for–treasure them because they are rare and special.