You know what irks my soul?

Okay, so maybe not my soul, but it does grate on me!

When women say 

“I don’t like women!”

I can’t stand it. How can you not like what you are?

Please don’t shoot me, but I don’t even think past hurt is enough to justify this. Betrayal isn’t even enough. And why? Because I’ve experienced it all when it comes to woman and friendships. The good, the bad, the ugly and the weird. There’s plenty of weird. And yet, despite all of that, I still have my hopes when it comes to friendship with other women. 

Don’t get me wrong, I still have my wits about me because, let’s be real, if we’re not learning from the errors and bad apples then we’re foolish! 

But that doesn’t mean I shut the door on all potential friendship for fear of being hurt. Noway! There are so many amazing and wonderful women out there. 

So if for any reason you have resigned to never doing female friendship again, before you cut all women off entirely, here’s a challenge for you;

TRY AGAIN!

Don’t throw in the towel just yet. And if you’re not sure where to start then look no further because below are my top 5 fail proof ways to cultivate and help you build not just good friendships but great friendships. Trust me when I say these tips will make you look back a decade later and say wow! 

(or tips on how to cultivate great friendships)

Go on… read the list, you know you want to! 

ONE

Reach out to another female whom you know may be going through a tough time right now. This could be the perfect time to send that encouraging text or even dare I say it, call!  You never know where a simple act of (intentional) kindness will take you (and your friendship!)

TWO

Take a risk…Hear me OUT!  I say this because that’s what MY best friend did with me.  I didn’t have a good track record when it came to friendship. I had a very BIG mouth so your secrets were safe with me for no more than 2 SECONDS! ( I am VERY sorry!) However, by the grace of God and ONLY by the grace of God, my story changed and I have learnt the importance of trust in a friendship! And, 11 years down the line, my best friend KNOWS she made the right call in taking a risk (Isn’t that right!) Take a risk my friend…

THREE

…But don’t be silly! Go into a new friendship as you would ANY relationship: with your eyes WIDE open. If you see that your offer of friendship isn’t yielding the fruit you hoped for, then maybe its time to move on to new (healthier) pastures.

FOUR

Use fresh eyes! What I mean is, don’t tarnish everyone with the same brush. Not every woman will backstab and hurt you. Not every woman will let you down, use you or only need something from you. Some will, but not all. So when you go into any new friendship, immediately expect the worst. Be hopeful, be expectant and give them a chance! 

FIVE

And finally…become the friend that YOU desire to have. If its loyalty that you want in a friend then start sowing seeds of loyalty TODAY! Make a commitment to remain loyal DESPITE what happens. Remember, like attracts like so if what you know you want loyal friends then start by becoming the friend you would like to have.

So, I hope these 5 easy-peasy tips help you , and I pray that you would start building, healthy, loyal and fun friendships in the future.