Does it seem to you that Valentine’s Day requires candy and flowers? Our own Faux Diet Queen shares her fun ideas for girlfriend gifts (and her own unique view of holiday chocolate).

The Faux Diet Queen (or as we affectionately call her, FDQ) has agreed to share her latest (and last) weight loss journey with us as a regular feature at Girlfriendology. We hope you’ll join us to cheer her on, nudge her back on track when she strays, and generally giggle along.

Sometimes it seems we go from holiday to holiday without a break in between. We go from back to school (yes, that’s a holiday) to Halloween to Christmas to New Year’s to Valentine’s Day. And the key ingredient for a holiday is (you guessed it) food.

Delicious food.

Melt in your mouth, go directly to your hips, delightful food.

If Halloween is the costume party of holidays, then Valentine’s Day is the heart. Generally a dark chocolate, raspberry-filled heart wrapped in pretty gold foil.

Valentine’s Day is often considered a time to celebrate romantic love. And while I am perfectly happy to accept a dinner invitation accompanied by an outrageous piece of jewelry, I personally believe that Valentine’s Day is a great time to remind all the wonderful people in your life how important they are to you.

But chocolate is not necessarily the best gift for a girlfriend watching her caloric intake. So I, The Faux Diet Queen, have graciously taken it upon myself to come up with some great ideas for showing your friends you’re thinking of them. There are no bad ideas when it comes to telling someone how much her friendship means to you. But here are some ideas with (vaguely) Valentine themes.

Meet for a red-hot drink. Think red zinger tea. Or a bright red bloody Mary.

Think seed-y. Tie a couple of packets of flower seeds together with a bright red bow.

Get together to go shoe shopping. Make sure to try on a couple of pairs of lipstick-red heels.

Find something fun. How about Valentine’s Day socks? If you’re feeling really creative, you can make a sock bouquet. Or a small pad of paper with silly hearts? (Try writing her an “I’m glad you’re my friend” message halfway through the pad.)

Got a BFF who lives far away? Buy a box of kid Valentines cards, write, seal, and send them all in one big envelop. Imagine her laughing as they all tumble out!

For a friend at work why not decorate her office/cubicle/desk with some home- made hearts? Cut the hearts out of red...

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When was the last time you had the beautiful opportunity to share an experience through someone elses eyes? Maybe it was with a child or maybe it was with a girlfriend as she experienced something brand new.

Sharing great experiences with friends makes us feel younger, more alive, and strengthens the bonds of already tightly cemented friendships. Girlfriend Guru and Guest blogger JESSICA DRUMMOND shares her thoughts on being inspired by adventure.

My 8-year old daughter absolutely loves Manhattan aka “The City.” We took the train in on Saturday with one of her many little BFF’s and her BFF’s mom to see a children’s improv show by The Story Pirates.  (Side note:  If you are ever in NYC with kids, see this show.  It is incredible.)

NYC is a high-energy city.  The creativity (and the traffic) abounds.  Some people find it hectic, overwhelming or crowded, but these little girls drank in the energy of the streets like Red Bull.  They were completely excited by every detail of the experience.

Every shop window was a bonding moment. The restaurant was exciting because there were so many choices of where to sit.  “Could we sit at our own table so we can chat? Please?!”  We walked by a parked hot pink limo; they hugged and posed for a souvenir photo shoot.  As we walked by a film crew filming a taxi scene they leaned a little towards the street.  “Mom, do you think we’ll be in that movie together?”

They were literally thrilled by every moment in the moment.   The experience was deepened by their openness to it, and by their sharing of it. In fact, the next day they huddled together to write their own story inspired by the show.  They coordinated their outfits and will present it at school today.

Imagine if you could bring just a pinch of your inner 8-year old energy to your work, your business, your family.  How could you tap into the energy of friendship to spread your gifts further?

Sometimes as adults, we sit around complaining with our friends more often than being inspired by their adventures. Consider reversing this trend.  Of course, having more actual adventures with your friends is the best way to ignite your inner 8-year old energy spark. But, you don’t even need to plan a trip to NYC to ignite the energy...

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It’s almost Valentine’s Day. Each year, some of us look forward to February 14th; and some of us dread the hearts and flowers and candy and romantic dinner conversations that seem to be everywhere.

Girlfriend Guru and single gal DONINA IFURUNG has gone from trepidation and anxiety over Valentine’s Day to turning it into a delight for herself and her friends. Today, she shares her tips for embracing the day.

Valentine’s Day is like the lovers’ Superbowl: complete with commercials, product endorsements, and the notion that you will miss out on a big day if you don’t participate. For so many women, Valentine’s Day can be intense because of the unrealistic expectations and reminders it brings about. I have crisply dubbed this day “National Singles Awareness Day.” Sarcasm aside, I have learned to savor this day, and don’t cringe at its advent the way I used to.

Single ladies, take heart! You can make this day a load of fun, and may reap some great returns from it.

1) Plan for the day. Be proactive. Make the day unique to you and for you! Treat yourself to a new outfit, buy some cute lingerie, get a mani/ pedi, a massage, or buy a beautiful bouquet of flowers. If being alone is not a consideration, get some gal pals together, have a potluck dinner, and spend some much-need girl-time together. Focus on the possibilities of the day, not the “romance” of it.

2) Ignore the commercialism. Yes, the hearts and teddy bears started lining the shelves in late December. Instead of fighting it or feeling sorry for yourself, buy a pack of those little cards that school children pass out, grab some heart candies and trinkets, and give them to co-workers, parents, siblings, girlfriends, neighbors, etc.! The key is to turn the tide, and not get sucked into the hyper-romantic messages. Make it something fun – not something to be dreaded.

3) Celebrate your independence. I used to get jealous and feel so alone on Valentine’s Day. But I also realized that it can be a day of pressure for those with significant others. Men, especially, tend to feel the most pressure, because of the expectation, or ahem, the “demand” to get a great romantic gift, find a romantic restaurant, and most importantly, to even remember to do something on Valentine’s! Yikes! Being single puts the...

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Most of us have a long list of people, pets, places, and projects we put before our own needs. Sometimes, I think it’s amazing we even get around to brushing our teeth each day after we do so much for everyone else!

Girlfriend guru Lisa McDaniel Brown asks (and answers) the timeless question of how to take some time for yourself (and why it’s so important).

Here’s a simple question — What have you done for yourself lately? Like, today. Or even this week.

Go ahead and think about it. We’ll wait. (Whistle, whistle, whistle.)

Isn’t it time to put yourself first?

For several years I produced and managed women’s health conferences across the country. While doing this I learned that the “pyramid of priorities” in a typical American woman’s life looks something like this:

Kids

Family

Job

Husband

Pets

Self

Yes, even your dog and the hamster are typically more important than you in your own life.

WHAT? WHY?

Girlfriend, it is time to pamper yourself! What’s the old saying, “If momma ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy.”

When our own needs are met, it is much easier to meet the needs of others who depend on us. In other words, you MUST make it a priority to take time for yourself (& maybe even take some time for your girlfriends!).

• Go get a pedicure
• And a manicure
• A massage
• Go to the gym
• Go for a run
• Take a walk
• Do a girls night out
• Go to the mall and shop with a friend
• Read that book you’ve always wanted to read

Do something that will bring a smile to your face and bring a feeling of calm to your life. You have our permission. And I’m sure you’ve earned it!

LISA MCDANIEL BROWN is a health and nutrition expert. Before blogging and speaking, Lisa was a broadcaster, PR/Marketing professional, and event planner with a degree in Communications. Her passion for health and well-being was nurtured from an early age – her father was a physician who specialized in weight control and longevity (and he’s still alive and thriving at age 97). Lisa grew up thinking everyone knew how to eat well and live their best life!

What have you done for YOU lately? How have you spent time on yourself and/or with your girlfriends?

Thanks Lisa for sharing! Check out her previous guest posts: New Years Resolutions,

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Single on Valentine’s Day: Celebrating Your Girlfriends

It’s almost that day – Valentine’s, when we’re all ’supposed’ to be with a special someone who LOVES us. But sometimes that special someone isn’t across the table from us or who we are with isn’t the person we perhaps dreamed about. It’s okay girlfriends. We’ve got great girlfriend advice from a woman who’s here to help us celebrate the wonderful friends that fill our lives 365 days a year. Patty Brisben, founder of Pure Romance, shares insightful girlfriend advice for being single on Valentine’s Day by celebrating our girlfriends.

Being in the business of romance, I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and focusing on Valentine’s Day. Of all the V-Days I’ve celebrated, there is one Valentine’s Day I will never forget. It was the Valentine’s Day that made me decide to be present and active in this holiday.

Years ago, at the end of a busy workday, I had to go to Kroger to pick up things for dinner. Not realizing what day it was, I walk into Kroger and see hoards of men scrambling throughout the store. The shelves were empty and most of the carts were taken. Then it hit me: these men were hustling to find something for their wives, girlfriends, and significant others for Valentine’s Day. They were doing whatever they could to keep themselves out of hot water.

I took a step back and observed all this. Having just come out of a relationship I thought, “Please God, never let that be me. I don’t want to be with one of those men who’d just grab anything.” I know that sounds a little harsh, but when you’re in a relationship, it’s usually a decision between the couple whether they’re going to celebrate Valentine’s Day. If it is a mutual decision, I sure would hope that both parties put forth real effort. And if he or she doesn’t, it’s not a promising sign. Some planning and thought would be nice, and we all deserve that.

After witnessing a Kroger full of men shopping last-minute, I was thankful— thankful for the fact that I had so much love in my life from my girlfriends, my family, and myself. I finally felt OK to celebrate Valentine’s Day in my own way. I made a promise to myself to always honor love on Valentine’s Day (and beyond) and spend the day however I want. As long as I stay present and allow myself to feel the love of my friends and the love I have for myself, I will have a...

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With a name like “Chasing Joy” you would think our newest Girlfriend Guru would talk only about happiness, right? Only mostly right.

Meet our new Girlfriend Guru, ARLETT HARTIE, author of the blog Chasing Joy.

Today, she shares with us the contrast of getting together with girlfriends on happy and sad occasions and how to make more room in our lives for the happy times.

I don’t usually like to talk about sad things; I am Chasing Joy after all. But sad things do happen. We can’t just pretend they are not sad. We have to acknowledge the sadness and then go back to Chasing Joy so that we don’t get stuck there.

Recently I had some sad news. Two of my girlfriends each lost a parent in the last two weeks. One lost her father, the other her mother. Very, very sad. As my heart ached for these friends I also had a different kind of thought. My thought was that I was glad that the last time I’d seen each of these two friends we were laughing and smiling. The last time I spent time with each of my girlfriends it was a pleasant occasion.

We often get so busy with our day to day lives work, school, children, husbands, parents, etc… that we miss so many opportunities to connect with our girlfriends for happy occasions, fun occasions, or sometimes no occasion at all. It is during sad times that we are reminded that life can move quickly. Busy weeks run into busy weekends into busy months and soon you’re saying “girl, has it been a year since we hung out.” Unless, of course some sad sad event stops you in your tracks and I’m sure you don’t want to get together for that. So, be sure to make time for one another. Pencil in some girlfriend time along with your meetings, play dates, family time, and networking events.

Now, if you are like me you don’t really need to do anything special to have fun with your girlfriends. Good company makes good times, right? But if you need some fun ideas to entice your gal pals away from their to-do lists and mommy duties here are a few:

Your basics:

Me and one of my Best Friends For Life (F4L) getting in girlfriend time at a 5k walk

• Go to dinner
• Meet for a long lunch during a slow work week
• Go to happy hour during a stressful week
• Have a standing brunch date a la Sex in the City
• Make a monthly mani-pedi date
• Hit the mall
• Take in a movie

On a budget:

• Have a potluck party
• Have the girls over for a movie night
• Have your girls bring over their favorite color of...

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When a friend loses weight, it’s natural to ask how she did it. Often we can get good tips on living a healthier life – right?

Well, girlfriend SOMMER POQUETTE shares her journey on the road to fitness with us both here and on our BlogTalkRadio show today at 2pm ET.

Wardrobe Malfunction: I am Fat and Nothing Fits

Have you ever had to lie down on your bed to button your jeans? OR jump up and down and when they finally buttoned you could not breath?

Girlfriend, me too!

In fact, I really just swore off jeans and went with my husband’s flannel pajama bottoms around the house, stretchy workout capris with the largest hoodie I could find and when I had to get dressed up I wore stretchy black dress pants.

It’s pathetic. And, when I realized how out of control it had gotten, I let it get worse. I felt helpless, not knowing where to start and knowing I had failed so many times before. Queen yo-yo right here!

Smack

That’s what it took ladies; I had to smack myself upside the head. Someone had to do it! My BMI was way too high and did you know there’s an obesity epidemic ? I was having heart palpitations and frankly I was having a wardrobe malfunction to the worst degree and hiding behind my computer just was not going to cut it!

To say good-bye to the blogger butt, Facebook flab and Twitter handles I had to make a change that would last and that meant some behavior modifications. Not only that, I also needed a support system to jump start my weight loss dream into action.

Three Things You Can Do Today

Three things that I believe are working for me {I’m officially down 18 inches and 25 pounds in less than four months}:

1. Move. I had to start moving not just exercising my fingers. Park the furthest parking spot away from the grocery store door. Watch my shows on DVR and do sit-ups, push-ups and lunges during commercial breaks. Do 20 jumping jacks every half hour I’m at the computer. Move!

2. Calorie Reduction and Bye-Bye Wine. Don’t faint, I still indulge but not as often. My calorie intake and portion size was too high. I started eating on small plates, eating half my meal when we order out and drinking water before each meal. Having a high protein inch loss program for breakfast and lunch with teas, snacks and a supplement that I enjoy has helped me stay on track.

3. Snooze. My insomniac issue has probably helped me gain weight these last three years, the research says it’s probably so. Watching television to fall asleep, not...

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From shoe sales to secrets, we girlfriends love to share with each other. And one of the things we definitely love sharing is any secret to being healthy and fit. Thankfully we have the Faux Diet Queen to share her girlfriend advice on getting fit and losing weight.

The Faux Diet Queen (or as we affectionately call her, FDQ) has agreed to share her latest (and last) weight loss journey with us as a regular feature at Girlfriendology. We hope you’ll join us to cheer her on, nudge her back on track when she strays, and generally giggle along.

I look at each new diet as an adventure. Like Ponce de Leon, I am convinced that each plan, each regimen, each approach will bring me one step closer to being thin and looking younger. Unlike good ol’ Ponce, I’ll settle for shedding some unwanted poundage and looking my age.

So how happy was I when my girlfriend offered to let me try the Shaklee Cinch program for a month. Whoo hoo!

Here’s the idea with Cinch.

1. You get a big box delivered right to your door. I love packages, don’t you? Especially the ones that contain food. No shopping, no parking spaces, no eating an entire day’s worth of calories from the try-its placed strategically around the grocery store. Opening the box is fun too—an un-birthday present that no one else in the house is allowed to touch.

2. You use the Cinch products for breakfast, lunch, and snack and provide your own dinner. One of the challenges I have with most diets is not wanting to eat differently than the rest of the family at dinner, so this sounded pretty good to me.

3. You lose weight. I am on this. The Cinch program provides an instant tea. Actually it’s called Pomegranate Energy Tea Mix, which you pour into water, mix, and slurp. (Slurping is optional.) Cinch recommends you have the tea mid-morning. Which is a fine thing mid-morning, but left me un-caffeinated while I made my breakfast shake … have I mentioned I hate cleaning the kitchen before I go to work? The tea was ok by itself, but much better with some sweetener in it. It would probably be quite nice with a bagel, but there weren’t any bagels in the box. You make the shakes by mixing the protein powder with skim milk and “shaking like you mean it.” It probably would have been easier if I used the blender, but then I’d have had to clean the blender and I’m in an anti-cleaning mode at the moment. So I simply poured milk into a measuring cup, got out a whisk, and whisked like I meant it. I...

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Have you ever had one of those days (or weeks) which just seems to be one knock after another from life, only to have someone step in and turn everything around? Gifted Girlfriend Guru Rachel Awes shares her story of random kindness and her wonderful art depicting that day.

This is a story about the power of a girlfriend’s kindness. This is also an invitation to keep it going. Let’s be on the lookout to see how we can step in and love each other.

I was a bit behind in pulling together holiday cards to send out. Gathering and updating addresses for the dear envelopes. Drawing little berry branches on each. Stuffing with letters. In between all the rest of life. Like we all do.  I just missed the mail pick-up time on Saturday. Then revised my plan to send this well-intentioned pile on Monday. Along with a print order I had so wonderfully received through my online Etsy shop. Actually, I had already mailed this print last week to a beautiful woman in Tennessee. Despite the envelope being marked with “DO NOT BEND,” her postal carrier bent it in half and stuffed it in her mailbox.  So I need to send it to her again.  Also, I’ve been down with some bug all week. My energy has gone on vacation.  So has a sense of neat order and time.

Then came Monday morning. I got to the post office first thing. Only to be behind 20 people and one worker behind the counter. Everyone was talking about how they thought they would be smart and get there early. So now I could be counted among the line of the smarties. Which has it’s own value to be sure.

After only a couple minutes, love stepped in line. The story was about to change. It was my friend Nancy, pulling her dolly of packages. After a welcomed embrace, she told me I must have better things to do with my morning and took all my envelopes from me. Her eyes twinkled as she stood in all her capacity, balancing her coffee mug, packages, and now my various sizes of envelopes. One more hug was in order and ever so quickly, I was off and on my way. Order and time restored. As well as my heart. Just like that.

Kindness changes everything. It seems I needed all these experiences to lead me to such a line. To such a hug from such a girlfriend. To such a valentine.  I am deeply grateful.

RACHEL AWES is a psychologist, art playgroundist, writer, wife, mother & friend, who loves listening to the beauty in people. You can find her art at http://rachelawes.etsy.com and her blog at

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As girlfriends we love to spend time together (like at SuperBowl parties!) as well as share helpful girlfriend advice. We’ve combined the two to get you ready for the potential ‘SuperBowl of Stains’ this weekend!

Our friends at Biz Stain Fighter (super supportive sponsor of Girlfriendology in 2012!) know just the right girlfriend advice for this wild weekend of Superbowl parties and stains!

The big game is just days away and I can’t wait. Let’s face it girlfriends, we love the party food (minus the calories). Buffalo chicken dip, salsa, messy wings, dogs with ketchup and mustard, along with a little wine and we’re all set for some severe staining. Hopefully it only ends up on the clothes vs. the carpet and furniture. A room full of football fans and you never know when they will erupt.

Relax and enjoy, it only happens once a year. Don’t worry about the mess. Just add Biz Stain Fighter and Mean Green Multi-purpose Cleaner & Degreaser to your shopping lists, for the “After Party.” Get them both at Wal-mart. Don’t forget to print a coupon from the websites. You can also get Biz at Kroger, Publix, Safeway and Target stores. Mean Green can be found at Wal-mart, Dollar General and Family Dollar. Yes, the dollar store. It’s tough on grease and grime and easy on the budget. It’s only about $2.

After the fans have gone home, it’s time to tackle the After Party. Once you have uncluttered the grimy surfaces from cans, cups and chips. Grab that bottle of Mean Green you picked up and get cleaning the stove, sink, counter tops, floors, bathroom and maybe even the carpet. Simply spray the mess and wipe with a clean sponge or cloth. Mean Green cuts through the grease and grime making clean up a breeze. Yes, even the carpet. Don’t be surprised if the male in your house puts claims on the Mean Green for the garage, grill, patio or golf clubs. It’s that tough.

In a couple of days, when you find the favorite jerseys and jeans blobbed with greasy, BBQ food stains, in the laundry hamper, just pre-treat with a little Biz. After all, Biz has been a trusted stain remover for over 40 years. Simply re-wet the stained area with warm water (I think of this as re-activating the stain) and apply a little Biz, rub gently and let it sit for 30 minutes or so. Toss it into the wash machine (Standard or HE) for with your regular detergent (I prefer Oxydol because it Smells So Good) and a little more Biz and the stains are gone. If Biz is good...

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Girlfriend Groups take place in all kinds of ways at all kinds of different times in our lives. Sometimes it’s a basic Book Club or Bridge Club, maybe a fitness group or women with a similar background. But whatever it is that brings us together, it’s perfect!

Thankfully we have girlfriends who come into our lives in a variety of ways and change us in countless ways. We’re thankful for this girlfriend guest blog by Girlfriend Guru LISA SARICK on her special, spiritual sisters. (I love how they’re there for each other.)

It seemed so obvious that it just had to happen. I knew these amazing women in different areas of my life…. a work colleague, a college buddy, a new friend, and the partner of my husband’s pal at work. The work colleague asked if I wanted to go to a past-life regression workshop.  Oooh, yeah! My kind of thing. Then I thought, “SHE might like to go. And SHE might like to go too …” But none of these women knew EACH OTHER. So I invited them all to my house for an evening of food and friendship.

At that first gathering we sat in a circle; it just felt natural to do so. I had the house all cozy, candles lit, husband gone (sometimes girlfriends need to be alone), food, wine. I think I led a guided meditation that I read out of a book. We talked and talked, ate and drank. We all happily agreed to go away overnight to the workshop. In short, we fell in love.

The gatherings became a monthly ritual. We rotated houses. We each brought food. We tried practices that were of interest to us… to improve our intuition, clear out negativity, balance our chakras. We invited a few others, a couple came and went, and then group settled with a circle of seven. (Interestingly, I have found myself in two more groups of seven women since then … something about seven??) We named it Moon Circle, because of the feminine symbolism associated with the moon. It seemed fitting.

Years of this saw us through divorce, death, birth, new marriages, new businesses, and most importantly a beautiful unfolding of our lives into authentic, graceful expressions of love.

It began more than ten years ago and has since morphed into close friendships and support of varying degrees. The monthly gatherings have ended. And that’s OK. The natural course of our lives has spread our interests, spread us geographically,...

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Being there for each other is one of the gifts of friendship, and having a great support system is one of the great rewards. Girlfriend and guest blogger Rachel Luna shares one way of building a great support system by using a FIRE team.

In the military, accountability at the lowest level is represented by the Fire Team. In the Marine Corps, I was able to see firsthand how a Fire Team operates. No matter the task at hand, my Fire Team and I were able to successfully execute mission after mission. This is because we held one another accountable. We ventured into unsecured territory and emerged victorious because of the firepower we held collectively.

Your personal success is much like a battle. You’ve got to fight for your life, you’ve got to give it your all and push as hard as you can to come out victorious and achieve your goals and dreams. This is no easy feat all on your own. And it does require venturing into unsecured territory. That’s why you, girlfriend, need your very own F.I.R.E. team. But not the kind used by the Marine Corps…

No, the F.I.R.E. team I’m referring to is made up of your beloved girlfriends. Because no matter how strong of a woman you are, we all need a support system – a F.I.R.E. team – to help ignite our passions, encourage us through the challenges and celebrate with us as we achieve our dreams. A F.I.R.E. team consists of:

• Fabulous friends – These are the gals in your life who are all-around genuine, loving ladies. They support you, encourage you and are…

• Inspiring – They share your vision and help you see the bigger possibilities within. They are…

• Reliable – You know you can always count on them, no matter what day or time. And most importantly, they are…

• Eager to see you succeed – These gorgeous girlfriends only want the best for you! They are cheering you on, rooting for you every step of the way, doing everything they can to help you achieve your dreams.

You don’t need a huge network of peeps to create your blazing F.I.R.E. team. You just need a few solid friends who have your back. Not every friend will make it on your F.I.R.E. team because the sad truth is, we all have frenemies in our midst. Frenemies are those who appear to be your friends, but really don’t have your best interest at heart.

You know a frenemy by the way you feel after you talk to her. After sharing your dreams, she nitpicks you and your dreams to death, and you most...

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We’re excited to be ‘Friends of Ricki Lake!’

Did you know the Ricki Lake Show is coming back this Fall? Ricki’s been getting ready for this girlfriend-filled show by connecting with so many friends on Twitter and Facebook. And, now she’s connecting with some sites/communities who are ‘officially’ ‘Friends of Ricki.’ We’re thrilled to say, Girlfriendology is part of Friends of Ricki! The following is by Ricki …

Ricki Lake’s Girlfriend Advice on Social Media

Social media has changed the world forever. In just 140 characters or an update to your Facebook status, you have the potential to connect with a complete stranger in the same town or across the globe. In an instant, Friendships are being formed. Business is taking place. People are connecting. And the world will never be the same.

But it isn’t that easy…

Many people are standing on the sidelines of social media, unsure of how to jump into the conversation and contribute their thoughts. There is uncertainty about how one can form bonds with people they have never met “face to face.”

Are you one of many asking the question, “how?”

That is why we are here and you can know one thing for sure … You are in the right place! We have teamed up with Ricki Lake, one of the most engaged celebrities on social media, to share five tips for connecting with people in an instant on social media.

Watch this video to hear Ricki Lake’s #1 Tip for Connecting on Social Media

Click here to view the embedded video.

2. Be Respectful – Leave judgment at the door and respect that other people on social media have beliefs and opinions that are their own. This is what makes them unique! Just as in offline relationships, if you want to make friends, you have to be one first. If you want people to respect you, start by being respectful of them.

3. Be Inspiring – People like social media for many reasons. Many will share that they feel uplifted and empowered to live their best life by connecting with inspiring and positive people. If you want to make a lot of friends on social media, be inspiring. Be encouraging. Be a friend.

4. Be Generous – The more you offer to help others in life, the more “likeable” you will be. When on social media you can help others by supporting their work. Take the time to mention people, and give them positive feedback. When you re-tweet or share the content of others they feel...

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What are you doing for SuperBowl Sunday Girlfriend? Do you watch the game? The commercials? Get together with friends and have a few snacks?

It’s the great American holiday of SuperBowl Sunday and we’re celebrating on Girlfriendology with our own SuperBowl of Friendship. Here’s our girl-friendly version of the SuperBowl

• Points for Kindness – It’s our game, we get to make the rules! Stop Girlfriendology this week for some girlfriend advice/insights into kindness from our Girlfriend Guru Rachel Awes (this Thursday on Girlfriendology).
• Touchdown for Being there for  Friend – like Aimee was there for Bethany when she was going through Breast Cancer – and spending time on a Harley together makes it even more fun!
• In the Red Zone – We kinda think that’s the freebie eBook that we’re sharing with women who sign up for our newsletter. ‘30 Days / 30 Ways to be a Better Friend.’ We have some COOL things coming for our community of women and we’re excited to grow this community. (We’d love if you’d SHARE us with your girlfriends!)
• Tailgating for the Big Game! – We LOVE the Faux Diet Queen! She’s the silly friend who diets in the real (silly) world and we’re on this journey to get healthy with her. Join her every Friday on Girlfriendology. This coming Friday she’s reviewing a diet that she and I have been on – which, as she’ll tell you, like almost everything – is much more fun with a friend! (And JOIN US Friday 2-2:30pm ET on BlogTalkRadio.com/Girlfriendology as we talk with Sommer Poquette about CINCH, the diet that the FDQ and I have been on!)
• Healthy, Strong Athletes – Inside each of us is someone with more power and energy than we know. We’re thrilled that girlfriend wellness coach Jana Currie shared how to find that energy and life a healthy, strong life. Thanks Jana!
• Unsport-woman-ly Conduct – Sometimes those disagreements happen between friends. Thankfully, we have great girlfriend advice from Rachel Kim on how to get past a disagreement with a girlfriend.
• No Home-Field Advantage – New England and New York are headed to Indy, so there’s no home-field advantage this weekend but you, my girlfriend, get the home-field...

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Some days being a girlfriend is easy. Other days it is much harder to be a friend–and to let others be a friend to you. Girlfriend and guest blogger Bethany Parks shares her story of friendship, motorcycles, and living with breast cancer.

She was dressed in a long sleeve black Harley T-shirt carrying a big black Harley coffee mug and her long auburn red hair was tied back in a black leather wrap.  She had mischievous green eyes and a laugh that warmed my heart. I liked her immediately. I introduced myself with something close to, “Hi. My name is Bethany. Will you be my friend?  And can you teach me to ride my bike?” Aimee did her Aimee kind of thing and smiled her brilliant smile and said, “Sure.”

The purchase of my Softtail Deluxe was probably the beginning of my mid-life revival. It was daring. It was sexy. It was a seven hundred pound statement of my freedom, gorgeous with all its chrome, white wall tires and braided leather work. My Harley. A total impulse purchase. I wanted to be cool and I thought that if only I had a Harley then I would be in the “IN” crowd. I didn’t know where that crowd was but it was obvious that Aimee was part of it.

She knew where the oil pan was and how to change the fluids in her bike. She spent hours with her special tools washing her beloved Indigo Blue freedom ride. “A labor of love,” she would call it. She knew about her engine and the power commander and Vance and Hines exhaust systems.  I knew that mine was black and white and chrome.

Amazingly, Aimee was put in my life at about the same time I left my 17 year marriage. Learning how to ride became a form of therapy. It focused my brain. It gave me something to talk about other than my feelings. For about a year, my new red headed friend taught me “the language.” She taught me how to ride. She taught me where to get the non-pumpkin head helmet and the stickers and the leather chaps. She taught me how to park my two wheel symbol of coolness so that I wouldn’t drop it in front of crowds of people at the ice cream stand – a regular occurrence. We spent time on the roads. We practiced. We sat propped on walls of gas stations, eating M&Ms and drinking coffee. We talked about life and became friends.

At the end of that first year life shifted for both of us. Aimee’s marriage was shaky and I was diagnosed with breast cancer. She needed a place to stay. I needed someone to stay with me.  She had taken nursing classes years ago. She...

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One month to be a better friend? YES! And, it’s Free when you sign up for our weekly newsletter!

We’re all about inspiring women to be better friends. We sincerely believe that we can make it a better world – one friendship at a time!

AND, for NEW newsletter subscribers, “The Girlfriendology Guide – 30 Days / 30 Ways to be a Better Friend“ is FREE! Just SIGN UP for our weekly newsletter!. (It’s filled with great girlfriend ’stuff’ like girlfriend gifts, inspiring stories and quotes, fun updates from the world of Girlfriendology!)

It’s a fun read filled with 30 days of ideas on how to make new friends, connect with old friends and be a better girlfriend in general! Some of the topics covered are:

• Starting Girlfriend Traditions
• Ideas for surprising your BFFs
• Inspiration for Random Acts of Kindness
• How to throw an ‘All About Her’ Day to make your BFF feel really appreciated!
• Ways to give the best gift of all – Your Time!
• BONUS #1: Checklist for making a Girlfriend’s Birthday Special – great ideas for making her day fun and friend-filled
  
• BONUS #2: 150 Friendship Quotes to share on Birthdays, Bad Days, Special Days, Just-Because Days – all ‘tweetable’ (short!) so you can share them on Twitter, Facebook, in a card or email.

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