Isn’t it true that we all want friendships like the ones we see on tv? I’m thinking How I Met Your Mother, Friends & New Girl friendships, where they do everything together, they go through countless partners, family deaths, fights and embarrassing moments and in the end they’re still as close as ever. I’m putting my hand up for that but the question is where to find these people and how to nurture the friendship so it doesn’t fall apart after the first difference in opinion. High school friendships were easy, they were about your interests, level of popularity or being in Homeroom class together and it was made simpler by seeing them on a daily basis.
Fast forward to twenty-five, I have a great group of female friends but three of the five don’t live in the same city/country as me. So after taking a few years to find, create & nurture these five female friendships I now find myself having to do it all over again. Let me take a few steps back here and talk about the kind of friendship this is because you might be thinking, “this poor women, she only has 5 friends!” . When I say five friends I really mean five closes girl friends. These are the women that I CHOSE to be friends with, these aren’t coincidental friendships – I made an effort to nurture these friendships. These are all women that I respect, love and look up to in some way. We can go from painful belly laughing to crying and be completely at ease because we KNOW one another because we actively do life together.
Am I the only person that thinks creating adult relationships is damn hard?! Let me be real with you, I struggle! When I was in school I could mold and change my personality depending on the people I was with but now I’m just not capable of that nor do I want to. But as much as I’d like to stay in my comfort zone, with my top five girl friends and only hang out with Sean on the weekends for the next ten years I know it won’t be good for me. So I find myself back in the awkward stage of having to make new friends and although it’s nerve-wracking it’s also cool to have new people in my life and to be out of my comfort zone. So I’m putting myself out there, being more friendly, starting real conversations and seeing which friendships are worth investing my time into.
If you’re in the same position as me, good luck to you – you’ll need it! Because as we’ve already established, creating real relationships that turn into lifelong friendship isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. If you’re only surrounded by surface level friends, start conversations that encourage you & others to speak about tough, deep, real life things and see which friendships will last. Also if you find yourself in the space where you don’t have any real friends (no judgies, I’ve been there!), start making a list of the qualities you want in a friend, then ask yourself if you possess those qualities. If you do or id you’re working on it, put yourself out there! Once again, it’s tough but so so worth it!
Along with creating new friendships I’m still trying to maintain the ones I have so when Lancôme asked me to be a part of the Make Someone Happy campaign I knew it was perfect because it encompasses being real, selfless, caring for others & happiness. They gifted me with the new Lancôme La Vie Est Belle parfum (which smells beautiful!) along with a second fragrance to share with a friend. Choosing a friend to gift this to was surprisingly easy! Hayley, one of my top five girl friends, is an exceptional mother, wife, business owner and friend. She is also currently pregnant with twins so I couldn’t think of a better person to gift this fragrance to. She works extremely hard for her family, loves her daughter/s (she has a sweet little girl and is having twin girls), is generous with her time and loves people fully. So I couldn’t wait to make her happy by sharing the beauty of this fragrance with her.
I watched this video about the La Vie Est Belle parfum and I think it reflects perfectly the essence of this fragrance. The day this was delivered to me I ripped open the package and obviously doused myself in the fragrance so when Sean came home the first thing he said was “it smells amazing in here!!” and since then whenever I wear it (basically everyday) he compliments me on it! We also had a guy friend over the other day and he commented on how good I smelled and his exact words were “you smell like a women, like the essence of a women.” – so it’s fair to say that men like it! But let’s be honest we don’t choose a fragrance just because men like it, it has to be something you love, and I certainly do!
Lancôme La Vie Est Belle Eau De Parfum (R1 120 – R1 995)
I would describe this as a sweet & fruity distinctly feminine scent that could suit anyone. It’s a somewhat familiar smell to me, as if my brain knows that someone I love wears this fragrance. So if you’re looking for a universally flattering scent for someone this Christmas I’d recommend this one. That way you can also share the happiness. If you’re not familiar with Lancôme or if you haven’t smelled this fragrance, go give it a little sniff next time you’re in Woolworths or Edgars/Red Square, it’s beautiful!
Top notes: Blackcurrent & pear.
Middle notes: Orange blossom, jasmine & iris.
Base notes: Praline, Tonka bean, patchouli & vanilla.
Brand description: The concept of this fragrance is centered on the idea of natural and simple beauty, the freedom from conventions and the choice of ones own vision of happiness. The fragrance is a kind of outlook on life, inspired by joy and pleasure in the small things.
I’m so glad that Lancôme asked me to be a part of the #Makesomeonehappy campaign and that I’m able to share my thoughts on female friendships and why they’re important. Please leave me comments if you’re in the same stage as me or if this helped you in some way.