The ladies who support me...
How I keep my galantines around and connected
My soccer moms, career confidants, and badass bosses are all made up of strong, funny, amazing women - and I can't help but recognize them as lifelines. They ease my guilt, fuel my transitions, and remind me I'm not alone. Women supporting women is so important to me & if you know what's good for you, you'll see it as important too. Making friends is not always easy, but there are ways to stay connected. Here's how I intentionally nurture my people to keep the support flowing strong.
I met my soccer moms a long time ago, when our kids were young and playing sports. Some have fallen away over time. But the core-four are still around me A LOT. We keep it loose, but when I lost my job they all showed up with a veggie tray, a 6 pack, equal parts rage and reassurance with no notice. We sat in my garage (I think it was raining) and held a pity party. The next day, I was a bit hungover, and bit less ragey.
More recently, we connect where we thrive: spontaneous "drinks tonight?" texts turn into dinners with grown daughters, reliving sidelines memories that bind us. When we need each other – we’re there. When we need support – we’re there. I know I could call any of them any time and they would come within minutes.
My work women get priority dinners a few times a year. These ladies are the ones I truly connected with at prior jobs. We block calendars early, share career updates or work stories despite our scattered lives. We've all connected and decided to stay in touch. It's harder, because we don't work together anymore. But we are still in touch - and we still care about each other. My good friend Dianne actually inspired this post. She sent me a Galantine's Day card (see the pic) and I was so touched it made me want to write about this today!
My badass bosses group is the easiest to sync with right now. We are in the same places – physically, geographically and as business owners. We plan taco Tuesdays and cocktail hours, or just fall into post-networking coffees, client referrals, and frequent group chats. One of the things that helps me keep these ladies close, is remembering those little touches mean strong connections. That shows up in different ways over time.
A quick text, “thinking of you this week" offers an emotional lift when guilt creeps in.
We swap real gems: easy recipes, meal shortcuts, vacation steals, biz training. These links, and tools provide the practical magic we all need in our everyday lives.
We cheer each other on when we get our wins! From landing a new client to personal milestones, turning crossed fingers into collective celebrations.
I know the chaos of our day-to-day lives can seem to keep us apart, so I keep trying to get together with each of these groups as often as we can make it work. Some are frequent, a few are sporadic, and others turn into text-only friends - that's ok. To everything there is a season. Occasionally, circles cross – at parties, or events, or in the wild. When my soccer moms get to meet my bad ass bosses, I lean in; because those sparks create even richer ties.
I was not expecting to make new, deep, friendship connections after 50. I am a social person, so I knew I’d meet people – but the friendships were an unexpected bonus. When you nurture your network, the connections hold up. Today, I texted a soccer mom, got a Galantine's day card from one of my former work contacts turned mentor and friend, and sent some great resources to my bad ass bosses!
Tomorrow will look different, but I’m sure someone will be in touch at some point. Tonight, I think you should text that friend who’s on your mind. I know she’ll like to hear from you.
