I just spent four days at a business conference with 160 other CEOs, both male and female. Our business backgrounds are diverse, our personal histories are fascinating, and our P&Ls are quite varied. The fabulous thing about this group of CEOs is how utterly supportive they are of each other. And when I drill down into the gender psyche of the group, I’d say the women spend their time nurturing and raising each other up in a way that is both miraculous and necessary.

I’ve written before about gathering your tribe. However, this time I want to talk about the support system of other women. I really admire confident women who are successful in their chosen careers. What’s more, I admire women who are visible in their support of other women who are also working hard to leave a positive impression on the world.

There are so many reasons to forge a strong community of women in our lives. As studies have shown, women are healthier when they have a strong social network. In my role as CEO, it’s taken me a long time to understand that I need female peers, business partners, friends, a female community. From a newly formed book club to an all-woman business group to nurturing friendships in my life, actively seeking out a supportive female community is one of the best things I’ve ever done to contribute to my own success and well-being.

Whether in business or daily life, here are five reasons women need to nurture a community of strong women around them:

1. You don’t need to do it all on your own. You get to choose who you hang out with! When you're creating and doing gutsy things it's important to surround yourself with the right mindset, the people you feel are your people. These are the women who will make you turn off the voice of fear and pump up the volume of creativity, desire and action. I’m always better when I surround myself with support.
2. Reduce your stress. There’s nothing better than sharing your concerns with others who support you. Women naturally love to nurture others. It gives us the satisfaction of supporting others as well. Supporting other women is rewarding and is the clearest way to receive much-needed support. We instinctively know how to nourish each other. Sharing your burden with other women creates a greater sense of well-being.
3. You need to hear the hard truth sometimes. Your friends can see your crap and call you on it when you can't see it yourself. When you have trusted people around you, they'll be the first ones to see your patterns, good or bad. Your best source of an objective opinion is your trusted group of supportive women that don't have any other objective but your well-being.
4. You amplify others! Women’s voices often get lost amongst the louder voices of their male counterparts. There’s no better amplification method than to have a group of supportive females repeating and recognizing contributions. Be it in business or personal interactions, helping other voices be heard is vital to all voices.
5. It’s a fantastic way to celebrate. Many women (not all) are hesitant to toot their own horns! But when you share a success with other like-minded people, its effect increases! I tend to be too hard on myself when things don't work out right. And then, I forget to celebrate my high moments. My female sisterhood reminds me that celebrations are necessary to keep going.

Louise Bernikow, an author who writes about women’s issues in America, says that “Female friendships that work are relationships in which women help each other to belong to themselves.” Being with supportive women who allow us to respect our feelings and show up more as ourselves adds value to our growth. As women, I believe it is our duty to not only support other females, but to consistently raise each other up higher and higher to achieve and be everything we are meant to be.

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