In my 24 years of stumbling through life, there are few things I’m 100% sure on. My beliefs change with knowledge and experience so I hold many of my opinions to that moment and know that for me, they aren’t etched in stone. But, I will vouch for a few things with fierce passion; one being the importance and power of female friendships. My life is infinitely better because of the women I hold near and dear. My most treasured childhood and high school memories are of those I spent laughing or crying with my best girlfriends and my adult years show the same pattern. It’s my girls that make my world go round.

Sure, my friendships with guys are precious and wonderful too, but today I want to celebrate the women in my life and how fundamental they are to my happiness. It can be hard walking as a woman in this world and talking to my girls about the daily injustices helps take the sting off. If I’m cat-called on the street or harassed on the train, I’m going to call my girls before anyone else. They understand, they have been there, it’s most likely happened to them.

A few times a year a group of my closest girlfriends and I get together for a few days and we soak up all of the feminine energy and love. These weekends are my favorite of the year. By surrounding yourself with your close friends, you create a space of non-judgement and celebration that can be hard for women to find in our daily lives. There is A LOT of pressure being a woman, but talking about our bodies, love life, anxieties and passions with other women can alleviate some of those pressures.

This coming holiday season, I suggest you go out for dinner or dancing or huddle on the couch with your dearest friends. For me, dancing around a kitchen with my best friends, chatting until the wee hours of the morning and sharing enormous amounts of food is pure bliss. My mom and her two best friends often joke about buying a house together post retirement and growing old together. How have the women in your life influenced you, how have they supported you and how much happiness do they bring to your life?

We often think of our family and romantic relationships as the most important, but I imagine your best friends are right up there in your heart. Find a few moments to celebrate just how special those relationships are. Here’s to the women who make us feel invincible and who have our backs when that feeling fades. My girls, life would be a bore without you.