This is a website that I hope every woman spends some time in. Brene Brown has a gift for talking about the big stuff that women experience. You know...the big, hairy audacious stuff that most of us don't easily talk about? I find that Brene lightens it, and gives me room to laugh about it while I'm processing what she's saying. I love watching her TED talks, I always come away feeling normal. (in a good way!)

If my description has intrigued you, then the titles of her books might also;

• The Gifts of Imperfection: Letting Go of Who We Think We Should Be and Embracing Who We Are
  
• I Thought It Was Just Me (but it isn't): Telling the Truth About Perfectionism, Inadequacy, and Power

Here's an excerpt from her website that will give you more of a sense of what she contributes - "How do we learn to embrace our vulnerabilities and imperfections so that we can engage in our lives from a place of authenticity and worthiness? How do we cultivate the courage, compassion, and connection that we need to recognize that we are enough - that we are worthy of love, belonging and joy?"

From my heart to yours, enjoy!

Think that spending time with your girlfriends is a guilty pleasure?

UCLA did a study that suggests our female friendships are good for our health.

"...In fact, says Dr. Klein, it seems that when the hormone oxytocin is released as part of the stress responses in a woman, it buffers the fight or flight response and encourages her to tend children and gather with other women instead. When she actually engages in this tending and befriending, studies suggest that more oxytocin is released, which further counters stress and produces a calming effect."

Here are some more compelling pieces of information on the health benefits of friendships. For the full article follow the link below.

"Study after study has found that social ties reduce our risk of disease by lowering blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol. There's no doubt, says Dr. Klein, that friends are helping us live longer."

"Friends are also helping us live better. The famed 'Nurses' Health Study from Harvard Medical School found that the more friends women had, the less likely they were to develop physical impairments as they aged, and the more likely they were to be leading a joyful life. In fact, the results were so significant, the researchers concluded, that not having close friends or confidents was as detrimental to your health as smoking or carrying extra weight."

We're here to make it easier for you to gather with your favorite friends. A Wise Women's Weekend may be just what the doctor ordered!