Today's episode breaks down the science behind female friendships and why these are powerful antidotes to loneliness For expat women in the USA and beyond from brain health to emotional safety. We'll explore what makes these friendship bonds so vital and how you can begin building yours today. Welcome to starting over in the USA, the Expat Woman's Guide to overcoming homesickness, embracing cultural differences, and creating a new home away from home. On this podcast, we talk about leaving behind the familiar, you know, the pangs of homesickness and culture shock to the journeys of reinventing yourself. I'm Yolanda Reshemah. And after relocating six times, I know firsthand what it's like to start from scratch, feeling like both a foreign child and a foreign adult in a new world. it is Friday. On Friday episodes we find tips and strategies to help you, expat woman, have a healthy immigrant experience. Starting over in the USA isn't just about visas and paperwork, it's also about building connections. Everybody wants to know how to make friends. And for expat women, we're in a culture that doesn't know us yet. Authentic friendships is one of the most overlooked challenges, period. But double the challenge for expat women, right alongside the paperwork. So let's explore why it matters, what worked for me that can also work for you. I did a brief research and found some very interesting science-backed benefits, I didn't know anything about these, by the way, why we expect women should prioritize seeking out healthy friendships. The first from an organization called Amen Clinics. It found that women with strong social support networks are less likely to experience or at least reduce the effects from depression, anxiety, and PTSD. There is a study from the Harvard Study of Adult Development on Friendship and Longevity. Yes. It's a long title and it's been going on for a very long time, since 1939, I believe. And that study found people with more social connections live longer. They physically healthier and have better mental acuity, including better memory and less brain function decline.. So according to these multiple studies, we expect women, once we have built strong social support networks, we are less likely to experience or at least better manage depression and anxiety, for example. There's another shared benefits, which I'm finding well, there are so many more benefits. I won't go through them all. I'm just picking out the ones that I find very relevant to us as expat women. This one says that. What does it say? Oh, this is about digital versus face-to-face connections. And it goes on to say, while online friendships offer convenience, they often lack in-person interactions, which are more protective against loneliness. I particularly wanted to share that because it's easy to go online and make connections, and that's often a recommendation. Personally, I don't think that it works well for this very same reason. Now the Women's Brain Health Initiative talk about a landmark UCLA study, and that study found a number of additional benefits that I want you to hear. Friendships among women help reinforce our personal identity, especially during transitions like migration. what does it mean for us? Our expat life often involves identity shifts and cultural dislocation and emotional upheaval. this support is your lifeline. I won't go on for too much longer about these benefits, but you can see what I'm getting at and this is important because loneliness can increase your risk of certain mental health disorders. And finally, the fourth benefit that I'm sharing with you, I didn't know anything about any of these by the way. I'm wondering why. But the fourth is strong female friendship improves overall wellbeing. Women with strong social ties report better mental health, lower blood pressure, as well as improved immune function. It means that loneliness is a health risk. That connections literally helps you live longer. Friendship is a protective factor against trauma and stress. The IE University for health and longevity goes on to talk about how we can leverage. The power of friendships for our wellbeing, it says, first, we ought to prioritize time together, schedule social time with your friends as you would schedule a work meeting, because it's just as vital for your health. Make friendships a ritual. Have weekly check-ins. Send your friend a voice message because this can strengthen your social bond despite being very busy. It goes on to encourage us to be vulnerable and open because suppressant emotions is a risk factor for stress related illness. Sharing personal struggles activates oxytocin, enhances emotional support and resilience. And last of all, hug our friends because physical affection counts. This is relevant to you and impacts your life greatly. It's vital to make good choices in the people we choose to be friends with. Every act of investing in building authentic friendships here in the USA, is a vital form of self care So whether you've been here for a while or you are new to the USA, it means creating a healthy community of authentic friends is a lifeline. It's not a nice to have. You need to prioritize it for physical and psychological growth and to help you build the life that you dreamed of. Now that you know the science, let's talk about how we can apply this in our life abroad. You need to understand your friendship needs, know what you are looking for. I learned the hard way that I must not just look for people, but look for connections that are mutually beneficial. When you meet somebody who seems like a potential friend and you are all excited, ask yourself, Hmm, can we support each other? Can we be vulnerable together? So if you are ultimately looking for that one person or group that you can build emotional support with, then you need to know who you are looking for. If you are looking for people to go running with and nothing more, you also need to know that too. You need to know what you want from friendships you are trying to build. That's the first thing I recommend you start working on. Write it down. Think about the short term and needs you are likely to have. Friendship is our lifeline. We all want to be seen and to be heard. We as women need more depth and authenticity in our relationships. Someone with whom we can talk about our emotional wellbeing, that sister that is not a family. We thrive on finding souls and spirits who understand our stresses. People who will say, oh yes, that happened to me. I know exactly what you mean. That's shared vulnerability. So here's a recap of your takeaways. First. Know your friendship needs. Ask yourself, what kind of support do I want? What am I ready to give? Write it down. Think about your short term and long term needs, and this clarity cuts through a lot of headache Reframe friendship as self care. IE University for health and longevity calls friendship medicine for your mind, body and heart. Treat it with the same intention you give to your regular wellness routine. That's what they said. That's it for me today. Thank you for your time and i'd love you to reach out, leave a comment and share with me what you did to build the deep connections that you have as an expat woman here in the USA and beyond. Whatever you do for the rest of the day. Have a great time. See you on the next episode.