Media/Events
The Rachels- Why Friendship is the New Marriage and Golden for Mental Health
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and while the chocolates and flowers from your lover are a sweet gesture, there’s nothing like celebrating Galentine’s with the girls.
Academy-Award-winning producer Rachel Winter (Shooting Stars) and mental health advocate Rachel Steinman have teamed up to give us the ultimate Galentine’s gift, defining all the things we love about our gal pals, aptly titled Stay Golden, Girls: Friendship is the New Marriage.
“According to a US Surgeon General advisory, isolation [my addition] and loneliness are associated with a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, and anxiety, and it increases the risk of premature death by approximately 26%. Our need to be a part of a community is not strange or unusual. We’re hardwired to connect because being part of a community is not just nice, it’s necessary for our survival. So what’s the antidote to loneliness? Yep, you guessed it – friendship!” write Rachel Steinman and Rachel Winter, Friendship Ambassadors, in their new book Stay Golden, Girls: Friendship Is The New Marriage. Illustrated by Marina Lina, this girlfriends’ gift book pops with bold, joyful art celebrating women’s friendships around the world, and from the beginning of time.
I had the golden opportunity to meet The Rachels, whose friendship goes back three decades. They get, and share—eloquently and succinctly—what I’ve been writing to you about for many years, readers..
Maybe? We would say so…
If you are a Sex in the City fan, you know the show was filled with quotable goodies that applied to everyday life. However, the one that always stuck in my head was “Maybe our girlfriends are our soulmates and guys are just people to have fun with.” That and “Where is he? I’ve been dating since I was 15!” The show always capitalized on the inner and outer struggles of life as a woman, but that through it all, your girlfriends would always be there to pick you up, dust you off and kick your ass when you needed it.
Most women have a bond with girlfriends when they are younger because of the time spent together out and about, exploring the chaos of singlehood, with a drink in one hand and their cell phone in the other. However, there is a certain finesse in the relationship with girlfriends as you mature, like a bottle of fine wine. And those subtle changes grow the bonds of sisterhood to a deeper level. And the Rachels agree.
Who are these Rachels? They are the authors of the new book, Stay Golden, Girls: Friendship is the New Marriage. Rachel Steinman and Rachel Winter delve into there thirty plus years of friendship and explore how maybe, just maybe, they are the ones they want to grow old with.
By the Priscilla Blossom
According to a survey released by the American Friendship project last month, the average American has four or five friends — and fewer than 3% report having no friends. Are you looking to expand your crew, or yearning to make some new connections and feel less socially isolated? While making new friends as an adult can be tricky — especially if you’re living in a new area, work from home and have few opportunities for in-person meet-ups or feel awkward about turning a casual acquaintance into a genuine friendship — experts say it’s worth putting yourself out there.
“One benefit of cultivating new friendships … at an older age is that you are more likely know yourself better,” Christina Hong Huber, a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the Meltzer Center, tells Yahoo Life. “You know what kind of friend or friendship you are seeking, and what type of friendship you can offer to others.”
Ready to get started? Here’s what she and other experts recommend to build some fresh bonds.