Galentine’s Day began as a lighthearted moment on the show Parks & Recreation, thanks to Amy Poehler and her exuberant celebration of women’s friendships. She created this day in the show to celebrate her “lady friends” and she describes it as the best day of the year.
Galentine’s Day has stuck not just because it was clever, but because it named something we already knew to be true: women’s friendships are essential. They sustain us. They shape us. They deserve to be celebrated.
This Galentine’s Day, I am celebrating the many gals in my life. I’m deeply grateful for the women who have shaped me in different ways and in different seasons.
When it comes to women friends, I truly have an embarrassment of riches.
Of course, Grammy’s loving voice is always in my ear, gently guiding, celebrating, and laughing. She shaped my life profoundly and taught me the quiet curriculum of belonging. How to create gatherings that feel connected by curating the guest list and then orchestrating connections for each person that feels serendipitous.
My sisters and I cheer for each other through life’s pivots and hard choices. Sisters are the original safe harbor; they know your history and still choose you every day. Our shared history brings deep understanding, steady support, and plenty of laughter, along with just enough teasing to keep us honest.
My daughters demonstrate that courage often looks like change, and that fully living your purpose is worth the risk. Watching them pivot into work that fits their passion and purpose has been one of my life’s great privileges. Their courage to take risks and change course is a constant reminder that we are never finished becoming who we are meant to be.
My college bestie is thoughtful, smart, and endlessly kind. We laugh (sometimes cry) and share life in all its richness. Our connection is so deep she offers support before I even know I need it. There is sacredness in that kind of friendship.
I am also blessed with a long distance BFF. We met early in our careers at a bank in downtown Boston, and we’ve stayed attached at the hip ever since. Proof that distance doesn’t diminish depth, and consistency and care matter more than proximity.
And then there’s my Friday morning group. Decades in the making, we are steadfast in our commitment to our faith, family, work, and everything in between. We challenge each other, support each other fully, and remind one another that none of us must carry a burden alone.
The gals I see almost every day, my colleagues, are eager, earnest, and uncompromising in their “yes, and…” spirit. They help me set boundaries and build exit ramps, so good intentions don’t turn into exhaustion. Their clarity about when to say yes and when to say no is a leadership lesson I return to often.
I am also grateful to count so many women across the Impact100 movement as my friends. Whether we meet in person, by phone, or on a computer screen, our connection is a heart connection, deeply (and quickly) rooted in our common purpose. These gals are members and leaders who believe that generosity, when shared, becomes transformational. Together, we are building communities that offer living proof that when women link arms, impact multiplies.
Female friendship is all about lifting each other up.
The quiet encouragement, loud cheerleading, and moments when someone sees what you need before you can name it yourself.
Women’s friendships change the trajectory of our lives, organizations, and communities.
That is worth celebrating.
This Galentine’s Day, I hope you will join me in recognizing the women who support you and who have helped you become the woman you are today.
Share some love with your favorite Gals today. Send a text. Write a note, Give a hug. Or share this post and tag your besties and the other women who walk beside you. After all, we are better and stronger together.