You’ve already thought about what kind of women’s group to start. Maybe you haven’t crystallized what it will be or what your goals are, but you have some ideas.

Will it be simply a group that gets together to discuss open-ended women-related topics? Will it focus on interpersonal relationships? Will it be all about self-help and personal growth for women?

Do you have a particular activity or hobby you want to share with others? Maybe reading and discussing the latest best-sellers, teaching each other new dishes to cook, going to and discussing plays or movies. What about learning all about investing or improving ones financial health?  Read more...

We’d all like to think that everything will always go according to plan and that everyone will always play by the rules and be accommodating to others in the group. A nice thought, but things do come up. Having a strategy ahead of time to deal with uncomfortable issues gives you the ability to move through them without causing great upset in your group.

A common issue in most groups is a member who talks a lot or interrupts others while they are speaking.  So how does the group handle this challenge? How do you handle a member who is dominating the discussion?  Read more...

During different parts of our lives, exploration of our spirituality and what it means to us surfaces and we start to reflect more on it.  Our connection to it can be through an established religious organization or a personal journey on what spirituality means.   Women generally are closer to our inner spirit and yet we don’t always discuss it with others.  It’s a great topic to have in a women’s group.

If you decide on this topic, there is an abundance of reading material on the subject.   For this post, I located another post which feels right for a women’s group discussion.    Does the author’s point feel right, and if so why, and if not, why not.  Is spirituality only attached to an organized religion structure?   Can one actually explore spirituality on their own?  Read more...

A women’s group is a perfect place to support each other with personal goals.   A great topic is around healthy living.   Each person may have a different goal, though the overall theme can be how to increase our physical, mental and emotional well-being.

Whenever we reach out to others to share our concerns, dreams and goals, we become stronger.    In a group you can take turns discussing what areas of health you want to work on, set goals and help each other meet those goals.   Encourage each other to start small and this way you can build your “success muscles.”  Read more...

We are all so busy now and don’t always have time for our current responsibilities, so how could we possibly meet new people.  Maybe your partner is required to like your friends as well.  If they don’t, that hinders the continuation of the friendship.  Your life may be busy with your partner, children and building a career.  How do you make room for friends?

If you are fortunate, you have friends that know your history and you still enjoy each other’s company.

Maybe you just moved to a new community and need to build new friendships?  Read more...

Friends are a sanity lifeline for most of us.   Our friendships evolve from the different aspects of our lives…childhood, women we met through our children, church, work and the list is endless.  The important word here is friends.

Yes, we can annoy each other, though somehow it doesn’t matter because we love and appreciate each other.  Friendships are important for our well-being.

Friends make you laugh, listen to you when you’re sad, angry or confused, share the happy moments that bring a smile to your face.    Think about each of your friends and ask “how am I different since knowing this person or what has he/she taught me that has added to my life?”  Read more...

Spring is a perfect time to plant seeds…

Whenever you gather women together, it’s a way to honor female relationships. The group’s energy is powerful and developing this energy with a solid vision can build stronger lives for everyone. A group can accomplish more together than individuals can do on their own. The world has more possibilities when we join together as a group to nurture ourselves and others.

In its early stages of a group, you may not be aware of all the tiny seeds of interaction that are being planted to help form the group. Over time, these seeds of connection, watered with commitment and respect, blossom into strong and nurturing relationships within the group.  Read more...

Who really are these women? What do they each represent? Will they judge me for the life I lead? Will they criticize me for the opinions I express? Do I fit in? Will they like me?

When you first join a women’s group, it’s both exciting and a bit scary. You may be hesitant to participate at first and certainly will wonder about the other members in the group. This kind of concern might prevent you from making the most of your women’s group experience. Not to worry – you’ll get the hang of it soon.  Read more...

Trust – Firm reliance on the integrity, strength, ability, or character of a person or thing.

In a successful women’s group, the members must all trust each other enough to be able to open up and share their experiences freely. As we know, without sharing there will not be growth. But how can women in a diverse group learn to trust each other? How long before they can open up honestly?

The secret to building a trusting relationship is to start small. Begin with small acts and gestures of trust and build it up from there. It will take awhile, but there will come a time when the members of your group will not hesitate to open up to one another.  Read more...

Listening is an absolutely essential life skill. It’s even more important as a skill for someone who is part of a successful women’s group.

Listening is a way of building rapport. When you listen to someone, you learn more about them. You understand what’s going on in their life, how they think, where they’re coming from, what experiences they are drawing on and more. In turn, the person you are listening to feels that you understand them better; they are thankful for the support and the empathy you are providing them, just by being a good listener.  Read more...