7|13|26Hey, Gem. Zhara here, and I’m back with another one.
Let’s jump into it.
A Woman Behind Every Woman x Zhara. J.
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The older I get, the more I realize that women have built my life.
Some of them stayed for years, while others crossed my path for a season. Whatever the reason or timeframe, they all left something behind.
Whether it was a lesson, a prayer, or a conversation, they left a reminder that I was capable of more than I could see for myself.
We spend so much time talking about becoming—becoming stronger, wiser, and whole. But in those conversations, I think we forget to consider who helped us become her. Hm.
When I look back on my life, I remember the milestones and all the women who stood beside me as I found the courage to reach them. I remember the friends who answered my calls when I needed someone to listen. And the women who celebrated my smallest victories with the same excitement they had for my biggest ones.
I’ll forever be grateful for the friends who looked me in the eyes and reminded me that I deserved better, long before I believed it myself. That's merely one of the most beautiful things about friendship, being known by another brilliant woman. She remembers the version of you that questioned everything. During this, she celebrates the version that walks into rooms with confidence and holds space for every version in between.
Research continues to show that strong social relationships contribute to better mental and physical health, greater resilience, and even longer lives (Holt-Lunstad, Smith, & Layton, 2010). Science gives language to something many women have felt for years.
We heal differently when we heal together and when we speak life into each other. Uplifting words have a way of reaching places we didn't realize needed comforting. Women's empowerment lives there, too.
Shout out to the friends who clap the loudest when your dreams become reality. To the woman who tells you the truth with tenderness because she cares about your growth. We can’t forget the friend who reminds you to rest, eat, laugh, and leave the relationship that keeps breaking your heart… or to send the application you've talked yourself out of three times already.
See, empowerment has always been more than standing tall. It is also found in knowing someone will help you back up when life brings you to your knees. What a blessing that is!
Psychologist Shelley Taylor's research found that many women respond to stress by seeking connection and creating supportive relationships, a pattern she described as "tend and befriend" (Taylor et al., 2000).
Community has always been part of our survival.
I wonder how many dreams exist today because one woman believed in another before she believed in herself. How many businesses began because a friend kept saying, "Keep going." How many marriages were saved because someone listened without judgment? Those stories deserve just as much celebration as the promotions, the engagements, the book deals, and every milestone we proudly share with the world.
The Harvard Study of Adult Development, one of the longest-running studies on human happiness, has consistently found that the quality of our close relationships shapes our health and well-being more than fame, wealth, or career success (Waldinger & Schulz, 2023).
Reading that reminded me that the richest women are the ones who know they have someone to call when life gets heavy. Gem, if a certain woman came to your mind and heart while reading this, tell her. Tell her she made a difference and that you still value the encouragement she gave you years ago.
We celebrate women's empowerment every time we celebrate the women who poured into us. Every confident woman has a story. And somewhere in that story is another woman who encouraged her to keep going. I love us, for real.
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Gem, share this blog with the friend who has loved you through more seasons than you can count. Let her know that her push, honesty, and presence have become part of the woman you are today.
Until next time, I hope you continue finding women who celebrate your joy, strengthen your faith, challenge you with love, and remind you that you never have to walk this journey alone. Thank you for rocking with us at SheIsTreasure. – Zhara. J.
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