By Teresa Palmer
I have a group I go to once a month we call it our “MOhhhmmmmms group” - an homage to the word often chanted before and after a yoga session - meaning the mind, body, spirit connection.
It’s specifically for mums or better known as “moms” in the US. We go there, get deep and try and find our inner Om. Each woman shares their current and past experiences, lessons learned, challenges they’re navigating etc. You don’t have to speak, but you’re encouraged to. We’ll be walked through a meditation, then the theme of the night is discussed and into a free-flowing open conversation we dive, where we feel liberated to show our most authentic and realest selves. Sometimes we cry, often we laugh and always we leave feeling replenished.
I’ve never had a mums group before, I have a lovely bunch of mum friends sure, but never a group that’s formed with the collective intention of getting vulnerable, real and exposing our deepest ponderings with each other, in the hope that this kind of exploration will provide some guidance and clarity on our path. I love it, it’s become my version of therapy.I get something out of it that I don’t get anywhere else.
I have a wonderfully communicative relationship with my husband, he is my go-to when I’m trying to move through something that’s challenging. We are each other’s comrades and hold space for each other to ride life’s ebbs and flows in whatever emotional headspace we are in. Our relationship is constantly evolving and growing deeper, yet I still find myself craving my female companions and counting down the days to our Moms group meet ups. Friends just provide something different than our spouses and that is a beautiful thing to be nurtured and celebrated.
If I have an issue I’m trying to work through, my husband wants to fix it. He’ll come up with clear solutions to move forward. Once we’ve talked it through, he feels satisfied that he has helped me and that I can move on. My female friends are natural nurturers, wanting to acknowledge my feelings and empathising with me when something is hard, they offer up a listening ear without feeling the need to give me all the answers. It’s a different kind of support and to have the balance of both has left me feeling really seen and heard, but I crave both kinds of guidance.
Having meaningful friendships outside of your family dynamic is imperative. The people to bare our souls too, the ones who are supportive and close with you but aren’t so close that they can’t be objective. It really does “take a village” and I don’t just mean in regard to parenting. In life, it takes a village of people in your orbit to help cheer you on, commiserate with you, offer perspective, talk you down off the ledge, motivate you and be a shoulder to cry on.
Having an array of different kinds of friends is wonderful too. Once you’ve weeded out the toxic friendships (that’s a whole different blogpost!) you should take a look at the friends you have and really figure out what kind of role you play for each other to ensure that the friendship feels balanced. Honour it and water it like you would a cherished plant. Invest love, time and energy into it.
I have all sorts of wonderful and wild friendships; friends to just get silly and goof around with, others to have deep soul charging conversations with, mates to have a good old gossip with, ones to watch true crime docs with, others to chat business ideas with, friends that I go to for parenting advice and other mates that our family travels with. I love all of them for their uniqueness and for the sunshine and wonderment they bring into my life. Friends are life’s great treasures. Who is in your circle?
Love, Teresa x
Bio: Teresa Palmer is the mother to Bodhi, Forest and Poet, and stepmother to Isaac. She is passionate about wellness, conscious parenting, spirituality,animal rights, philanthropy and holistic living. Teresa is an actress, co-founder of parenting blog Your Zen Mama, founder of wellness blog Your Zen Life and co-founder of Lovewell alongside Christiane Duigan. She resides with her family in the hills of Adelaide and Los Angeles.
FAQs
These are the people who are very close to you, who understand you, people who you trust to always be there for you when you need them. The number of friends in your inner circle should be small, typically less than 5 people. Maybe you only identify one person—that's ok.
What does it mean to be in your circle? ›
Those in your inner circle are the most trusted people in your life. They mean more than your social circle. They may include your family members, friends and professional colleagues – those who you trust most. Now, talking in circles does not mean you are talking with people in your circles.
Who is in my circle? ›
People closest to you. Your life would be significantly impacted if they were not there. E.g. Parents, siblings, primary carer. People within a group that you see as part of regular activities.
Who is in your circle of influence? ›
These circles can include our family, friends, colleagues, professional network, community, and even our social media followers. Understanding our circles of influence is crucial because it helps us focus our energy and resources on the things that matter most in our personal and professional lives.
How do you choose people who stay in your circle? ›
Be selective about whom you spend time with: Prioritize spending time with people who are positive, supportive, and have a growth mindset. Speak up: If someone in your social circle is engaging in negative behavior, try to talk to them about it and express how it's affecting you.
Who types in the circle? ›
So what we actually have is, when you talk to the Circle, there's a producer who's transcribing what you say. Instantly, that gets pushed to the next room. So there is some humanity in the app, and that's a couple of producers whose job it is to take dictation from the players.
How to tell if someone is in your corner? ›
The people in your corner believe in your potential. They share what they believe in you, and about you, but they don't paint you with their unrealistic expectations. They simply believe that greatness is ahead of you and will challenge you to that. This means that they may give you feedback, lovingly.
What does everyone in my circle mean? ›
They are the people actively participating in my life, business, spiritual and lifestyle. These are people critical to my Life Journey. b) Family Circle are family and friends that participate in my life doing what family and friends do. These are people I love to be with in my Life Journey.
What does circle mean in a person? ›
Well, I would understand it to mean that a person who is a circle has no rough edges i.e. they have the necessary social graces whereas someone who is obtuse has a rough edge e.g. anger management , obtuseness etcetera, which means that if you rub them up the wrong way, it can lead to confrontation.
What is the meaning of in my circle? ›
"in my circles" is a valid phrase in written English. It suggests that you belong to a certain group or that you know certain people. For example: "I'm not sure if this information is true, but I've heard it's the case in my circles."
Your social circle can have a significant impact on your life in various ways. It can influence your behavior, attitudes, and beliefs, as well as provide support, companionship, and opportunities for personal growth.
Who is your family circle? ›
Although the family circle is limited to close relatives (parents, grandparents, children, grandchildren, siblings), the concept of circle of family and friends is broader and takes into account former spouses and their parents, as well as important friends.
What are the 5 circles of influence? ›
The 5 Circles of Influence guide are: Family, Geography, Company, Business and Role/Position. Whatever change a career takes could imply to have a change in one or more circles and of course impact in the individual.
What is the circle of life theory? ›
Every living thing is part of a cycle. Plants and animals are born, they grow, they consume or produce, and they eventually die, making way for new life in their place. Without this cycle of life, ecosystems and the biosphere would not be able to survive.
What is the 7 habits theory? ›
The seven habits are a step by step model that empower you make decisions and take action rather than reacting to events around you. The reason I favor this model is that it has strong links to Emotional Intelligence and emphasizes the importance of self awareness before successful engagement with others.
How many friends should you have in your inner circle? ›
What has come to be known as Dunbar's number contends that humans are only cognitively able to maintain about 150 connections at once (subsequent research has put the number higher). That includes an inner circle of about five close friends, followed by larger concentric circles of more casual types of friends.
What does it mean to be a member of the circle? ›
Members in the Circle are individuals who have joined a specific community within the platform. They are the users who participate in discussions, share ideas, and contribute to the overall community. Members can be anyone from customers, fans, employees, or any group of people who share a common interest or goal.
How to choose your inner circle? ›
Those who you know you can trust to hold your dreams with care, to encourage you and not break you down, to not get jealous or self-seeking. Those who will continuously push you in the direction of your dreams, with words of encouragement, sometimes the hard truth and always, always from a place of love.
