Continuing with my celebration of some extraordinarily ordinary women in honour of International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8th,
let me introduce you to a girlfriend extraordinaire – Debba Haupert! As well as her impressive professional career, her bio describes her as a “wife, sister, daughter, neighbor, pet lover/owner, marathon walker, crafter, traveler, and girlfriend”. When she’s not flying around the country, Debba can be found in Cincinnati, Ohio.
You know I’m all about the meaningful friendships women share, like the girlfriends in my novel, The Bridge Club. As I like to say, whether you are 15, 35 or 85, girlfriends are girlfriends. When it’s real, some things never change!
I’ve never had a conversation or e-mail exchange with Debba that is not full of energy and optimism. Her mission is clear and one that offers something to each and every one of us. If you don’t already know Debba and her fabulous Girlfriendology website, it’s way past time you did … and then tell all of your girlfriends! Spread the sunshine!
Not only does this online community offer inspiration and motivation, an attitude of gratitude is what it’s all about. I don’t think there’s a subject on which it doesn’t drop some fabuloso information and links: food, wine, shopping, travel, BOOKS, parenting, careers, relationships, decorating, fitness, health, family, finances, advice, education, awesome guest blogs … I could go on. If you want it. It’s there!
Now let me tell you this about her …
Where would we women be without our girlfriends? That’s a question that DEBBA HAUPERT doesn’t want to know! Since 2006, Debba has pursued her dream of bringing inspiration, appreciation and celebration of female friendship to women through her online community for women – GIRLFRIENDOLOGY.com.
Interviews with inspiring women, blogs filled with girlfriend advice and inspiration, girlfriend gifts and more can be found on this all positive, supportive, encouraging site. Through this online community as well as growing women’s communities on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest, Debba inspires thousands of women every day to make time for the one relationship that makes women healthier, happier, less stressed, live longer and feel more beautiful. Debba believes that life really is better together with your girlfriends!
I asked Debba a few questions to give you, my dear readers, a look at the bigger picture of this über-fabulous woman and how she works to bring positive karma into all of our lives.
How did the idea develop for Girlfriendology and what was the impetus that got it started?
In 2005, two of my girlfriends were dealing with cancer. I had an overwhelming need to be with my female friends – not just the ones fighting cancer but all of them. I did some research to understand why I felt such a strong NEED to be with my girlfriends and I found the book, ‘The Tending Instinct’ (by Shelley E. Taylor). It shares research that confirms the benefits of female friendship: that girlfriends make women healthier, happier, less stressed and live longer. Girlfriendology was born from wanting to inspire women to be better friends and more supportive of other women.
That’s hard to say! It’s been six years of hard work and hard lessons. But its also been six years of amazing girlfriend stories, or women sharing their wisdom, of women being there for each other. That makes it all worthwhile and always gives us more to write about on Girlfriendology.
We have plans for making Girlfriendology even more helpful for women and for reaching our goals. We want to bring the power of females together to help each other in dreaming BIG. We have BIG dreams for Girlfriendology and the women in our community.
Our long-term goal still remains since we started Girlfriendology – to make the world a better place, one friendship at a time. And we’ll continue to work toward that every day!
“to make the world a better place, one friendship at a time” – I love that, Debba, and I believe that’s exactly what you are accomplishing. Thanks so much for being the girlfriend you are, the woman you are, and for all you bring to everyone who visits Girlfriendology!
Debba and I are going to continue this conversation on her blogtalk radio program at 1:30, this Friday, March 
9th. Come and join us … we would love to chat with you too!
I know how busy we all get in this crazy world but don’t forget to remind your girlfriends they rock! Yup – no matter what age, girlfriends rock!
And always remember … I know, I know, here I go again … to have a good friend, you have to BE a good friend!
Debba sounds AHMAZING – just like you, Patricia!
Oh Myndi – thanks for the sweet sentiment, girlfriend!
Hi Debba and Patricia! It’s so nice to see you two together. I hope I can listen in on the radio broadcast on Friday but in the meantime, I’ll be sure and explore the Girlfriendology website. Girlfriends are important and we need to keep those connections, always.
That’s great, Kate. The podcast will be posted on the website anyway so you can listen to it at your leisure! Your comment about girlfriends is the gospel truth!
What a cool idea! Debba sounds like the kind of gal you’d love to have around and goof off with. Thanks for introducing us to yet another fab place on the internet. You are amazing. Just sayin.
I know it’s a site you will love, girlfriend!
Squeee….love what you are doing Debra – how cool is THAT?!?! There is nothing quite like the power of a gal pal friendship to see you through the good and the bad and it’s wonderful to know that there’s a site out there that exists to celebrate that and bring awareness to the power of girlfriends.
Thanks so much for spreading the word and the luv Patricia – as always – you rock!
Natalie, you are a girlfriend extraordinaire in your own way! You will love the Girlfriendology website.
Wow – thanks so much! Love all the girlfriends here! 🙂
Oh, I’m so glad the podcast will be on the website, because I missed the live version last week. (I must have caught it just as you were going off!)
Off to visit the Girlfriend website. Thanks Patricia!