Ethan Slater's Estranged Wife Finally Spoke On His Relationship With Ariana Grande

1. Women with a lot of friends value connection & community.

The one thing everyone with a solid group of friends can agree on is how it feels like you've built your own supportive community. Friends are often the first people we turn to with good or bad news, or the ones we simply want to go on adventures with. Osequeda says, "Women with strong friendship circles often value connection, community, and the power of vulnerability."

There's a realization that women in this unique position are able to "recognize that life is richer with a support system," says Osequeda. This involves "people who will listen, validate, and be there through both the highs and lows" she adds. From the friend who stayed up with you all night after a bad breakup to the one who cheered the loudest at your graduation, women who have a huge friend circle know that life feels better when we can connect with others.

Based on her experience as a therapist, she's "observed how women start friendships by gradually sharing layers of themselves." This can look like "having children at the same school or bonding over shared interests," she adds. This vulnerability is important because it creates a foundation that signals to women they've found their tribe.

2. Women with multiple friendships are open to vulnerability.

Like Osequeda mentioned, vulnerability can deepen our friendships. "These women are open to sharing the 'messy' parts of themselves which builds a deeper, more authentic bond." Also, she notes women with a lot of friends "aren't afraid to shed layers and be real" because "this vulnerability strengthens their sense of community." The more this happens over time, the more it "helps foster the connections" women with a lot of friends "cherish," according to Osequeda.

Honestly, she says "we’re all wired to seek out connection, and friendships provide that sense of community, validation, and belonging." She believes we truly "crave spaces where we can share our thoughts and feelings about what truly matters to us."

Asher believes women with lots of friends are "usually drawn towards one another in friendship" based on two levels:

• Level 1: Shared interests, appearance of confidence, a positive energy that they feel (smiling helps with this!)
• Level 2: (When in conversation) the safety they feel when speaking to another person, [emotional compatibility], how engaged the person is in conversation, and a desire to learn more about them, ultimately to find shared values.

This determines how women move forward in friendships. The approach is often led with "a deep sense of authenticity and care," according to Osequeda. "This is because women want relationships where they can be themselves, sharing hopes, dreams, and frustrations without judgment."

3. Women who have a lot of friends like other people they're friends with.

Again, the fact women with lots of friends actually like the people in their chosen circle is monumental. Asher says, "An interesting Yale study done in 2003 sought to look at 'popularity' in high schools to see if they could find something that all of the most liked and most popular kids had in common (outside of being a jock, etc.,)."

The common thread? "THEY liked the highest amount of people," Asher reveals. I talk about being a people pleaser a lot, but genuinely liking others isn't the same as that. IMO, it's actually admirable when people can respect others regardless of their race, religion, socioeconomic status, or sexuality.

She knows you're likely asking, "How does this apply to women having a lot of friends?" Her answer? "Across the board, the principle here is that women with the most friends are continuously on a hunt to find good and likable things about others."

However, this isn't based on a selfish need or want. "They've determined that the time invested in others is of mutual benefit," says Asher because "the biggest coast in adult female friendships is time — the most finite resource we all share in common."

4. These women also don't mind making new friends.

While making friends as adults shouldn't be hard, it definitely doesn't mean it comes easily. From overthinking to social anxiety, there's so many reasons why we struggle. Also, this idea we're doing fine without friends isn't exactly helpful or positive. Asher says, "The CDC has said that the impacts of loneliness on our bodies are more harmful than smoking 15 cigarettes A DAY! Making time for quality friendships (and the pursuit of it) is just as important for your physical state as working out is."

Where should you start if you want to forge new friendships? Osequeda says, "Start within communities that already resonate with you — whether it’s your child’s school, your workplace, a gym, dog park or a shared hobby. Places where you already belong create natural opportunities to connect." She even suggests giving "apps like Bumble BFF or local meet-up groups" a chance because they "can also help you find like-minded friends." But don't think you're limited to this!

Though Asher agrees that women tend to approach "friendships by trying to find commonalities right from the beginning," she says you don't have to confine yourself to this formula. "The reason I don't think this is best is because we are boxing ourselves in when we do this. The greatest friends could be on the other side of the stereotypes we're creating," she notes. Taking it a step further, Asher shared her own experience with this. "I watched all 3 of my best friends get married and have kids all before I ever got married. On the outside, most women would think 'They don’t have anything in common.' But on the inside, the character traits and values we each were looking for were mutual, and that became a more important compass for our friendship than the stage in life we were each in."

She was even surprised she'd become close to her best friends because of how things looked externally. "We had nothing in common, but I'm so glad I didn't box myself in," she says excitedly.

Here Are Even More Ways To Make New Friends!

Asher has three ways you can open yourself up to new adult friendships if you're interested.

1. The most important place to start is our mindset. We have to first decide “I don’t want to be lonely anymore, and I’m worth having meaningful friendships.” When we make that decision, then we give ourselves permission and the courage to step out and take action in that! Important note about this: there was a study done at Stanford that revealed that people are 1.5x MORE likely to accept us than we think they are! So don’t let the fear of rejection hold you back!
2. Go first. Make the ask, and then make the plans! Saying “We should hang out sometime” is ineffective because “sometime” isn’t a day on the calendar! We cannot wait for other people to want to pursue a friendship with us, because most of us are in this same boat — not knowing where to start! We can pursue connection, get plugged into a community (examples: book club, fitness class, church, etc), or create our own connections by just inviting someone over to our house/apartment. The biggest thing we need to remind ourselves of that is to stop making excuses, or pre-determining how we think people will respond!
3. Again, don’t box yourself in. Don’t let your preconceived notions of what you think your archetype of a friend will look like stop you from spending time with others who don't fit that label. As addressed above, the friendships we’ve been looking for our whole lives could be right behind the stereotypes we’ve created! It’s more about character traits than it is about the external compatibility of hobbies or stages of life.

Osequeda's last piece of advice? "If you already have a friend group, meeting friends of friends is another great way to grow your circle. They key is taking that first step with a little bit of vulnerability — start a conversation, ask a question, and show interest." She's sure "it's these small moments of openness that create lasting connections!"

Y2K — In Theaters December 6, 2024

Remember that Y2K crisis at the turn of the millennium? This December movie, which follows two high school juniors who crash a New Year's Eve party, reimagines it as a full-blown disaster — blood, guts, and all.

Y2K stars Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler, Julian Dennison, The Kid Laroi, and Fred Durst.

Mary — On Netflix December 6, 2024

Get a new look at one of the most famous women in the world when Mary drops on Netflix next month. This movie will give you a whole new look at the titular heroine's life — from being forced into hiding to running for her life, all to protect her baby son from a murderous king.

Mary stars Noa Cohen, Ido Tako, Stephanie Nur, Susan Brown, Ori Pfeffer, Eamon Farren, Hilla Vidor, Mili Avital, Gudmundur Thorvaldsson, Dudley O’Shaughnessy, Keren Tzur, Mehmet Kurtulus, Mila Harris, and Anthony Hopkins.

Another December movie that will have you looking at motherhood differently is Nightb—ch, which follows Amy Adams character's life as she becomes a mother...and becomes convinced she's also turning into a dog.

Nightb—ch stars Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden, Zoë Chao, Mary Holland, Archana Rajan, Jessica Harper.

F Marry Kill — On Digital December 6, 2024

We all know dating apps can be a really horrifying experience, but when true-crime lover Eva starts to believe one of her three dates could be the “Swipe Right Killer," she finds herself in a life-or-death situation.

F Marry Kill stars Lucy Hale, Samer Salem, Virginia Gardner, Jedidiah Goodacre, Brendan Morgan, Brooke Nevin, and Bethany Brown.

A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter — On Netflix December 6

If you're still singing "Nonsense" by Sabrina Carpenter, then this December movie (er, holiday special) is for you. Not only will the popstar perform tunes from her fruitcake EP, but she'll be joined by special guests as well!

A Nonsense Christmas With Sabrina Carpenter stars, you guessed it, Sabrina Carpenter.

Maria — On Netflix December 11, 2024

Angelina Jolie's newest film follows iconic performer Maria Callas. After a glamorous, albeit difficult, public life, Maria moves to Paris for some quiet — and must confront her identity, her past, and her future in the process.

Maria stars Angelina Jolie, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Valeria Golino, Kodi Smit-McPhee, and Haluk Bilginer.

Kraven The Hunter — In Theaters December 13

Despite the fact it's coming out around the holidays, Aaron Taylor Johnson's new December movie is not for kids. The flick follows the titular Kraven as he morphs from the son of a gangster to the brutal and fearsome villain comic fans know so well.

Kraven the Hunter stars Aaron Taylor Johnson, Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, and Russell Crowe.

Carry On — On Netflix December 13

One TSA agent is in for a less-than-jolly holiday when he's blackmailed by a traveler hoping to bring a very dangerous package into the airport on Christmas Eve.

Carry On stars Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, and Sofia Carson.

Not only is this Lion King sequel giving us a brand new look at a classic story, but it also marks Blue Ivy Carter's acting debut! The movie tells the story of how Mufasa began his journey as an orphaned cub and how a run-in with royal heir Taka changed everything.

Mufasa: The Lion King stars Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Aaron Pierre, John Kani, Seth Rogen, Billy Eichner, Donald Glover, and Blue Ivy Carter.

Nicole Kidman's new December movie will add some spice to your holiday, thanks to an affair with her character's much-younger employee. Is it getting hot in here?

Babygirl stars Nicole Kidman, Harris Dickinson, Sophie Wilde, and Antonio Banderas.

If you're still laughing about the Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest, then you'll definitely want to show up to see this flick, which stars our favorite Timmy as Bob Dylan during his historical move from folk to rock'n'roll.

A Complete Unknown stars Timothée Chalamet Monica Barbaro, Elle Fanning, Edward Norton, Boyd Holbrook, and Nick Offerman.

The best gift for the book lover who loves collector's editions of books:

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose (November 26, 2024)

The Perfect Marriage follows a wild case involving a married couple and their fight for justice. Unfortunately, readers discover that not all is as it seems between Sarah Morgan and her husband Adam. When an affair and the murder of Adam's mistress rocks their marriage, Sarah will have to prove how good of an attorney she is while defending him.

This collector's edition book comes with detailed endpapers, red edges (as seen above), and a brand new chapter that features "courtroom illustrations!" Pre-order it today so it'll arrive in time for Christmas!

The best gift for book lovers who are serious about their 2025 reading goals:

Book Lovers Journal

The rise of BookTok made room for readers whose strong opinions fueled a renewed interest in reading. Even retailers like Target, Walmart, and Barnes & Noble noticed how powerful it is!

If you know someone who needs a place to organize their books and share their unfiltered thoughts about them, don't be shy about slipping this journal into their curated gift bag.

The best gift for book lovers who always pour a glass of wine when reading:

Wine Glass Set — Read Between The Wine

I absolutely love fun sayings that play on familiar ones we've grown up with. This cute glass set would be perfect to include with someone's new book journal because the two complement each other well. What's a good book review without a nice glass of wine?

The best gift for book lovers who love coffee as much as they do reading:

Book Lovers Themed 16oz Glass Cup

Some book lovers may be on a sobriety journey so it's best to steer clear of anything that reminds them of alcohol. Instead, you can buy this cute glass cup for them as a way to acknowledge their love of reading. Although it's technically a coffee cup, the reader you know can put their drink of choice in it!

Between us, I see a lovely golden turmeric tea in my future!

The best puzzle for the book lover who wants to immortalize their bibliophile ways: 

500 Piece Book Puzzle

Inside of this seemingly massive book lies 500 pieces of pure fun that create the most beautiful puzzle your reader's ever seen. It's less than $15 so you won't go over budget, and will keep that special someone busy in-between their designated reading sessions.

The best book gift to keep a book lover's toes cozy during winter:

Bookworm Low Cut Socks

One thing any book lover can agree on is that we love cute and silly nods to our reading habits. IMO, these socks bring the 'bookworm' title to life with its cute depiction of a worm sitting on a pile of books. The fact the worm is wearing glasses makes these socks even better!

The best gift for book lovers who love practical jokes and playing pranks on people: 

Bookie Cushion

Clearly I'm in a jolly (aka goofy) mood because I immediately laughed when I saw this bookmark. I grew up with a brother so I can spot a whoopie cushion from a mile away and this idea? Oh, it's such a delight for book lovers who have a unique sense of humor.

The best gift for book lovers whose bookshelves are happily overcrowded: 

"I Have No Shelf Control" Sweatshirt

I'd love to write an entire blurb about why this sweatshirt makes sense as one of the best gifts for book lovers, but it's self-explanatory. I already know there's someone in your life who won't stop buying books even though they've run out of space on their bookshelves. Yes, it's plural because I know they have two that are overflowing.

This sweatshirt is definitely for them.

The best book gift for book lovers who love buying themselves flowers:

Personalized Eco-Friendly Book Vase

How gorgeous is this eco-friendly book vase? I've personally tried to convince myself that I don't need one, but I think I may add this to my list of Christmas demands, er, wants, so my fiancé has an idea of what to get me.

The personalization of this book vase is simple:

• Choose from two styles of vases
• Add 10 favorite titles to the personalization box in list form

The best gift for book lovers who still have their childhood library cards:

Vintage Library Card Blanket

All book lovers know that falling in love with the library as a kid is like a rite of passage. It was the one place where any outside troubles seemed to fade away because you could pick up any book and be transported to another world. If you know someone who still cherishes those day, you should surprise them with this vintage library card blanket.

You have the option of personalizing it for them or you can let the designer choose which dates or authors to place on it!

The best gift for book lovers who are curating their at-home libraries full of banned books:

Personalized Library Sign

Take things a step further and buy a book lover their own library sign, especially if they're buying as many banned books as possible. Reading can be seen as a form of resistance to the idea that books are causing people to think and live in a harmful way. Book lovers know that's not quite it.

The best gift for book lovers who'd rather be reading:

Funny Bookish Mug

There may be a pile of laundry on the bed or things to pack if you're moving, but nothing comes before reading. Well, that's probably what you've been telling yourself and I partially agree. At least shower and brush your teeth before you descend into your undisturbed reading time.

The best gift for book lovers who can't stop reading spicy titles:

Fantasy Book Lover Candle

I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: We know you or your bestie can't get enough of reading spicy romance books. I'm privy to this insider's information because I can't stop reading them either. They've actually made date night more fun and that's as far as I'll go.

Even if you or your bestie aren't in a relationship with anyone, the very act of reading smutty things can be a fun form of escapism from the dumpster fire that's been going on since 2020.

The best gift for book lovers who swear they're going to bed after reading one more chapter:

Book Lover Candle

You may have heard your best friend or younger sibling say this before: "I'm seriously putting this book down after I read one more chapter." You may have said it to yourself before realizing it's 3:00 in the morning and you haven't slept yet.

Do yourself or another book lover a favor by gifting them this realistic candle. You can choose from the following scents:

• Rose + Patchouli
• Mimosa + Pineapple
• White Tea + Jasmine
• Coconut + Orange