Throughout high school, I was a very social person as I was involved in many extracurricular activities. I was the type of person that is very supportive of their friends or anyone I met. I am the person who gives advice to everyone when I need advice for myself the most. I help my friends out when they are in need, especially if they feel sick from an illness or a heartbreak. I am the friend that goes beyond for anyone I love, regardless of what I may be doing or how I feel.

Senior year tested my friendships to the point where I started to see their true colors. When I was going through personal problems, my friends would not ask me how I was doing when I would miss a week of school or when I posted the terrible news that occurred in my life. My "friends" were nonchalant about what happened to me, yet I managed to put my personal feelings aside for them when one of our friends passed. This moment caused me to ask the question, "Who are my real friends?"

Friends are supposed to support you through thick and thin. They are supposed to always have your back, while you have theirs. They are supposed to tell you the truth, even if you may not want to hear it. They are the people who make you laugh and cry. They are the first person you want to tell your secrets to without being judged. They are your family because you created this strong bond with them that you know can not be broken.

However, I guess the idea of friends did not pertain to everyone. I started a blog and business after I lost a couple of people in my life. I was excited to launch my business, because I thought the first people that would support would be my friends, but I was wrong. The people close to me did not repost my business or even acknowledge how I fueled my sadness into motivation to do for myself. Yet, the people who I did not talk to as often, were the first people to buy from me and post my business. The strangers in my life were quicker to support me. Why you make ask?

I learned that I had people in my group, who wanted to see me fail. My "friends" did not want to see me succeed, so they did not recognize my strength. They were jealous that I did not let my past dictate who I was at a person. They did not want to see me succeed, while they were still at the bottom. They did not want me to surpass them and they made everything a competition.

Yet, the strangers on social media were elated to see a black queen post herself in their community. They recognized my ability before I even did. After all, black people need to support each other, but my friends did not get the memo.

So, I decided that I need people in my life who support and value me. I need people who will push me to be better, while I push them. These people want to see you eat, while they eat with you at the same table. I need people that want to improve themself, instead of sitting around all day.

If you have friends, who do not support you, then they are not your friends. Do not even waste your breath on them, instead find people who want to see you win. When you become successful, you want the people who believe in you from the beginning, and not the people who believed in you when you started to gain clout. You are amazing and do not let anyone tell you otherwise.