In this land of friends and followers, on-paper it can seem like we have lots of friends, but when you are in trouble, you quickly find out that you are lucky if you can count your friend list on the one hand.

Then the people that are there for you in your time of need, in your time of encouragement they don’t help you.

I have close friends that are good support when I’m in trouble and I need advice, but when I need some feedback creatively, they will not reply.

This has always confused me?

Why would someone offer support but not feedback, not want you to be in pain or suffering but then not give you praise?

Maybe we judge others on our own standards.

If someone asked me for my opinion on something I would give my opinion, I would pick out the best part; I would say something to make that person continue their writing, their art, their music etc.

A wise person once said to me, “Not everyone who shakes your hand is your friend.”

It took me a few years to see the wisdom within them words. Life is hard, and it is no harder for you than the next person. You may look at your rich friend that has a fancy BMW, lovely house,, and family and think they have such a good life, but maybe their marriage is on the verge of a break-up.

Each of us is rich in different ways.

I guess my main point is, everyone needs encouragement in life, everyone is facing their own problems and all that we can do as friends is to treat everyone in our lives the way we would want to be treated.

No matter how good someone is at something, they still need a few words of encouragement. Even a few words can make the difference between them continuing and stopping. Being depressed thinking no-one cares, or being happy that one person does.

You have that power to help the people that are around you, USE THAT POWER TODAY.