Bittersweet Rant Book

12// True Friends and Fake Friends

I have never wanted to shake someone and scream

"YOU ARE GOING TO SCREW UP YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE SO MUCH GOING FOR YOU STOP"

more than right now. Now I know I can't Dave everyone, but when I think I can make a difference in someone's life, I'll take that opportunity. Let me tell y'all something:

You don't need to drink to have fun.
You don't need to do drugs to be cool.

And if you're hanging out with people who are only having fun when they're drunk or high, you need to find new friends. You say everyone's fake, but really it's those people who you call your best friends that are fake.

I got lucky enough to be blessed with the most amazing people I get to call my closest friends. Because of them, I realized that true friendship contains the following:

•KINDNESS: true friends don't insult you or put you down.

•SUPPORT: true friends support you, they don't leave you hanging when you talk about something you're passionate about. They listen, and they encourage you.

•JOKES: there's a fine line between offensive and funny. Yes, sometimes people say some rude things when they didn't know it, but when you confront them about it, true friends will listen to what you have to say and take your feelings into consideration, they won't tell you to "take a joke".

•PRESSURE: there's always gonna come a time where others want to do something you're uncomfortable with. And I think this is where a lot of people go wrong.

You do not have to do something you're uncomfortable with just because the people around you do it. Even if it seems like it's a trend and you gotta do it to be cool,
Don't. Do. It.

Risks are great, but not in situations like this. If you are not okay with it, go with your gut.

The weak, fake people will be the ones that call you a "pussy" or "coward". The fact of the matter is though,

it's them being cowardly. You are better than that.

Stay true to yourself, and you'll be on the right track to surrounding yourself with people who are going to better you instead of hinder you. True friends will see the real you, and true friends will respect your choices no matter what.