True Friends.

Genuine Supporters.

How many of us have them?

Remember, iron sharpens iron.

Who’s in your tribe matters? It really does matter.

Several years ago I had the pleasure of meeting Mikki Taylor, the country’s leading authority on “inner and outer beauty” for women of color, a highly sought-after empowerment speaker, and former beauty & cover director at ESSENCE magazine.

She said something that day which resonated then, and still does:

Establish a strong support system; I call it a “celebration circle.” Your greatness was not designed to operate in isolation. In order to stay balanced, you must have a strong support system, it’s essential to your sustainability as well as your growth.

Since that day I have put greater emphasis on the quality vs. the quantity of the people in my space.

So very often, women, in particular, give a pass to people who aren’t worthy of being in their space. However, they allow them to remain for a variety of reasons. Name recognition being one of them. A desire for validation being another.

It is imperative that we exercise a great deal of caution when choosing who exactly gets V.I.P. access to our lives. A healthy amount of confidence and discernment goes a very long way.

To serve as a reminder in the video clip below I’ve compiled several attributes and actions that we all should be on alert for when deciding who gets access, and who should not, who is worthy, and who is not.

In April 2020 I lost my best friend to lung cancer. She was always in my corner. Celebrating my wins and comforting and encouraging me during my losses. I miss her dearly.

While there will never be another Yvonne, I’m at a point in my life, midlife to be exact, where in order for me to call you “friend,” you’re going to have to come pretty close to matching her spirit.

Unreasonable? I don’t think so. Selective? Absolutely!

Do you have a celebration circle? If yes, are they fulfilling your requirements?

If no, why not? After all, you are indeed worthy of being celebrated!