When I first published my novel "The Generation," I was well aware of what might happen once it happened. So I was not surprised when it finally did.
"Would it be possible for you to take a look at my story, tell me what you think?"
"Hey, I'm a writer too! Can you edit my novel for me?"
On the surface, they were messages from people I had known for years, but iteaeality, truth be told, they only had reached out to me because they needed something from me. Nothing more.
Had I said yes, I would have been editing those novels without any recognition whether in writing credit or pay. Thankfully I have learned over the years to say no to requests like that even if it means removing those people from my life.
I've never really had to learn a lesson about people who attempt to take advantage of others for free, simply because I have enough pickles on my plate and didn't need another major project that wasn't already my own.
I had also seen how others who had made their way to the top and then get used by so-called friends because of their kindness. I have even witnessed a person's anger because a Facebook friend of theirs refused to buy them a pizza and have it delivered to their home. How dare they have to cook a meal when their friend has plenty of money to share from their business, right?
When people believe that you owe them, that they are entitled to your kindness, your hard work because you are a friend, even a family member, it's time to take a good hard long look and say no.
It's finally time to say enough is enough! You cannot change the past, but that doesn't mean you have to play the victim card in the future. We all have choices. We are in control of our own actions, our own lives. Now it's time to move forward.
Learn who your real friends are. Understand that not everyone is your friend. There will be those who will try to take advantage of you. We do not need friends like that in our lives. Instead focus on those who support you, not use you.
We may not be able to choose how we are always treated, but we can choose to control who we allow in our lives. Surround yourself with friends, not frenemies. Because in the end, it's better to have one true friend than 5,000 frenemies!
