I've been writing, pretty consistently, for xoNecole for about a year now. And if there's one thing that I know is you, our readers, really appreciate, it's sex and friendship content (which I think is really dope, by the way). My theory is it's because those are two topics, especially within the Black female community, that don't get explored, from various angles, nearly as much as we'd like for them to. Because of that, some of us remain curious, confused, stagnant or dissatisfied, in those two lanes, far longer than we should.
Take the topic of frenemies, for instance. As much as I can, I like to give credit where credit is due, and I think that term came from—or has at least became super popular because of—an episode of Sex & the City. If you've never seen it or want a quick refresher course, a frenemy is someone who is part friend/part enemy (although it's usually more like a 60/40 split, in the enemy's favor). You have enough in common with the frenemy to keep them around, but they also irritate you to the point where you're not sure if your connection is enough to keep them in your world anymore. They're basically like an unhealthy relationship with a guy where, maybe the sex is good, but there isn't much more to keep him in your life beyond than that. Still, you stay—even though, deep down, you know that you shouldn't.
If you just read all of that and was like, "Right!" let this be the moment when you decide to make some changes, as far as your own frenemy (or frenemies) is concerned. Life is too short and too precious for you to be involved with folks who are only kinda-sorta your friend; especially if you can clearly pinpoint some things about them that can also classify them as being an enemy.
Keeping all of this in mind, just why do so many of us keep frenemies around? Personally, I think it's because we don't do enough pondering over the following five points.
FRENEMY POINT #1: There’s a Difference Between Liking Someone and Being Used to Them
If any of y'all caught "What If You Love Your Friend...But Don't Like Her Anymore?" I'm sure you can totally relate to this particular point. I can't tell you how many friendships—or "friendships"—that I remained in, way past their expiration date, and it was all because I confused actually liking someone for simply being used to them being around me. Shoot, there's absolutely no tellin' how many captives could be freed if they took the time to ask themselves, "Is this person good for me? Or are they just a habit?"
There's one person, in particular, who I released last year, mostly because I found myself complaining about them to other people more and more. One day, it got to the point where I was tired of hearing my own self go on and on about how I felt taken for granted and doing most of the work. Then I realized that the only real reason why I was keeping them in my life is because they had been around for so long. When I couldn't really find one redeeming quality beyond that, I knew it was time for a major shift.
Frenemies are interesting because, more times than not, they are fully aware of the fact that they aren't being a good friend to you. But, like a wack-ass boyfriend, they figure that since you are willing to settle, they're not going to change anything; especially since they typically are still benefiting from having you in their own life (I know, right)? So yeah, if you sense that you've got a frenemy, the first thing I think you should do is ask yourself what, if anything, you still like about them. If all you hear is Jeopardy music playing in your head, follow that question up with, "Or is it that I'm just used to them?" The clarity you get just might surprise you.
FRENEMY POINT #2: Have You Considered That You’re Possibly Drawn to Drama?
Even if the frenemy isn't a drama queen or king (which, they probably are to some extent), when a relationship consists of a part-friend/part-enemy dynamic, there is usually some drama somewhere around. Think about it. Frenemies typically push triggers or are master gas lighters. Frenemies often display low-key (or not-so-low-key) signs of envy. Frenemies tend to take more than they give. Frenemies are wishy-washy AF. Frenemies are good for being passive aggressive, including when it comes to giving backhanded compliments or saying slick stuff that causes you to doubt yourself. Frenemies like to throw shade—both in and out of your presence. And, even if they are a lot of fun, you can never feel totally safe around frenemies.
Once I started to remove frenemies from my space, I found myself focusing more on why I stayed than why they acted the way that they did. I had to own that some of it was because I was more codependent than I realized. Another part of the issue is that I was my own freakin' frenemy.
Meaning, since I didn't love myself well, I attracted people into my space who basically mirrored my own self-perception. The warring within caused so much turmoil that the drama they brought into my life was pretty much par for the course. But baby, once I started to make peace with myself and began to set some real boundaries, the less I wanted anything that even closely resembled drama or instability around.
If you've got frenemies in your life, ask yourself if you have some sort of odd affinity for drama—if you seem to take some odd sense of pleasure in partaking in a real-life reality show that you're actually a producer of. I'm telling you—the more you like harmony, the less you'll want to deal with confusion, upsets and upheaval, the easier it will be to let all frenemies go.
FRENEMY POINT #3: Like It or Not, There Is Some Sort of Payoff in the So-Called Friendship
I've shared what I am about to say, many times, before. That's because it's one of the best things that I've ever heard Dr. Phil say. One time, while interviewing a prostitute who was going on and on about how much she hated her life, he looked at her with some major side-eye and said (a bit paraphrased), "C'mon. If you really wanted to quit, you'd quit. No matter how dysfunctional something is, we wouldn't stay in it if there wasn't some sort of payoff attached to it."
Some of y'all might automatically want to give pushback on his point, but just think about it. Some of us stay in unhealthy relationships because the sex is good. Some of us remain at a job where our boss treats us like total crap because we don't wanna lose that nice paycheck. And yes, some of us stay in connection with our frenemies because we see some "benefits" to keeping them in our lives. Maybe we've got a lot in common with them. Perhaps they make us feel needed (and we like feeling that way). The possibilities are endless. Here's the thing, though. No person is perfect and every relationship comes with its challenges. But if you want to be in something that is truly beneficial for you, the "pros" must definitely need to outweigh the "cons".
When it comes to your frenemy, is the so-called good that they bring to your life so good that it makes sense to keep tolerating the bad? If you can't honestly say so…it really is time to let them go.
FRENEMY POINT #4: Could It Be That You Don’t Have Enough Healthy Friends?
If you like to check out independent Black films, one that depicts a frenemy extremely well isLove Trap. The chick Angel that's in it? Whew. Evil. Still, she would come at her childhood friend like she only had the best of intentions. I believe there is a scene in the movie where Michelle addresses the fact that a part of what made her put up with all of Angel's hater-rade is the fact that she had been in her life for so long. But since Michelle also shared some of the issues that caused her to struggle with vulnerability and trusting new people, I think that she never really had enough healthy friends to realize just how toxic Angel really and truly was.
If you just read that and found yourself triggered, please make the time to read "10 Things You Should Absolutely Expect From Your Friendships". Then think long and hard about if your frenemy even checks off half of the things on the list. Also ask yourself if you've currently got people in your life who do. One of the tricky things about a frenemy is they don't totally suck; there are usually a few things that make them cool enough to keep around. But I promise you, the moment that I got some truly healthy friendships into my life, I realized that there was nothing that my frenemies were bringing to the table that my true friends couldn't.
FRENEMY POINT #5: Ask Yourself this—“What’s Your Line?”
Whenever I'm talking to someone about a situation that they're in where they are unhappy, I try and avoid going down the rabbit hole of what I would do. Instead, I simply ask them one question—what's your line? What I mean by that is "What's your boundary that, if that person crosses it, you're done?"
Truth is, a lot of us remain in all sorts of situations that we shouldn't, not because we want to, but because we've never thought about what our breaking point is (or should be). The reason why you should is because healthy relationships consist of mutual respect. So, once you share your "line" and your frenemy intentionally crosses it, they are basically conveying to you that they don't esteem your boundaries, needs or feelings. And once someone expresses that—sorry. They've basically teetered off of the friend mark and over onto the enemy side.
Releasing someone you care about can be difficult. Trust me, I know. But here's what you need to never forget—you need to be your own friend, even if it's at the expense of losing a frenemy. It might take a little time, but you'll both be OK without each other. You can free up some space for real friends and they can move on to being wishy-washy towards someone else. And chile, they most definitely will.
Want more stories like this? Sign up for our newsletter here and check out the related reads below:
Allow These Things To Happen Before Calling Someone "Friend"
Pettiness, Moodiness & Other "Friendship Irritants" To Work Through
10 Questions To Ask Your Close Friends Before The New Year Begins
Is It Time To Initiate A 'Friend Divorce'?
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While speaking to xoNecole, Eva shares that she’s a lot like the beloved 1994 character in many ways. “Lyric is so me. She's the odd flower. A flower nonetheless, but definitely not a peony,” she tells us.
“She's not the average flower you see presented, and so she reminds me of myself. I'm a sunflower, beautiful, but different. And what I loved about her character then, and even more so now, is that she was very sure of herself.
"Sure of what she wanted in life and okay to sacrifice her moments right now, to get what she knew she deserved later. And that is me. I'm not an instant gratification kind of a person. I am a long game. I'm not a sprinter, I'm a marathon.
America first fell in love with Eva when she graced our screens on cycle 3 of America’s Next Top Model in 2004, which she emerged as the winner. Since then, she's ventured into different avenues, from acting on various TV series like House of Payne to starring on Real Housewives of Atlanta.
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Eva praises her castmates and the play’s producer, Je’Caryous for her positive experience. “You know what? Je’Caryous fuels my audacity car daily, ‘cause I consider myself an extremely audacious woman, and I believe in what I know, even if no one else knows it, because God gave it to me. So I know what I know. That is who Je’Caryous is.”
But the mom of three isn’t the only one in the family who enjoys acting. Eva reveals her daughter Marley has also caught the acting bug.
“It is the most adorable thing you can ever see. She’s got a part in her school play. She's in her chorus, and she loves it,” she says. “I don't know if she loves it, because it's like, mommy does it, so maybe I should do it, but there is something about her.”
Overall, Eva hopes that her contribution to the role and the play as a whole serves as motivation for others to reach for the stars.
“I want them to walk out with hope. I want them to re-vision their dreams. Whatever they were. Whatever they are. To re-see them and then have that thing inside of them say, ‘You know what? I'm going to do that. Whatever dream you put on the back burner, go pick it up.
"Whatever dream you've accomplished, make a new dream, but continue to reach for the stars. Continue to reach for what is beyond what people say we can do, especially as [a] Black collective but especially as Black women. When it comes to us and who we are and what we accept and what we're worth, it's not about having seen it before. It's about knowing that I deserve it.”
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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You know, sometimes, when I go back and look at some of the articles that I’ve penned for the platform before, I truly can’t believe how fast time flies. Take the piece, “What's The Difference Between Being 'Religious' And Being 'Spiritual', Anyway?” — now, how in the world did it turn five this year? I can’t even begin to wrap my mind around it. And although the piece does address some key points — like the fact that there is somewhat of a difference between being spiritual and being religious (although more people should read James 1:27 in order to understand how the Bible defines religion to be…it just might surprise them) — I want to explore a deeper angle of our spirituality, along with what we should require of it.
Today, let’s look at spirituality from the perspective of “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things,” “a quality that goes beyond religious affiliation, that strives for inspiration, reverence, awe, meaning and purpose…” (Murray and Zentner) and, perhaps, more than anything else, “the relationship between ourselves and something larger."
You know, it’s a woman by the name of Dr. Maya Spencer who once said, “Spirituality means knowing that our lives have significance in a context beyond a mundane everyday existence at the level of biological needs that drive selfishness and aggression. It means knowing that we are a significant part of a purposeful unfolding of Life in our universe.” Indeed.
And while keeping that in mind, if this is a time of your life when you would like to “clean or cleanse your spirituality” by doing things like removing negative energy, getting rid of old or counterproductive patterns and/or by stepping into an elevated space as far as your human spirit and soul are concerned, you might be pleasantly surprised by how easy and even fun that can be for you to do.
To effectively clean/cleanse your spirit, start by asking — and answering — the following five spirituality-focused questions:
What Inspires You?
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Remember how, in the intro, I shared that one definition of spirituality is “a quality that goes beyond religious affiliation, that strives for inspiration, reverence, awe, meaning and purpose…”? That is actually where I am pulling a lot of these questions from because, the reality is that focusing on things that inspire you, intentionally pondering your purpose, and also by encouraging yourself to become an overall better human being — these things definitely tie into your spiritual side whether you are “traditionally religious” or not.
And so, when it comes to cleansing your spirituality in this season, a great question to start off with is what actually inspires you? And listen, believe it or not, inspire is a pretty layered word. I say that because, while one definition is “to produce or arouse (a feeling, thought, etc.),” another is “to communicate or suggest by a divine or supernatural influence,” while synonyms of the word include excite, affect, cause, motivate, provoke, and instill. This means that if you truly want to say or do things from a place of inspiration, you need to produce things from a divine or supernatural space (interesting, right?).
The reason why it’s so important to “spring clean” in this department is, oftentimes you can be motivated or provoked by things that aren’t really all that good, healthy and/or beneficial for you (social media fast, anyone?) — things that take your mind off of what’s divine — sacred, godly and extremely good. As a result, you find yourself producing out of a mind and heart space that is compromised when it comes to your core standards, values, and even goals.
So yes, in the effort to cleanse your spirituality, begin by really reflecting on what you claim inspires you — then revisit what the word actually means…just to be sure that you are being honest with yourself about whether something or one is truly inspiring you…or not.
What Amplifies Your Purpose?
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Purpose is always something that is going to be a pretty big deal to me. That’s why I’ve written articles for the platform like “What Does It Mean To Have 'Purposeful Relationships'?,” “Please Stop Picking People Who Don't 'Fit' Your Purpose,” “The Conversation You Need To Have With Yourself Before The New Year Begins,” “How To Handle 'Purpose Fatigue'” and “5 Signs You Are Living Your True Purpose.” It’s because really, if you’re not focused, most of all, on the reason why you exist in the first place, nothing else is going to be fully, truly, and authentically fulfilling for you.
So, when it comes to this part of your spirituality, first take some time to make sure that you know what your purpose is. If you have no clue and you’re ready to find out, as a wise person once said, wisdom comes in the questions, even more than the answers, and Rockwood Leadership Institute has a whopping 132 questions that you can ask yourself in order to get to the root of what your purpose is here. On the flip side, if you do know and you’re just not feeling completely satisfied in what you are currently doing as it relates to executing your purpose, it sounds to me like you are going through a bit of a “purpose growth spurt,” and yes, there is such a thing.
For instance, I am very clear on what my purpose in life is — I am here to teach what I study and research about when it comes to the topics of covenant marriage, sex, and the biblical Sabbath. All are covenant principles that have been unbelievably compromised in a thousand different ways. However, as I evolve, transform, and mature, my understanding of what I know does as well, and that “upgrades” how I approach and share my purpose with others. You see, purpose is never supposed to be stagnant…it is ever-shifting as far as how you accomplish things within it.
And that’s why, spiritually, it’s so important that you make sure that you are AMPLIFYING YOUR PURPOSE. To amplify is “to make larger, greater, or stronger; enlarge; extend.” If you are not putting forth the effort to do just this, there is some spiritual cleansing that must be done because, if there is one thing about a person’s purpose, it’s the fact that it’s HUGE which means that there will always be plenty to do within it until their time on this earth ends.
What Makes You Love Better…and More?
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I believe I’ve mentioned before that a show that I loathe with every fiber of my being (and there really is so much to choose from these days — SMDH) is TV One’s For My Man. Not only is it a program that discourages full-level accountability, but it irks me to no end every time that it says that a woman did some heinous crime in the name of love. According to Scripture, GOD IS LOVE (I John 4:8&16). Not only that, but the Love Chapter in Scripture has a very healthy, sane, and mature take on how we should love and require love in return (I’m going to share two translations of I Corinthians 13:4-8 for expanded context):
“Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always ‘me first,’ doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel, takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end. Love never dies.” (I Corinthians 13 — Message)
“Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening]. Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].” (I Corinthians 13 — AMPC)
Now, think about what you see displayed on television when it comes to relationships. Based on these verses, is it love? Is it really? Ponder all of the relationship content that’s on social media. Does it sound like this kind of love? Does it really? The times when you’ve done things that you know were purely rooted in selfishness, impatience, and/or refusing to do for others what you would want them to do for you — how can any of that be loving? If you do believe in God and you also believe that you were made in his image (Genesis 1:26-28), this means that a part of your own spiritual DNA is love. This also means that if you know that your love has been tainted by material or physical things (which, by definition, is the opposite of spirituality), it’s time to make some real adjustments.
That said, take some time, think about the people and things that you profess to love, and ask yourself if it’s really love or is it lust or entitlement or immaturity. Then ask yourself what you can do to love those individuals and items better.
Remember, since you are made from Love, it’s important that you love like you are.
How Effective Are You When It Comes to Compassion?
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Personally, I think that whenever someone does something reckless and then follows up with the Bible says not to judge, I find it to be a supreme level of gaslighting. The context of that verse is saying that in the way that you judge, you will be judged and that you should make sure that you are right in the area that you are judging before you judge someone else (Matthew 7:1-5); however, be clear that judgment is a form of accountability which is why there are also verses like “Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment” (John 7:24 — NKJV) that exist — not to mention the fact that discernment literally means “keen judgment” and the Good Book supremely promotes that: “Strike a scoffer, and the simple will become wary; rebuke one who has understanding, and hewill discern knowledge.” (Proverbs 19:25 — NKJV)
And that’s why, any time the topic of “don’t judge” comes up, I am known for saying something along the lines of, “PUH-LEEZE. If I say ‘You’re cute,’ I just judged you. Humans don’t have a problem with judgment; they don’t like criticism or accountability.” And gee, is that unfortunate because it’s hard to grow without both of those things. However, the key that comes with being on the giving end of criticism or holding someone accountable is applying a quote by author Anne McCaffrey: “Make no judgments where you have no compassion.”
This world has a lot of…stuff going on, stuff that needs to be addressed and stuff that needs compassion applied while it is. By definition, compassion is about having concern for others, especially if what you see them going through, they have either told you or you can discern is tied to some level of internal suffering. And that’s why, in the spirit of spiritual cleansing, something else to ask is if you are holding others and even yourself accountable while operating from a place of genuine care and concern or is your ego just wanting to elevate itself or prove that it’s right?
You know, we’re living in a time when, more and more, people are frowning on humility which is unfortunate because a definite quality that comes with being a compassionate person is absolutely that — “By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches and honor and life.” (Proverbs 22:4 — NKJV)
It really is almost impossible to be profoundly spiritual without being a compassionate person. Is this an area that needs some “cleaning up”? If so, there is no time like the present.
What Encourages You to Be Wiser and Full of More Truth?
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Musician Jimi Hendrix once said, “Knowledge speaks, wisdom listens.” Aristotle once said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Confucius once said, “By three methods we may learn wisdom: first, by reflection, which is the noblest; second, by imitation, which is the easiest; and third, by experience, which is the bitterest." Thomas Jefferson once said, “The wisest men know their weakness.” Author Gift Gugu Mona once said, “A woman of peace is a wise woman who understands that peace is more powerful than trying to prove a point.”
And what does it mean to be wise?
People who can regulate their emotions are wise. People who actually learn from their experiences (and the experiences of others, so that they don’t have to experience everything) are wise. People who know how to tame their ego are wise. People who are flexible/adaptable, non-materialistic, are self-aware, can be relied upon for great perspectives and insights, and are teachable are wise. The self-disciplined are wise. The patient are wise. The non-entitled are wise. Those who prioritize well are wise.
Those who do not live above their means (across the board), they are also wise. And there is no way that you can be wise without being willing to be completely honest, yes truthful with yourself about where you could stand to gain more wisdom and what must be done — and sometimes sacrificed — in order to get it.
And so, as I close this piece out, when it comes to spring cleaning your spirituality, ask yourself who and what encourages and enables you to become a wiser individual — AND who and what hinders that from transpiring. Then be honest with yourself about what is challenging you for the better and what, frankly, is only dumbing you down. Indeed, in order to live out the full potential of your spirituality, wisdom must come into play. However, it’s important to keep in mind that, for wisdom to truly flourish, it is a conscious choice — a daily decision.
And it will never come so long as you are making up excuses, justifying poor behavior (check out “Accountability Time: Let's Stop Calling It A 'Mistake' When It Was A 'Choice'”) or lying to yourself about what needs to be done. Taking those approaches to life is literally the opposite of being wise.
A French priest by the name of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” I can only imagine how much the quality of our lives would improve if we took that in on a very serious level.
The good news is you can choose to do it — right here and right now.
See yourself as a spiritual being.
Clean/cleanse whatever hinders that reality.
And watch how you begin to soar, supernaturally, by design, because of it, sis.
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