An honest reflection on friendship, expectations, and finding encouragement in unexpected places.

Lately I have been thinking a lot about support. Not the kind that is loud or performative, but the quiet kind that shows up when someone is chasing something meaningful. The kind that simply says, “I see you, and I’m rooting for you.” As I have stepped into new spaces recently like writing, sharing my work, and putting pieces of my heart out into the world, I have noticed something that has both surprised and humbled me.

Sometimes the people who support you the most are the ones you least expect.

And sometimes the people you assumed would be standing closest beside you are quieter than you imagined they would be.

That realization can feel confusing at first. Not painful exactly, but puzzling. It invites reflection about relationships, expectations, and the ways we show up for one another.

I have always felt like the kind of friend who tries to be there when someone needs encouragement. If a friend has a dream, I am cheering. If someone shares good news, I am celebrating. If a friend is struggling, I try to listen. Supporting people has always come naturally to me because I genuinely love seeing others succeed. When the people in my life grow, it feels like a collective win.

But if I am being completely honest, there have been moments when that support has not always been returned in the way I expected. And I suspect many women know exactly what that feels like.

It is not about needing applause or constant validation. It is simply about feeling seen.

When you celebrate others wholeheartedly, you quietly hope the same spirit might come back around when it is your turn to take a risk. When it doesn’t always happen that way, it can leave you wondering if you misunderstood the closeness of a relationship or the role you played in someone’s life.

And yet, something unexpected has happened during this season of putting my work out into the world.

Some of the most encouraging messages I have received have come from people I have never met.

Women from across the country. Teachers I do not personally know. Readers who found my work through the internet and simply took a moment to say something kind. A comment. A message. A short note saying, “I see what you’re doing, and I’m cheering for you.”

It has been incredibly touching.

It has also been a little surprising.

How is it that someone who has never shared a coffee with me, never sat beside me at a dinner table, and never known my everyday life can offer such genuine encouragement?

And why does that sometimes feel easier than support from the people closest to us?

The more I have reflected on this, the more I realize that it may simply be human nature. When someone knows you well, they know the everyday version of you. The one who runs errands, forgets things, makes mistakes, and lives a very normal life. Seeing that same person step into something bold or public can take a moment to register. Sometimes people need time to adjust to a new version of someone they thought they already knew.

And sometimes, quite honestly, people are just busy living their own lives.

Support does not always come in the form we imagine, and it does not always arrive on the timeline we expect. That does not necessarily mean people do not care. It may simply mean they are navigating their own challenges, responsibilities, and insecurities.

The beautiful thing I have discovered through this experience is that encouragement can come from the most unexpected places. A stranger’s kind words can carry surprising weight. A supportive comment from someone you have never met can remind you that your work is reaching farther than your immediate circle.

And perhaps that is one of the quiet gifts of sharing something with the world.

The circle of support grows wider than we originally imagined.

This reflection has also reminded me of something important about friendship. True support is not a scoreboard. It is not something we measure or track. It is simply a way of showing up in the world. I still want to be the kind of friend who celebrates people loudly and sincerely, even if that energy is not always returned in equal measure. Not because I am perfect, but because that is the kind of person I want to be.

The pretty truth is that friendships, like life, can surprise you.

Sometimes support comes from familiar faces.

Sometimes it comes from complete strangers.

Both can be meaningful.

And if there is one thing this season has taught me, it is that kindness has a way of finding you when you are brave enough to put your heart into something.

For every quiet moment of confusion, there has been a message, a comment, or a word of encouragement that reminded me people are watching more than we realize.

So to the women who show up for others, who cheer for their friends, and who sometimes wonder if that energy will come back around—I see you.

Keep being the kind of person who roots for people.

The world needs more of that.

And you may be surprised where that support finds you in return.

Want More Pretty Truth in Your Life?

If you are tired of wondering who is really in your corner and ready to embrace the support that shows up in unexpected places, you will love my book, The Pretty Truth.

✨ Click Buy the Book and it will take you to our Books page.

Always rooting for you,
XO, Maria

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