Have You Checked On Your Strong Friend?

We say it all the time — check on your strong friend — but do we
really know what that means?


In this Support Snippet, Shirl goes deeper than the surface-level
reminder and speaks directly to what it looks like when
strong Black women go quiet. When the one who
always holds everyone else down suddenly pulls back. When the
“I’m fine” doesn’t really mean fine anymore.


If you’re the strong one, or you love someone who is, this short
but powerful episode will help you think differently about
how support shows up, who it’s
for, and what’s hiding in the silence after we stop
over-functioning.


Because here’s the truth:
The strong friend gets tired too.
And when she stops showing up the way she always has — it’s not
drama.
It’s a signal.
In this episode, you’ll hear:



What it really means to check on your strong friend




Why many strong Black women feel invisible when they stop
doing




The emotional weight of being “the dependable one”


How silence can signal the need for support



A gentle reminder that strong women deserve to be
held too




Whether you’ve been the strong friend, ignored the strong friend,
or realized that you are the strong friend… this
conversation is for you.


Because shifting from being a strong Black woman to being a
supported Black woman?
That’s the real work.
And it starts with noticing.
Need space to unpack your own strong friend fatigue?

Shirl is holding space for Black women who are ready to rest,
reflect, and receive support without guilt.
Book a 1:1 Support Session HERE.
Other Ways to Be Supported:


Schedule a 1:1 Support Session


Get the Guide: “You Know Your Support Language—Now
What?”


Take the Support Language Quiz. and learn
how you actually receive support best.


Get Support Right in Your Inbox: Gentle words,
real-life reflection, and soft reminders every week



Let’s Stay Connected:


Subscribe to Shades of Strong on Apple Podcasts or your
favorite platform

 Share this episode with a sista who’s tired of being
the strong one

 Leave a review if the episode spoke to your spirit — it
helps more Black women find this space


Join Shades of Strong on Substack  for
deeper convos that don’t always make it to the mic

Follow Shades of Strong on Instagram for
daily reflections on what it means to be supported


Be a Guest on the Show


www.shadesofstrong.com





Related Episodes



Finding Support in the Pause


When Black Women Are Well, Everybody’s
Well


Learning How to Hold Yourself When Nobody Else
Does



Shirl is the creator of Support Languages and host of Shades
of Strong — a movement shifting the narrative from Strong
Black Woman to Supported Black Woman through language, rest,
and real support.