Connection over competition

I’m sure if I asked you the first word that comes to mind when you think of me (I’m assuming that you know me on a personal level of course…), the answer would not be fearful.

Am I right?

Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

I wouldn’t necessarily say fearful. Maybe fear-less-than-full would be a more fitting description.

And yes, if you’re distracted by that word…I love to make up words.

Moving along…

Most of the struggle of fear comes from self-doubt.

Did you really hear that?

Should you really write that?

Are you really qualified to say that?

Can I even do that?

Shocking maybe.

So how do I do it? Where does the confidence come from?

I know you’re probably expecting me to say Jesus? So yes…how about we get that obvious answer out of the way. It is most certainly Him.

The truth is I’m not usually mad at those feelings. I’m thankful for them. They tend to ground me. They force me to stop looking within and to look up.

But another reason is the mini-tribe that has my back.

• My lyric reminders (you know…they remind me of the lyrics to songs I really want to sing or other times they’ve been known to say ‘yeah…that’s not your key how about you try something else’).
• My running partners (you know…they help keep the pace. Coming back to run with me or running further ahead forcing me to catch-up. Both have their time and place).
• My co-dreamers (you know…there’s nothing like those dinner dates where our dreams connect and blossom into greater dreams that we look at and ask each other ‘how did we get here’ and sometimes even ‘can we even do this?’)
• My belly laugh givers (you know…and if you don’t know…you’re missing out).

You see we all need people. We were created for community and relationship.

And at some point, we have to pick our people.

Is there someone whose shine you admire? Connect with them…their shine will rub off on you and trust me yours will on them as well (we all have something to give).

Let the choice always be connection over competition.

So…who’s got you and more importantly who you got?