When I was a kid, I hoarded my Halloween candy. I would come home after a long night of gathering my loot, plop down on the living room floor, sort, count, and record my candy. Why am I not an accountant? I would then proceed to hide my candy and slowly graze off my sisters’ treasures all year without them noticing. My candy lasted much longer this way. It was the perfect plan.

Now that I am a mother, one of my children actually does the same thing! I could not be more proud.

This sort of behavior is cute, charming, and quite funny as a child, but once we are adults, the adjectives drastically  change into manipulative, creepy, and controlling. None of us want to admit that we have functioned in the regard. The truth is, we have. When we get an abundance, we tend to not share. When someone looks like they are going to get that promotion you have your eye on, we suddenly take the boss out to lunch. If you have a hunch that your crush seems to have an eye on another chic, you creep his Facebook/Instagram/Twitter feed to see if they are talking.

Yikes, we all have done it and don’t want to talk about it. The common thread in us, my friends, is fear. Hand and hand, fear takes us to a place of anxiety, despair, suspicion, and scarcity. We start believing that the one opportunity passed us completely and we will never have a chance again. We worry that the dream will never materialize. We fill in the blanks and make up lies about others who are getting what we wanted to make us feel better. Someone stole our idea so we walk away from our  passions completely. It happens, friends, and is still happening.

We don’t realize that there is enough to go around for everyone. Not just for the “most talented”, the rich, and the “lucky ones”.  We are all loved by God and are His children and there is plenty to go around. When I walk in this favor, I no longer need my masks of jealousy, worry, and manipulation and replace them with genuine love, joy, and confidence that God has “this”, whatever “this” you are dealing with is at the time. What a relief it is to take the responsibility of my success off my back and allow God to “work it, work it.” My job is to dream big and show up.

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There is plenty to go around, my Change Makers. Give to others. Share in the joy with them when their dreams come true. You just might be surprised how much fun you will have celebrating your friend’s success. It’s not about the hustle. Its not about who get’s there first. Its about who we get to glorify, whoever’s time it is.

That’s success to me.