I'd like to introduce to you one of my friends, Erin Beil, who started a new project last month that absolutely speaks to my heart and those around me. Her new adventures titled Truth + Love Designs encompasses a new Etsy shop and blog affirming women of their beauty and worth.

She writes, "I make designs and provide a platform with messages of positivity and empowerment- truth about how beautiful and how priceless you are! EVERY girl is born absolutely beautiful, with a worth that is beyond measure or accomplishments- born priceless. They are delighted in and loved completely- they are precious."

Erin is using her platform to speak truth and encourage women of all ages to fight the negativity and self lies that so many struggle with. She recently sent out a survey asking fifty women questions regarding their beauty, confidence, capabilities, worth, and even struggles. 75%, nearly 3/4 of the women answered the question: “What do you wish you knew as a girl that has contributed to your confidence as a woman?” Response: I am beautiful because I am made in God's image.

As I read more about her project, I realized that it quickly lined with with my heart and my efforts. I thought, "Hey, that's what I'm doing too!" except that I'm in California, she's in North Carolina and the ages of our audiences are slightly different, but the messaging is definitely the same. Awesome, huh? We're on the same team, both trying to make a difference in the community of those around us.

A couple years ago, God opened my heart to create a shift in my thinking regarding community over competition. In a world where the girl power struggle is real (and hard!) and each woman is making a name for herself (sometimes at the expense of herself, her family, integrity, or of others), we face a choice to either build up the girl beside us or tear her down.

At one point I might have felt defeated or conflicted in sharing the same ideas and platform with a friend. But instead, I've been able to look at those around me and see their strengths. See her talents and capabilities, her leadership and vision as a positive thing to help reach more people. What was once a threat (competition) is now community.

At the end of the day, we all want to make a difference right? We want to leave our piece of the world better than when we found it.

I encourage you to take sometime to think about #communityovercompetion in your own community. What does that look like for you? For those around you? The Rising Tide Society has done an awesome job in the creative community to promote this type of thinking. While competition, innovative thinking and goal advancement all have its place, community over competition deals more with matters of the heart. Let's chose kindness first. Let's work together to built each other up and continue to make a positive difference in those around us!

Be sure to take some time to visit Erin's blog and show her some love!

#communityovercompetition
xoxo
Jes