Freedom Friday
- Tavia Robinson
- 5 hours ago
- 2 min read
“A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Leaders,
How does this truth resonate with you?
Take a moment... Ground yourself...Three deep breaths — in... and out...Again...And one more time...
Now ask yourself:
How do I see the world — through a lens of possibility, or limitation?
As leaders, our internal dialogue shapes the culture we create, the decisions we make, and the energy we bring to our teams. And while positive thinking is often framed as motivational fluff, in practice it’s one of the most resilient forms of leadership.
But staying positive in the face of adversity..? That’s the real work.
In today’s environment — with constant change, high stakes, and volatile markets — negativity can become a default mental habit. Our brains are wired for survival, not optimism. Iyanla Vanzant wisely reminds us:
"The mind can change the way we see things."
You own that power.
Consider this:
What narratives are you unconsciously rehearsing?
How is your thinking influencing your team’s engagement and morale?
What do your thoughts reflect back to you — and what are they attracting?
“We become what we think about.”– Earl Nightingale
Here are 7 practical mindset tools you can model and share with your team:
Normalize Negative Emotions: Acknowledge what’s real — emotions are data. The key is not to live in them.
What am I feeling right now, and what is it trying to teach me?
Write + Release: Capture your negative thoughts on paper — then literally discard them.
What belief no longer serves me, and how can I let it go today?
Get Outdoors: Step away from your desk. Reset your nervous system with natural light and quiet.
Where can I go today to reconnect with clarity and calm?
Capture Confidence: Keep screenshots or notes of past successes, positive feedback, or team wins.
When was the last time I felt fully capable? What helped me feel that way?
Program Positive Interruptions: Use calendar reminders to inject encouragement throughout your day.
“You’ve got this.” “Lead with presence.” “Stay curious.” What words do I need to hear today?
Assess the Work Environment: Sometimes it’s not you — it’s the system.
Is my role energizing or depleting me? What conversations need to happen?
Smile. No, really: Smiling signals your nervous system to relax. It’s contagious — even on Zoom.
What can I be grateful for right now?
Today's Leadership Challenge: Shift the Narrative. Inspired by Iyanla Vanzant’s Acts of Faith:
What are your top three recurring negative thoughts?
Which tools above will you try this week to disrupt them?
What’s one way you can invite your team to do the same?
“Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out.”— John Wooden
Be intentional. Be the example. Create space for others to shift with you.
What are you willing to commit to today?
Coach Tavia, PCC Empowering conscious leadership, one belief at a time.
Tavia Robinson
EMPOWER COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC
Normalize negative emotions. Absolute truth. As women especially WOC, we are taught to “smile through it” or “adjust our attitude.” Many of us did not learn to acknowledge and manage the negative emotions until later in life.
Smiling brings out the positivity that we all have internally!