Freedom Friday

Tavia Robinson
Jan 23
3 min read

Freedom Friday: From Survival to Sustainable Thriving

“Pay attention to your patterns. The ways you learned to survive may not be the ways you want to continue to live. Heal and shift.”

— A String of Hope

Take a moment and let those words land.

So often, the very behaviors that once protected us—over-functioning, people-pleasing, constant urgency, emotional guardedness—become the same patterns that quietly limit our growth.

From a coaching perspective, this is where awareness becomes a gateway to freedom.

Before reading further, pause;

-Step away from the noise...

-Inhale deeply… exhale slowly...

-Again… inhale… exhale...

-One more time... —ground yourself in the present moment.

This is the work of intentional leadership: creating space to think, reflect, and choose—rather than react.

Reflective Inquiry

As you consider the quote above, ask yourself:

What patterns have helped me survive—but may no longer be aligned with who I am becoming?
Where am I operating on autopilot rather than intention?
What might be possible if I led from clarity instead of conditioning?

Survival is not failure...

Survival is resilience.

And yet, leadership—personal or professional—eventually asks a deeper question:

What would it take for you to thrive?

Thrive (verb):

-To grow or develop vigorously; to flourish; to prosper.

Iyanla Vanzant reminds us:

“People can only be as good as their thoughts, as successful as their mental patterns, and as progressive as their ideas.”

From a coaching lens, mindset is not motivational language—it is infrastructure.

Your thoughts shape your decisions.
Your decisions shape your behaviors.
Your behaviors shape your outcomes.

Consider:

How do you want to continue to live and lead this year?
What beliefs are expanding you—and which ones are quietly holding you back?
What narrative are you reinforcing every day through your internal dialogue?

Research and thought leadership continue to affirm that thriving requires intentional mental practices. According to Thrive Global and Medium’s exploration on thriving, sustainable performance is supported by simple but consistent habits, including:

Creating intentional quiet time to reset your nervous system
Practicing daily gratitude to shift perspective under pressure
Engaging in meaningful, energizing conversations
Being mindful of language—because words influence emotional states and executive presence
Maintaining an open mindset that supports learning, adaptability, and growth

None of these are “soft skills.” They are leadership competencies.

As Maya Angelou so beautifully stated:

“Surviving is important. Thriving is elegant.”

Today’s Freedom Friday Coaching Challenge

(Inspired by Iyanla Vanzant’s Acts of Faith*)*

Reflect on a time when your thoughts guided you toward peace, clarity, or safety.

What were you believing about yourself in that moment?
How can you strengthen trust in your own inner wisdom moving forward?
What are you willing to release to step into the next version of your leadership?