Freedom Friday
Freedom Friday: TRUST Yourself for What Comes Next
“Some of us, for better or worse, develop very stable, consistent, and largely predictable machineries of self. But in others, the self machinery is more flexible and more open to unexpected turns.”—Antonio Damasio
How do these words resonate with you?
Pause for a moment.
-Take a deep breath in…Exhale slowly…
-Again—in… and out.
-One more time.
Allow yourself to become fully present.
Now consider:
When life doesn’t follow your plan, how much do you trust yourself to navigate what comes next?
September has been our month of TRUST—and perhaps one of the most important forms of trust is knowing that you don’t have to predict every challenge to believe in your ability to respond to it.
We like certainty. We create schedules, strategies, budgets, goals, timelines and contingency plans. Yet leadership—and life—will inevitably hand us a few pop quizzes.
The question isn’t only, “Am I prepared?”
A deeper coaching question may be:
“Do I trust myself when I don’t feel prepared?”
Resilience isn’t the absence of uncertainty. It includes our capacity to adapt—mentally, emotionally and behaviorally—when circumstances change.
And trust doesn’t mean knowing exactly what to do.
Sometimes trust sounds like:
I can pause before reacting.
I can get curious instead of assuming.
I can acknowledge what I don’t know.
I can use what I’ve learned.
I can change course.
I can ask for help.
I can take the next intentional step.
That is where self-awareness becomes self-trust—and insight becomes action.
As we approach the fourth quarter, expectations may be increasing while daylight is decreasing. Year-end goals are looming, the holiday season is approaching, and economic, workplace and societal uncertainty may be competing for our attention.
You may not control everything coming your way.
But you can strengthen how you meet it.
A Freedom Friday Reflection:
Ask yourself:
What have I already navigated this year that proves I can trust myself?
When uncertainty appears, what helps me respond from my values rather than from fear?
What is within my control right now—and what am I ready to release?
And for leaders, take the conversation to your team:
What would help us trust one another enough to say, “I don’t know yet—but let’s figure it out together”?
That question matters...
Psychological safety supports the candor, questions and honest dialogue teams need for effective decision-making—particularly during uncertainty.
This weekend, don’t prepare by trying to predict everything.
Prepare by strengthening what travels with you wherever you go:
Your awareness.
Your values.
Your adaptability.
Your relationships.
Your courage.
And your TRUST in yourself.
Be intentional. Stay curious. Ask for help when you need it. Extend that same trust to others.
You don’t need to know everything that’s coming. Trust yourself to meet what comes.
You got this!
Coach Tavia, PCC, MEd, MAT
References
International Coaching Federation — 2025 ICF Core CompetenciesExplore the ICF Core Competencies
American Psychological Association — 10 Tips for Dealing With the Stress of UncertaintyRead the APA article
American Psychological Association — Building Your ResilienceRead the APA resilience resource
Harvard Business Review — What People Get Wrong About Psychological SafetyRead the HBR article
#FreedomFriday #Trust #SelfTrust #LeadershipDevelopment #Resilience #SelfAwareness #PsychologicalSafety #ExecutiveCoaching #GrowthMindset #Leadership
Tavia Robinson
EMPOWER COACHING & CONSULTING, LLC
732.743.5012
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