Tuesday's Talk

Tuesday’s Talk | Mental Health Awareness Month Edition

"The first and best victory is to conquer self."– Plato

As a Professional Certified Coach, I often partner with high-performing leaders who’ve mastered strategy, metrics, and influence—yet struggle with mastering themselves. 

Self-leadership is the foundation of sustainable success, and May—Mental Health Awareness Month—is the perfect time to explore it.

Let’s start right here, right now:

Pause... Remove distractions... Take a deep breath in… exhale slowly…Again… and again.. .Feel yourself arriving in the present moment...

Now, sit with this question:

What does it really mean to “conquer self” in your world—your industry, your leadership, your life?

To conquer:  /verb/ To gain mastery over; to overcome by mental or moral strength.

In today’s climate of burnout, ambiguity, and hyper-productivity, conquering self is less about control and more about alignment—between values, vision, and action. Yet, even for the most capable leaders, this remains one of the greatest challenges.

What’s getting in the way of your own self-mastery?

• Is it the pressure to always perform?

• Unprocessed stress, self-doubt, or a fear of being “found out”?

• Or maybe, like many, you’ve deprioritized your inner work in service of external success.

  
  

Mental health awareness isn’t just about reducing stigma. It’s about increasing capacity—your capacity to be aware, grounded, emotionally agile, and deeply connected to self and others.

A call to action, inspired by Iyanla Vanzant:

• Know Your Self – beyond roles, resumes, and responsibilities

• See Your Self – clearly, with compassion

• Accept Your Self – even in your mess, mistakes, and moments of pause

• Be Your Self – in every boardroom, Zoom call, and tough conversation

• Trust Your Self – your journey is your curriculum

  
  

Reflection prompts for you and your team:

• What does self-leadership look like for us?

• Where are we still performing instead of being?

• How can we normalize mental health conversations without judgment or stigma?

  
  

From Gay Hendricks’ A Year of Living Consciously: Say these commitments aloud three times:

“I commit to my full development as an individual.”

Now check in with yourself:

• Where did you feel resistance?

• Where did you feel resonance?

  
  

This isn’t a one-time practice—it’s a leadership imperative. Because no one gets to the next level by avoiding the inner work.

And here’s the truth: You are more than a conqueror. You are a leader in progress. A human in process.

Don’t miss your moment. Be intentional. Encourage others. Watch what happens.

You got this!

Coach Tavia, PCC, MSEd

References:

• Hendricks, Gay. A Year of Living Consciously: 365 Daily Inspirations for Creating a Life of Passion and Purpose.Harper One, 1998.

  
  

• Vanzant, Iyanla. Until Today: Daily Devotions for Spiritual Growth and Peace of Mind. Atria, 2020.