When You Say You're Fine...But You're Not Can I ask you a question? How are you doing? Before you answer, really think about it. Not how work is going. Not how the family is doing. Not whether the bills are paid. Not what's next on your calendar. How are you? I've been sitting with that question a lot lately. I'm currently working on a project centered around the idea of what happens when you look fine, but you're really not. And working through it has forced me to examine some things in my...
14 days ago • 3 min read
What If It's Working...Just Not Yet? Can I coach you for a few minutes? I want you to think about the area of your life that's been frustrating you lately. You know the one. You've been praying about it. Working on it. Trying to make better decisions. Showing up differently. Maybe you've even done some healing. But if you're being honest, you're frustrated because you thought you'd be further along by now. Maybe it's your career. Your finances. Your business. Your health. Your marriage. Your...
21 days ago • 4 min read
Why Don't You Believe In You? Can I coach you for a minute? I want you to think about something. Do you actually believe in yourself? Not the version of you that shows up on Instagram. Not the version of you that tells everybody else, "I'm good." I'm talking about the person you are when nobody else is around. When you're sitting in your car thinking about that idea. When you're considering applying for the position. When you're thinking about starting the business. When you're wondering if...
28 days ago • 4 min read
Why Not Go For The Gusto? A few days ago, I had a conversation with my therapist that challenged me in a way I wasn't expecting. I usually talk to her before speaking engagements and other major opportunities outside of my normal therapy sessions, so I can address imposter syndrome and ground myself. I was telling her about my desire to go back to college. I had applied to a post-graduate program, and to my surprise, I didn't get accepted. I'll be honest. That rejection made me question some...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Forgiveness Is Hard. Especially Without God. Let's be honest, forgiveness is hard. Especially when someone hurt you deeply. It's easy to tell somebody, "You just need to forgive them." But when you're the one carrying the wound, it's not always that simple. I've had moments where I've had to wrestle with forgiveness myself. Not because I didn't know what Scripture says, but because knowing what God asks of me and actually living it out can be two very different things. And that's why I've...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Your Body May Be Telling You Something Is this still a safe space? I hope so, since I created it. Let me be transparent with you. Tuesday afternoon, I had to check myself into the ER because I was experiencing chest pains. And even though I had reasons to believe stress and anxiety could be contributing to what I was feeling, I wasn't willing to assume that. I needed to get checked especially as a black man with past health issues. Thankfully, I was able to get evaluated. But the experience...
about 2 months ago • 4 min read
Sometimes the Hardest Step Is Being Honest With Yourself I've been thinking a lot lately about how easy it is to avoid things that make us uncomfortable. We stay busy. We keep producing. We take care of everybody else. We tell ourselves, "I'll deal with that when I have time." And sometimes we don't even realize we're avoiding anything because we're still functioning. I've done this. There have been seasons where I've kept moving because stopping long enough to acknowledge what I was actually...
2 months ago • 2 min read
What Do You Need to Start, Stop, and Develop? Hey, it's me, Nate... I know it's been a while since you've got an official "Thrive Thursday" from me. I really do appreciate you for sticking around while I took and unintentional sabbatical. Actually, let me be real with you, I've been overwhelmed. Not in a "everything is falling apart" kind of way. More like the kind of overwhelmed that happens when a lot of good things are happening at the same time. I'm adjusting to life as a father of two...
2 months ago • 3 min read
Preparation Requires Presence It’s been two weeks since the last Thrive Thursday but it feels like it's been 2 months. And honestly? That absence came with good reason. First—my wife and I are adjusting to life with our newborn son, Emory. And let me just say this plainly for every parent reading this: Infants are beautiful… and exhausting especially when there's a toddler in the house to accompany them. The sleep shifts, the constant attention, the unpredictability, it’s stretching me in new...
5 months ago • 2 min read