THRIVE
because being happy is not enough...
“I know you want me to be happy.”
That’s what someone said to me years ago after a massive life change.
And I remember thinking —
I want much more for you than happy.
Happy feels nice. Easy. A little surface-level. Nothing wrong with happy. But it’s not the goal.
What I want — for that person, for my children, for my friends… for myself — is to thrive.
To flourish.
To grow.
To live awake and purposeful on this side of heaven.
But if I’m honest?
Some days I forget that’s the goal. I get busy. Distracted. A little discouraged. And because I love a formula (Enneagram 3 meets slight attention disorder 😅), I created one I actually use.
When I don’t know what to do next… I spell THRIVE.
T — Trust
Trust God.
Trust that He is real.
Trust that He made you on purpose.
Trust that He desires good for you.
Trust that we are not home yet.
He holds you — and the whole world — in His hands.
H — Honesty
Get honest with yourself.
What really needs to be done today?
Are there conversations to have? Tasks to complete? Boundaries to set?
Map your priorities — for the day, the week, the season.
R — Ready
What do you need to do to get ready?
Sometimes for me that means showering and getting dressed.
Sometimes it means cleaning the kitchen.
Sometimes it means sending the hard email.
Small acts of readiness move us forward.
I — Identity
Remember who you are.
You are loved.
You are unique.
You are made in the image of God.
If you are reading this, your heart is beating and your lungs are working — that alone is a miracle. You are not an accident.
V — Visible
Stay visible.
Community is vital. We were not made to function alone.
Show up. Let people see you. Let people know you need them.
Isolation shrinks us. Community strengthens us.
Start with the Church.
E — Enjoy
Life is a gift.
Our days are numbered. We are not promised tomorrow.
This doesn’t mean every day is easy. But even in the hard, God is good. There is beauty tucked into ordinary moments if we slow down enough to see it.
So let’s thrive.
Not just shuffle through life.
Not just chase happy.
Trust. Be honest. Get ready. Remember who you are. Stay visible. Enjoy the gift.
And if you’re not thriving right now — go to the One who directs your steps. Ask Him what your next faithful move is.
Much love,
xo
CC
“Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in Him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7–8