Thrive, Don't Just Survive

Wow can you believe we are already in April, where did the time go? It feels like we were just trying to figure out this new life that Covid has brought and now it has become the norm. I think the biggest adjustment has been our flexibility and adaptability. As human beings we are naturally survivors and we soon learn to adapt to new circumstances if we feel we have no choice. It is no longer strange to see people walking around wearing masks. We have somehow become used to not hugging and observing social distance (well, some people more than others).

When you speak to a lot of people a common phrase that comes up is ‘survival mode’. A lot of people are grateful to have survived 2020 and so seem to just want the same for 2021. It appears most people just want to go through 2021 with minimal damage. They just want to survive. And it is good to survive. However when people talk about surviving there is usually a heaviness and reluctance that also goes with it. The problem is that survival mode generally implies trauma or some form of struggle. At its most basic survival means there is some imminent threat or danger out there that needs to be survived. We don’t survive pleasant things, only unpleasant ones. So yes people are happy that they survived but there are a lot of scars that they are carrying from 2020 which are influencing how they are experiencing 2021.

While survival is good and necessary thriving is so much better.

• Survival is about staying afloat, doing everything necessary to stay alive. Thriving on the other hand is about not just being satisfied with merely surviving but wanting more. It is about growing, developing and being more.

• Survival is determined by external circumstances and is largely driven by a mindset of fear. Thriving requires internal strength and is driven by a mindset of hope and possibilities.

• Surviving is about looking back at the past while thriving is about looking forward to the future.

There is however a risk of complacency as a result of surviving. People may end up being satisfied with ‘just surviving’. I would like to challenge you to do more than just survive 2021. A mindset of thriving is about knowing that there is more. While survival is good in that it implies continuation, what people really want out of life is to thrive. Thriving is more than just surviving, it is about flourishing, succeeding, accomplishing.

So how do we move from merely surviving to actually thriving?

Well, the starting point is to have a mindset of gratitude. Gratitude has been shown to help increase people’s mental strength, helping them overcome traumas and build resilience. Gratitude compels us to not allow circumstances to be a deterrent. The fact is we did survive 2020, we are still here (yes with the scars), so knowing that should be cause for appreciation. But we should not let that be all that 2021 is about.

Instead of using gratitude as an anchor to hold us down it should actually be the springboard from which we leap forward.

Thriving requires a mindset of knowing that life is bigger than just the current circumstances and faith that things will ultimately workout. We need to cultivate a curiosity and a hunger for life. When we approach the future with a sense of adventure we develop passion and determination and we allow ourselves to dream and to fully commit to the future. Thriving is about seeing each new day as a gift and as an opportunity to do or be better than yesterday. It is about loving yourself so much that you know deep in your soul that you can be or do better.

So instead of just surviving the rest of 2021 I would implore you to enjoy it, to look forward to all the surprises it has instore for you and to chase after those with a hunger and a passion that only comes from a desire to thrive.

‘My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humour, and some style’. – Maya Angelou