How to Thrive and Not Just Survive
Aug 22, 2025
It's taken me a really long time to understand that the things I used to do in order to survive in my younger years isn't going to be the same as I move through life now.
Those mornings where I would wake up super early to crush a workout and get a million things done before my kids got out of bed are long gone. Sure they had a time and a place, and sure there are people who still might have to do this in order to squeeze it all in, but there's a new way to live.
It's called thriving and truly living your life happy, healthy, and free.
No longer do I need to be super productive or get a million things accomplished in my day in order to feel good about myself. That being said, when you're struggling with depression, getting up, showering, mopping the floor, and being productive actually feels incredible... But there is a balance and your job is to find what truly works for you and your own life.
Many years ago I can say I formed an incredibly fit character with a nice set of abs and fake boobs that would rise super early, sacrifice sleep if necessary, tell others to do the same, and bolt into action to save the world. To this day she still exists and she still enjoys her quiet mornings alone, but I love this new softer character now. Her chiselled abs and fake boobs are gone, and there is no bolting into action or sacrificing sleep.
She likes to take her time now. She enjoys her coffee hot without making sure she's paring it with a protein source, sits with herself and is very intentional with her time and energy. She's also not so reactive. She no longer pushes herself to do more or lift heavier. She listens to and honours her own body now. She has reclaimed her superpower and she now knows that she doesn't need to save the world. Everyone has their own superhero within that they can call to the rescue.
Now I rise when my body is rested, enjoy my quiet mornings, exercise when I want to and if I feel like it, do work that I love to do, and aim to truly live my life in presence, connection, peace, and joy. But..I am also a mother of 3, and have 3 little teacup puppies so some days are still a little chaotic and loud, but rushing through life? That's no longer on my to-do list. I got rid of that to-do list many years ago and now go with my own flow.
I can look back now on those younger years and say that my ego was heavily involved in a spirit of competition and sure... I was super "successful" on the outside, but was I really according to my higher standards now? Probably not. In fact I recognized this one morning while at the gym. I showed up and I wasn't the first one there and found myself pissed off. I felt this angry competitive part of me come to the surface. "I'll just get up at 3:00am then and become so strong no one can beat me." This little angry wounded part of me had been running the show for a while now and it was time to put her to rest and love her and take care of her the way she deserved. Competition? Like really... Who was I in competition with? The random dude at the gym who's over there making the most of himself and probably dealing with his own insecurities, past traumas, inner demons, or Mommy and Daddy issues? When you've healed and you really know who you are, there's no competition, and if someone is out there trying to beat me or do better than me... Go nuts. Knock yourself out. Have fun, but I'm pulling out of the race. You win. I'll be over here doing my own thing, minding my own business, and living my life on purpose.
I have to remind myself that those habits I formed many years ago started out from a wound and not from a place wholeness. I also have to remind myself that I wasn't the one running the show or the one intentionally creating my life. My wounded inner child was and I was just flying by the seat of my pants, doing what I thought I had to do, and didn't really stop. Stopping would have meant actually being alone with myself and dealing with all the issues I was too scared to look at and face. I also didn't really ask myself if this is really how I want to be living my life. Now I know better and when you know better, you can absolutely do better.
There's a difference now when it comes to starting out from a wholesome space and being intentional about how you show up in the world and most importantly WHY you show up in the world versus showing up because you're wounded and have something to prove. One just feels so much better than the other and proving yourself to anyone comes from another deep wound that hasn't been patched with love. We operate from love now. Not pain or anger.
Thriving after spending years healing from a personal trauma or from generational trauma is not only possible, it's powerful. It means you're finally stepping out of survival mode and into a life where you get to design, build, create, enjoy, and expand and it can be anything you want it to be. Sometimes this can be difficult because there is a waiver period.
The old you is still in there and keeps pulling you back to what might have worked in the past. The new you is entirely different and is trying to move forward to create the life she wants. Allow yourself the wiggle room to figure yourself out and what works for you. Keep the parts that worked and that you loved from the past, and bring them forward into the new you, but then let go of anything else that doesn't work or that you don't actually want to do.
So here are some tips on how to thrive!
1. Redefine Your Identity
Healing often revolves around what happened to you and one can spend a lot of time talking about it, processing it and making peace with it. As you heal and start thriving you ask:
- Who am I now that I’m not defined by pain, my story, or what happened to me?
- What do I want to build for myself and for my family?
Your identity does not revolve around what happened to you or who you were. You identity does not revolve around "being a single mom", "I was fired", "my family grew up poor", a "widow" the "cycle breaker" or the "caretaker". You are so much bigger than that. You have to let your past and your story go and create a new one for yourself.
2. Prioritize Joy and Pleasure
Trauma can make joy and happiness feel unfamiliar or unsafe. But joy is not a luxury. It’s fuel for thriving and the more fun and joy you have the easier it will be to create what you want. Start small with finding hobbies you like to do. Hobbies, nature, music, beauty, fitness, art, or anything you enjoy. Let yourself enjoy things without guilt or the feeling like you should always be doing more or being productive.
3. Create a Life You Don’t Need to Escape From
Create structure and habits that support your well-being. Create nourishing sleep routines so that you can ensure you're getting the proper amount of sleep and make time for moving your body, and eating healthy food. Set your boundaries and honour your own peace. Ensure that you are surrounded by people who make you feel safe, heard, loved, and seen and distance yourself from toxic or negative people. We no longer settle for scraps. Think about what your perfect day and life would feel like and be intentional about creating that.
4. Invest in Growth, Not Just Recovery
Healing is maintenance. Thriving is expansion and growth so this is all about learning something new and setting goals that excite you. Take risks that are alined with your values and recognize when fear is present. You can see fear for what it is and still move forward with courage as you're growing into the person you become.
5. Connect with Legacy, Not Just Your Lineage
Yes, trauma may be passed down, but so is love, resilience, creativity, and strength. Reclaim what’s worth keeping from your ancestry, but let go of what's not worth keeping. You also don't need to feel bad and keep your dead grandmothers cross stitch or old antique rocking chair or store all of her belongings in your basement if it's old and ugly as hell and you don't really love it. You can throw it away or donate it. She won't care. She just wants you to be happy and her spirit is not in those things anyways. She's in your heart. Define and get crystal clear what you want to pass on to the next generation and make your own traditions. Just because it was done in the past, doesn't mean it has to stick around in the future.
6. Practice Receiving
If you’ve always been the one to fix or give, learn to receive. Receiving support, love, and abundance is a spiritual thing. Say yes to help, or ask for help when you need it. Let people celebrate you and love you. Accept ease or a friendly kind gesture without suspicion. Now that you are healed and whole chances are the people you attract into your life will be of a higher quality, so trust that there are good people out there, and if by chance something does go astray know that it was probably a life lesson you still needed to learn about yourself or about your own energy levels.
7. Create, Don’t Just Cope
When thriving, you go from reacting to intentionally creating your life. A vision, a lifestyle, a life. You're no longer just going along for the ride but you in the drivers seat. Ask yourself: What can I create for myself now that I am no longer surviving? Then know you have the power to create and manifest what you truly want and desire. You can gain access to my 7 Day Meditation and Manifesting Challenge when you join my Monthly Mastery Program and enrol for the year!
8. Surround Yourself with People Who Reflect the Future, Not the Past
Healing might have meant going inward or being alone. This might have been a lonely place to be for a while, but it also means it was necessary for your growth. Thriving means finding or building community with those who see you fully, are like-minded and truly get you, as well as encourage expansion and fun and not just safety. Don't go back to someone just because you're lonely. Really ask yourself if this person deserves to be in your life and only surround yourself with the best.
9. Ongoing Meditation
So many people think that when you're whole you can stop doing the things that got you to where you wanted to be. Just like eating healthy and moving your body is a lifelong practice, so is meditation. Meditation is a lifelong practice and one you will truly look forward to as it hooks you up with the source of all things and makes your life just so much better! Meditation offers so many benefits that make it a valuable lifelong practice. It helps reduce stress, improve focus, reverses the signs of aging, and enhances emotional well-being by promoting mindfulness and inner peace. Over time, consistent meditation can lead to better self-awareness, improved sleep, and even physical health benefits such as lower blood pressure and a stronger immune system. What makes meditation a lifelong journey is that its depth evolves with continued practice. The more one meditates, the greater the insight and clarity gained. It's not just a tool for relaxation, but a way to develop resilience, presence, and a deeper understanding of oneself and the world.
10. Prayer and Thanksgiving
If you can't be thankful or take care of what you have right now, you won't be given more. That being said, prayer is an art, and a lot of people don't know how to pray effectively so that they can manifest their dreams and desires. Most people pray and are thankful, but their situation never changes and their faith dwindles. That's because prayer and thanksgiving is all about energy and your own vibration and the words you speak. Ongoing prayer and thanksgiving is a non-negotiable. The greater the love you have within and the more thankful you are for that love, the better your life will continue to be. Go to www.lindsayrose.ca/prayerpromises if you'd like to add more powerful prayers to your day!
Always remember this: You don't need to earn your way into thriving and living your life happy, healthy, and free. You've already done the hardest part. You stayed, you did the work and you healed. Now, thriving is your birthright. Now it's about reclaiming the parts of your life that were always meant to be yours. Joy, purpose, freedom, health, happiness, abundance and love.
If you're ready to continue living your happiest and healthiest life join the Rise and Shine Challenge! Click here to secure your spot!
Recommended Life Transformation Programs and Products:
Life Changing Affirmations - Download Now
Prayer Promises - Add These 30 Prayers to Your Morning
Additional Reads:
Wake Up and Live - 101 Days of Deep Inner Work to Transform Your Life
Rise and Shine - 101 Days to a Happier You
Taking Your Personal Power Back - 101 Days of Relentless Action Forward
High Level Leadership - Levelling Up to Meet Your Highest Self
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Whether you're juggling a packed schedule, looking to maximize your day, build a better routine, bounce back from setbacks, or simply need a fresh reset and the motivation to wake up earlier and move your body again...
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