"To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all." – Oscar Wilde
What Does it Mean to Thrive?
For some reason, I’ve always really loved the word “thrive.” I guess it just feels like something I continually want to aspire to.
But, what does it mean to thrive?
Looking up the word thrive in the dictionary the first definition is: to grow vigorously (to flourish). I totally love this as it reminds me of a very healthy houseplant that just keeps heading toward the light! That’s exactly how I want to feel!
The Question That Changed My Perspective
Last year I was talking with some coworkers about the concept of thriving and someone asked me directly if I felt like I was thriving in my life. My heart stopped for a minute before I answered honestly that no, I definitely was not. But, this moment was part of the many small hints that when taken together added up to my decision to leave my job.
I started regularly asking myself a key question, “If I’m not thriving now, what do I need to do so that I will be in one year?” Repeatedly asking this has provided me with some guideposts for decision making as I move forward.
Why Thriving Is About More Than Work
So what does thriving look like? For me, one of the key pieces is that it is multi-dimensional. In the last year or so at my job, I would sometimes teasingly say that all I did was work and recover from work. (Yet another hint that something was wrong.) This is not thriving.
Thriving means experiencing a sense of fulfillment, growth, and balance in multiple areas of your life. It can include maintaining strong relationships, emotional well-being, physical health, and a sense of purpose while simultaneously staying engaged in work, developing your skills, achieving meaningful goals, and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
It’s not just surviving or going through the motions but feeling energized, challenged, and supported in all areas of life. That was no longer happening for me where I was.
My Journey Toward a More Fulfilling Life
So, now several months later, how would I assess my thrive level? Well, I’m definitely headed in the right direction! I feel a million times healthier both mentally and physically than I did in May and I feel more engaged in work than I have in years as I’m getting my business off the ground. But, there are still areas I’m working on -- specifically, cultivating more in-person relationships and doing more creative projects. So, a work in progress!
A Question to Ask Yourself Today
How about you? Are you thriving? If not, what can you start doing now so that you will be in one year?
Update 2 Years Post-Corporate (7/13/26)
Looking back now, I'm even more convinced that asking myself this question changed the trajectory of my life. Building a coaching business hasn't always been easy, but today I feel healthier, more energized, and more aligned with my values than I did in those final years of my corporate career. I still believe thriving is multidimensional. For me, it means meaningful work, strong relationships, good health, creativity, and enough margin in my life to enjoy it all. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm much closer to the life I hoped to create. Wishing you the same!
