We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Zykina Stewart. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Zykina below.
Hi Zykina, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?
Where did I get my confidence from?
The truth is, I was not always confident. As a little girl, I walked with my head down more often than I walked with it lifted. I let what I lacked and what others thought of me shape how I saw myself. I was motherless, my mother died before I was 3-years-old. I was not raised by my father, living in the hood, very skinny, and one of the darkest in my family. When you grow up without the steady assurance of a mother, rejection feels louder, and every slight feels heavier.
But even in that, God made sure I was not without love. I was blessed with a grandmother and aunts who affirmed me, loved me, prayed over me, and exposed me to life beyond where I lived. They made sure I was introduced to the teachings of Jesus long before I fully understood them. They taught me to take pride not just in how I looked, but in my character, my mind, and the way I showed up in the world.
As a child I wrestled with insecurity, but as a teenager I slowly began to grow beyond it. I was surrounded by voices that reminded me of who I was and who God was shaping me to become.I started participating in dance, drill team, acting, and student government, and every stage, classroom, and team taught me something new about my own ability.
In my early adulthood I began to realize that what I was taught at home could carry me further than I imagined. I discovered that I was smart, talented, capable, and created with purpose. And once I understood that, I developed a new level of confidence, even in the face of rejection! I truly believed that if I wanted something, nothing could stop me if God was with me. I was taught to walk in love, to serve others, and to be honest. And as I learned more about God, I learned how He saw me. That was the game changer. I could be confident because I was fearfully and wonderfully made.
There were times I had to act confident even when I did not feel it. But God kept proving Himself. He always brought the people, the opportunities, the provision, and the strength I needed. That created a solid foundation in me. Provision produces security, and security builds confidence.
I would love to say I am confident every single day, but that would not be honest. Life has a way of chipping at you in different seasons. But the difference now is this: when my confidence gets shaky, I do not fall apart. I fall at His feet. My confidence is no longer rooted in my own strength but in His.
So where did my confidence come from?
It was planted by family and friends, watered by experiences, shaken by life, and secured by God.
I am confident because He is constant. And on the days when I do not feel enough, I lean on the One who always is.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
What am I focused on professionally?
For the last 23 years, I have served as a public servant with the United States government, and that role has shaped my work ethic, discipline, and commitment to serving people with excellence. At the same time, I have also spent more than 20 years serving in ministry. I am currently the First Lady of the church where my husband is the lead servant and pastor. In that role, I counsel, serve, and help lead different areas of ministry, including life groups and spiritual development spaces. Ministry has never been something I do. It is part of who I am. It influences the way I lead, teach, coach, and care for people.
But the assignment that has my heart in this season is the company I founded, Evolve Coaching Solutions. As a certified life coach, grief coach, communication coach, and Christian coach, I understand the power of intentional development and Christ-centered transformation. I also understand that many people cannot fully rely on their friends or loved ones to help them grow, not because they do not care, but because they may not have the training, the capacity, or the emotional strength to guide someone through breakthrough. That gap is where coaching matters.
Through my books, workshops, masterminds, one-on-one coaching, and group experiences, I help individuals evolve into who they were created to be. And I am expanding that mission by training and releasing other coaches through my firm. I call them Circle Changers, because when you change or elevate your circle, you change your life.
The Mission of Evolve Coaching Solutions
At Evolve Coaching, our mission is to empower individuals and teams to reach their fullest potential through transformative coaching. We provide practical tools, faith-based guidance, and a supportive environment that inspires growth, resilience, and intentional success. We are committed to helping our clients unlock their God-given abilities, navigate challenges with clarity, and create lasting change in both their personal and professional lives.
My focus now is helping people evolve, not just survive. And whether it is in the church, in coaching, in leadership spaces, or in community, my assignment remains the same: to help people grow, heal, and become who God created them to be.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1. Compassion
My compassion was shaped through lack, struggle, and exposure to different kinds of people and pain. But most of all, it was cultivated by having a heart turned toward God. Compassion allows you to lead, serve, and succeed without losing your humanity. It keeps you grounded and reminds you that purpose is always tied to people, not position.
2. Patience
Patience has protected me from quitting too early. It has carried me through rejection, closed doors, and seasons where nothing seemed to be moving. Patience teaches you to endure difficult people, slow progress, and unexpected delays without losing your character. It is a muscle that is only built through waiting.
3. A Willingness to Be a Lifelong Learner
I learned early that you cannot evolve if you believe you already know everything. Growth requires humility, curiosity, and teachability. The most successful people are still students. They seek wisdom, ask questions, and never stop developing.
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My advice for those early in their journey
• Sit at the feet of wisdom. Listen more than you talk.
• Read, study, and protect quiet time with God. You cannot lead well if you are not being led.
• Serve and volunteer. Give back to those society overlooks. Serving shapes your heart and sharpens your leadership.
• Check your motives often. Make sure your heart posture aligns with your assignment.
• Surround yourself with truth-tellers. The right circle will correct you, cover you, and challenge you.
• Keep the mirror in front of you. Personal reflection is just as important as personal achievement.
• Do not empty yourself to the point of weakness. Rest, renew, and protect your capacity. Purpose should not cost you your health.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Am I looking to partner or collaborate with others? Absolutely.
I believe deeply in collaboration. I am not a gatekeeper, and I do not believe purpose is meant to be walked out alone. What God has for me is for me, and partnership only multiplies impact. My vision for Evolve Coaching Solutions, as well as my personal brand, is rooted in working alongside other leaders, experts, and organizations who are doing meaningful work in their communities and industries.
Because we are committed to helping individuals and organizations evolve in every area of life, we are always open to strategic partnerships in a wide range of spaces. That includes churches, corporations, non-profits, schools, funeral homes, community programs, grief support networks, ministries, and groups of any size. I also love collaborating with experts, speakers, authors, entrepreneurs, therapists, and coaches who can pour into the people I serve through masterminds, retreats, workshops, and special events.
I am always dreaming of new and unconventional ways to uplift and equip others, so if someone feels aligned with our mission, we welcome the connection.
Ways to connect and collaborate
Website: EvolveCoaching.life
Email: [email protected]
Linktree (socials, books, coaching, media, and more):
https://linktr.ee/ZykinaStewart
If you are reading this and believe our missions intersect, I would love to hear from you.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://evolvecoaching.life/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weareevolvecoaching?igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093588384082&mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@evolvecoachingsolutions?si=D7X4xKljM-SFpmjm
- Other: https://linktr.ee/ZykinaStewart



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