So many people have been talking about making a shift or pivot since COVID hit. I am no different! Many of you know I am a nurse not currently practicing nursing. With the onset of COVID, it became clear to me that I needed to do something to make a difference. Truth be told, I had some survivor guilt because I was not working in the field. When I suggested I may return to nursing, my family and friends said, "are you crazy?!" I also discovered that I suffered from burnout. I left nursing because I felt stressed. I was not taking care of myself while I was working. I was always the person who said "yes" to working extra shifts or staying late with a patient at the expense of my health or time with my family. I left myself behind. I was giving to everyone else and not practicing self-care, leaving me feeling tired, stressed, and defeated because I could no longer do the job I loved so much. When I became a nurse in 1985, I wanted to help people heal. My journey with nursing took many twists and turns. Now I realize nursing is not the same as it was so many years ago. The opportunities to heal are not there any longer for the most part, at least the way I wanted it to be for me. I turned to alternative therapies such as Reiki and Aroma Freedom Technique so I could get back to healing people in a way that feels fulfilling and rewarding again. That still isn't enough. Now it is time to heal the nurses who, like me, are hurting and help them to love themselves and their jobs again. Fast forward to 2020, and COVID is devastating nurses everywhere. Nurses are exhausted, stressed, and ready to be done! I have spoken to so many nurses who are under so much stress and uncertainty they do not feel like they can go on any longer in a job they once loved. I have this overwhelming urge to help. I want to help nurses lessen stress, form community for support, and go back to loving what they do again! I also learned that I had adrenal fatigue which I had been ignoring because, like you, I had other things to do! My functional medicine doctor told me I had to reduce the stress in my life. Less stress? I was in the middle of a major home remodel which had been going on for a year. Family struggles and childhood traumas had surfaced. It was time for me to start paying serious attention to my own health and well-being, which meant lessening stress in my life. Thankfully, this led to more time in nature with my husband and dog, resting when my body needed rest (believe it or not, that was the hardest part), learning to meditate, doing Reiki at least once a day on myself, and using essential oils to quiet that anxious feeling I felt most of the time. I have partnered with another nurse who has also suffered from burnout. She left a job she loved, because it was no longer a safe place to work and the stress of working overtime and being understaffed became too much. We want to form a community for nurses, a safe place to heal. A place to share nurse humor because, let's face it, no one understands nurse humor like a nurse! A place to remind you that you are not alone and there is always hope.
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AuthorWith 30 years in the nursing field and certifications in wellness and success coaching, Reiki, and Aroma Freedom Technique (AFT), Wendy brings new light to what it means to find yourself, make yourself a priority, and live in alignment with your desires. ArchivesCategories |