Dear Nurses Moms,
How beautifully you wear all these crowns. You make it look easy but I know it’s not.
This is a safe space; you can admit that it’s not always roses and rainbows. I know that you want to give up on some days.
Throw it all away.
Juggling motherhood and nursing can be quite the hill to climb. I applaud you for your resilience and your will to keep going even when you are at the verge of breaking down.
On some days, you fill everyone else’s cup while yours is running empty. You feel like you are being pulled from every direction; everyone wants a piece of you and they want you whole.
They can’t fathom how a wonder woman like you can ever back down from a fight. A fight to take care of your patients. A fight to keep it together. A fight to be supermom. A fight to keep your relationships together. A fight to find yourself in the midst of all your responsibilities.
Even with puffy eyes and an aching back, you still show up and get it done. You still smile even with clothes that have become a size too small or too big because your weight keeps fluctuating. That is no small feat.
It’s time to celebrate the super hero that you are mama! Time to extend to yourself the same grace you extend to the people you love. Time to rise up for you and do things that make you happy.
It’s time to shower yourself with a little more love than usual. It’s time to take care of you! The superhero. The one who makes things happen. You deserve every good thing. We are in this together and we will conquer together. For the next 30 days, we will focus on us. And here’s how we will take our power back!
1. Action
Every huge milestone begins with one little step. You need to be intentional about your overall well-being especially psychologically. You know yourself best and you know what you need to do to get to where you need to be. That may look like physical exercise, journaling, making time for people you love, going out to nature or any other thing that makes you feel so much better.
The key is not to stay stagnant when it comes to growth and doing what’s best for you. Remember that baby steps and short breaths still constitute to progress so don’t be too hard on yourself. Be a little kinder with yourself every single day. One day at a time.
2. Achievements
Every day you are out there working to give the best service, be proud of yourself. Keep a gratitude journal if you can and jot down every single little thing you’ve accomplished. It could be as simple as making it home in time to tuck the kids into bed, making time for your mental health or making progress with a patient. Don’t measure success by the big milestones.
It’s the small steps that will help you keep your head above water. It can be so easy to become passive and numb to your everyday achievements because they don’t look shiny or because nobody is applauding you; be your biggest cheerleader and always give yourself the medals you deserve. Reward yourself with something you like just because you are one hell of a good nurse and mom.
3. Affirmations
Sometimes you want to hear it out loud – that you are doing a good job but affirmations may not always come easily from others. Affirmations are a guaranteed way of erasing the negative trail of thoughts from your brain while building much healthier ones. Build your self-confidence through positive self-talk. You can affirm yourself before you start your shifts and when going through a tough day.
Examples of affirmations for nurses are:
I am doing the very best I can with my patients
I take time out to rest and care for myself
I have so much to be grateful for
I make a difference in people's lives
You are doing a wonderful job. Keep at it. Never give up.