Can you feel it? Here in Atlanta, the weather is slightly cooler and the days are getting shorter. Fall decorations are on display. The kids are already back in school. Your favorite coffee shops are serving pumpkin-flavored everything.
Fall is my favorite season. I love the crisp air that we call “sweater weather.” Sipping tea from my patio on a fall evening brings me joy. Fall also marks the end of daylight savings time when we gain back an hour of time. Hence, the term “fall back.”
While many people begin to reflect on their accomplishments throughout the year during the holiday season, I start my year-end reflection in the fall. It’s no secret that after a decade working in the hospital setting, I began to despise nursing. I started my first corporate nursing position in late summer. When fall arrived, I was in the best honeymoon phase of the position. I fell back in love with nursing during the fall of 2015, and I wouldn’t be where I am today if the years that followed hadn’t occurred. Each year, my love for nursing has increased as my experiences within professional and personal settings changed.
Instead of waiting until the end of the year, I encourage you to use the fall season to write down what you’ve accomplished this year and what areas you’d like to improve and build upon. There’s a saying, “People come into your life for a reason, season or lifetime.” I think this is also true for circumstances or places that we’ve encountered. Think about the experiences surrounding your nursing career – was each purpose for a reason, season or lifetime? Are you extending time in a place that was only meant for one season? I’m not a nurse who felt called to the profession. I didn’t watch some after-school program and think, “Oh, I have to be a nurse!” I became a nurse because I knew I’d always have a job no matter where I lived. Early in my career, I spent many seasons past the expiration date in hospital settings that I knew I’d outgrown. I plan to retire in corporate nursing because I have no desire to return to the bedside. I enjoy corporate nursing so much, I created a business around it to show nurses that it’s a viable pathway. My goal is to ensure that when future nurses enter school, they know corporate nursing is an option just like advanced practice, academia or administration.
Self-reflection and self-awareness are beautiful things. Although it’s tough to acknowledge the aspects of ourselves that need additional work, it’s the only way we can progress. I was a mess when I left the hospital setting. I had so much mental and emotional baggage from enduring racism in nursing, pettiness, jealousy and work politics. When I first heard Erykah Badu’s song, “Bag Lady”, I felt attacked! Those lyrics really called me out. Nursing was so deeply embedded into my identity, that I thought I’d ruined my life once I started to despise the profession. After attending therapy, I was able to shed the negative thought processes that I’d learned from nursing school and working. Once I fell back in love with nursing, I fully understood and embraced my purpose within the profession. I don’t have to work in a hospital or clinic setting to be an impactful nurse and neither do you!
As you reflect on your own reasons for entering (or remaining) in nursing, what have you accomplished this year that you need to celebrate? By virtue of you reading this, you should celebrate being alive during these unprecedented times. It’s a blessing to leave home every day and return safely. If you’re struggling to find reasons to celebrate, then celebrate that. Next, what is one thing you can improve and build upon as you prepare for 2023? There’s no shame in having shortcomings. We all have them – especially in the work sector. A lot of companies don’t invest enough resources into professional development for employees. Are there any soft skills that you can hone? Do you need a mentor in your area or specialty to help you figure out where you want to take your career? Are you looking for more leadership opportunities? The worst thing you can do is neglect your self-improvement.
Think of me as a trusted friend or advisor who’s pushing you to become the best version of yourself. I’m committed to helping you improve your professional health and total nursing well-being. If you’re feeling discouraged or stagnate in your career, I want to encourage you to push past those mental blocks. Let’s see what we can do to help you “fall back” in love with nursing this season! No one is going to support nurses like other nurses. Whether you’re working in inpatient, outpatient, academia or the corporate setting, I want to see you thriving in the area of nursing that you’re in love with. Life’s too short to be unhappy at work.
Now, GO – reflect on the year you’ve had and devise a plan to win within your career in 2023!