The Courage to Connect—With Yourself

I avoided reading a book a good friend gave me right after my accident, thinking, Why read about rest and recovery in difficult times when I am living it? Besides, I was too busy struggling with my long convalescence to actually settle in and learn from it. Even though I teach slowing down as a…

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The Gift of Compassion

When I fell on a hike last month dislocating and fracturing my right shoulder, I experienced many acts of compassion: The good samaritan who helped me to my car, drove me to the emergency room, and stayed with me until my husband arrived; The nurses and physicians in the ER who reduced my shoulder after…

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Why Am I’m So Tired?

Woman laying on the ground tired

How often do you ask yourself, Why am I so tired? When we question our energy levels and don’t feel justified when they are low, we dismiss the need to prioritize our rest and recovery, a critical practice to Well-Being. See what I mean from this recent individual session in the Well-Being Coaching Program: Can…

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ONE Thing I Brought Back from Ireland

With all the interesting new people and places we experienced at our recent Ireland Retreat, ONE thing I brought back with me was the power of letting go of expectations. My only previous visit to Ireland was brief and 40 years ago, and my biggest memory was being very wet and cold the whole time.…

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The Compassion of Curiosity

While flying last month, I could not help but notice the significant body art of my seatmate. She had floral images the length of her leg with beautiful lilies, roses, and cherry blossoms. My immediate (and judgmental) thought was, why would anyone want all that permanent ink on their body? Thankfully, I changed my mind…

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Surrender to the Rest

Healthcare organizations everywhere are concerned about the well-being of their employees and Atrium Health committed to doing something about it. Last month, 17 ICU nurses graduated from my 8-week Well-Being Coaching Pilot (WBCP) at Atrium Health, Pineville. The statistically significant results of the pilot reflect practicing Self-Leadership skills improve well-being by decreasing stress and burnout…

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5 Signs You Are Powering Through

It was a double Monday. This is the day after a holiday weekend when lots of challenges present themselves—all at once. My email server went down, I made an error in a contract, a direct flight was cancelled, and supply chain issues delayed a time-sensitive order. In short, my planned to-do list was not getting…

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ONE Thing to Remember About Your Vacation

Beach chairs on beach

The 20 ICU nurses and managers chosen to be in my Well-Being Coaching Pilot are bright, high-achieving, and committed to their profession. They are also self-aware and can articulate what they want to improve in their lives, but don’t always know quite how to do it. Self-Leadership coaching is central to the program and provides…

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How to Move from Burnout to Balance

Person balancing on Rock

Last month I presented (in-person) to nursing students and leaders at Purdue University School of Nursing and UTHealth Cizak School of Nursing. What a gift for all of us to be together after virtually meeting and gathering for the last two years! Nursing students are one of my favorite audiences because they are the future…

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Make the Connection

Spirituality

In the last 2 years, I have coached a lot of nurses, from frontline staff to Chief Nursing Officers. While they all want to make a difference, they share the false belief that they never do enough. They say, “If I could just get more efficient… organized… faster…I could get ahead and be a better…

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