Clearing Away the Old to Make Room for the New
As nurses, we learn to deal with a lot of “stuff” and keep moving. But for our health and wellness, it is important to be able to “let go of what no longer serves our highest good.”
Here are some ways to clear out the old to make space for a NEW and BETTER version of YOU!
Make a vision board!
In nursing, we are taught to make short and long-term goals. The same applies to our lives! So, dream and plan BIG! Believe in yourself and your ability to create your world! Think of your wildest and best dreams of YOU, in all aspects of your life. Now collect pictures, words or poems and make a collage of what the “NEW YOU” will be. Look at it regularly to keep you on track. Take steps, no matter how small each day, to reach those goals. Forgive yourself when you fail or fall short but keep going. Enjoy and congratulate the “NEW YOU” you have become.
Release all that no longer serves your highest health and wellness.
Write down all that you want to get rid of in your life. Be specific. Put the emotions down on paper! Say goodbye to relationships that compromise your best you! List the things holding you back in life! Forgive yourself for all the times you were not your best! Now take those papers and burn them in a fire. I love to release them into a campfire, fire pit or even in a simple candle.
Practice mindfulness to change your actions and behaviors.
Begin to take notice of how you feel when you are stressed. Locate where in your body you hold the stress. Focus on giving yourself permission to release the stress and to soften those areas of stress. Learn to divert the negative thoughts that we all experience. Allow them to pass without latching onto them and then redirecting yourself to something positive. Slow down your reactions to things. Count to five or 10 and be mindful of what you say and do. Give yourself time to center yourself before dealing with stressful situations.
Learn or participate in an alternative/integrative practice:
- Therapeutic Touch [the nursing version of Reiki]
- Guided meditations
- Hypnotherapy
- Tai chi
- Yoga
- Breathwork classes
- Use color, aromatherapy or music therapy to change or redirect your mood
Use the MyPlate method on YOURSELF to make healthy food and portion choices.
In 1974, Charles E. Butterworth Jr., MD, wrote in his article titled, The Skeleton in the Hospital Closet, that nutrition remains one of the most under-addressed health care areas, which is true even today. As nurses, we know that nutrition is often the basis of health and disease. Make knowledge about nutrition an educational goal for yourself, your family and your clients to maximize health and wellness.
The Healthy Nurse Healthy New Jersey team encourages you to apply the tips above to clear away the old to make room for the new! Write to us at healthynurse@njsna.org for a chance to win a Healthy Nurse Holistic Self-Care Package. Let us know how you intend to make room for the NEW in 2021!
Cheers to you, Healthy Nurses!
Susan M. Cacciola RN, BSN, WCC, and the Healthy Nurse Healthy New Jersey team
References:
Butterworth, C. E., Jr. (1974). The Skeleton in the Hospital Closet. Nutrition Today, 9(2), 4-8.
