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Lisa Marie Swanson, College Station, TX (2026)

01/18/2025

The life of a nurse can be all consuming in the chaos of every little need around you. Where is your PEACE?

Here are 3 ways to find it:

1. Don’t take things personally.
2. Ask yourself, “Is it me or is it them?”
3. Become aware of, and in control of, your emotions. It’s a powerful thing.💥

My challenge for you today is to assess where you are RIGHT NOW. Which of these 3 things are you struggling with at work or home? post below for accountability 👇🏻

08/17/2024

🌟 Do You Know It's Okay to Feel Your Emotions? 🌟

As a nurse, we carry the deep emotions of caring for people in their most vulnerable moments. In the ICU, we witness life-or-death situations daily. We become pillars of support for patients and families, but we also absorb their pain and fears. 🤲🏻

Over time, this emotional weight can harden us. I’ve tried to cope by using humor, but deep down, I avoided feeling my own emotions. Eventually, they built up and couldn’t stay buried any longer. Have you been there too? 🙋🏼‍♀️

Suppressing emotions might get you through the day, but in the long run, it’s harmful. It’s okay, and necessary, to feel. Here are three simple tips for processing emotions:
🩺 Acknowledge the Feeling: Name what you feel—sadness, frustration, anger—so you can start processing it.
🩺 Reflect Through Writing: Journaling at the end of a shift helps unload your emotions and gives you clarity.
🩺 Seek Peer Support: Sharing your feelings with a trusted colleague can lighten the load and offer new perspectives.

Join our upcoming workshop on "Emotional Wholeness for ICU Nurses" where we’ll dive deeper into emotional resilience and self-care strategies. 🌟
https://loom.ly/vRAihwY

Feeling my emotions helped me find peace and balance, both at work and in life. You are enough, just as you are. Embrace your emotions and take a step toward emotional wholeness. 🌸

08/12/2024

🌟 Struggling to Balance Work and Life? Discover the Secret to a Peaceful, Productive Life. 🌟

There was a time when I felt like I was constantly juggling—nurse life vs. home life, trying to do it all and be everything for everyone. I overextended myself to the point where I thought I was gonna lose it. The pressure of managing everything at work and home became overwhelming. I realized that how I was handling things at home was affecting my work, and vice versa. The lines between my professional and personal life were blurred, and the stress was too much. 🤪

How you do one thing is how you do everything. If things are chaotic at home, that chaos likely spills into your work in the ICU, affecting your focus and performance. Similarly, the demands of the job can invade your personal life, making it difficult to disconnect and truly relax. Recognizing this connection is the first step toward finding balance.☮️

If you’re struggling with this balance, it’s time to take action. Here are three steps that can help:
1. Assess Yourself: 🙌 Understand where you are and how your work and home life are impacting each other.
2. Seek the Truth: 🙌 Identify what’s really causing the imbalance and how it's affecting you.
3. Choose Unconstrained Freedom: 🙌 Make choices that allow you to live with peace and freedom, both at work and home.

Join our upcoming Nurse Workshop to learn more about finding this balance and achieving emotional wholeness. 🌟
https://loom.ly/vRAihwY

Reflecting on my journey, I’ve learned that balance isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about finding peace amidst life’s demands. When I started becoming more aware and not getting caught up in it all, I found that I could be more present and effective both at work and at home. 💖

Remember, you are enough as you are, and you don’t have to do it all alone. Let’s support each other on this journey toward a peaceful, productive life. 🌸

08/11/2024

🌟 Everything You Need to Know About Effective Communication in High-Pressure Environments 🌟

Communication is a lifeline in the ICU and in LIFE. I’ve learned just how crucial it is, especially when the stakes are high. 🩺

One incident stands out: a nurse was so emotionally involved with a difficult patient that it clouded her judgment. It was a tough situation that could have been managed better with clearer, more empathetic communication. 👩‍⚕️

Here are three insights that might help you:🎯

1. Stop Making It About You: A patient’s reaction is often more about their situation than about you. Focus on providing the best care.
2. Something Else Is Always Going On: Patients and colleagues often have underlying issues influencing their behavior. Approach with empathy.
3. Guide with Choices, Not Demands: Offer options instead of directives to empower patients and reduce resistance.

Feeling overwhelmed by communication pressures in the ICU? Join our workshop on Finding Peace in the Overwhelm: Emotional Wholeness for ICU Nurses. Enhance your communication skills, manage stress, and improve patient outcomes. Don’t miss out—register today! 👏🏻
https://loom.ly/vRAihwY

Let’s walk this path together and find peace in the chaos, one conversation at a time. 🌸

08/07/2024

🌟 Finding Peace in the Overwhelm: Emotional Wholeness for ICU Nurses 🌟

There was a time in my nursing career when the ICU felt overwhelming. Constantly doing everything for everyone, taking on too much, and never having time for myself, I allowed the chaos and stress to push me to the brink of burnout. The emotional toll of carrying everyone’s pain was immense. I felt like I was drowning, unable to find peace.

Here are steps that helped me shift from overwhelm to peace:
🎯 Acknowledge Your Limits: You can't be everything to everyone. Recognize your limits and give yourself permission to say no.
🎯 Set Healthy Boundaries: Establish boundaries between work and personal time to protect your mental health.
🎯 Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate mindfulness into your routine. Simple breathing exercises or meditation can ground you.
🎯 Reflect and Journal: Reflect on your day and journal your thoughts. This helps process emotions and identify triggers.
🎯 Seek Support: Reach out for support. Engage with peer networks or professional counseling for new perspectives.

Feeling overwhelmed in the ICU? Join our Emotional Wholeness Workshop for ICU nurses. Learn techniques to manage stress, set boundaries, and find inner peace. Register today!
https://loom.ly/vRAihwY

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that finding peace within the chaos was key to my well-being. By pulling out the peace inside me, I learned to work from calm rather than overwhelm. This shift improved my patient care and enriched my personal life. You are enough as you are. Taking care of yourself first enables you to take better care of others. Let’s support each other in finding that inner peace. 🌸

08/07/2024

🌟 What Does the Overwhelm of the ICU Look Like to You? 🌟

I remember transitioning from the Medical ICU to the Cardiovascular Open Heart Unit. I was both excited and scared! Having been a nurse for just a year, the intensity of Open Heart Recovery was insane, but I LOVED IT! It took some time to get the hang of it and feel comfortable recovering patients on my own. Waiting anxiously as they rolled out of surgery put my stomach in knots and my heart racing! 🫀

Blood pressures up and down, balancing fluids vs. drips, labile rhythms, monitoring every detail, and managing post-op care was like an orchestra of checks and balances as the patient acclimated to their new valve or grafts. The emotional ups and downs were crazy! 🤪

Looking back, I still recall those handful of emergent surgeries that did not go well. Some patients had a long road to recovery, while others unfortunately did not make it. The whole team was affected emotionally with little time to process. 😮‍💨

I often thought, "This job is not for everyone." The intensity of the CVU was way more than the ICU could ever be, in my opinion. Yet, walking through the recovery of open heart patients from surgery to discharge was incredibly rewarding. 🙌

Here are three reminders that were critical for me and may be helpful to you:
1. Remember You Know What You’re Doing: Trust your training and experience. Don’t beat yourself up when things go wrong.
2. You Are Not Alone: There’s always someone to call when things get tough. Lean on your team.
3. You Are Part of a Team: Collaborate with your colleagues. Don’t hesitate to ask for help to ensure the best patient care and to protect your self-care.

Did the overwhelm of the Unit affect you emotionally? Physically? Spiritually? Mentally? In what way? How did you handle it? Let’s connect and walk this out together. Email me at [email protected]. ✍🏻

Reflecting back, there were days the emotional toll was so heavy that it felt impossible to leave work at work. I'd come home exhausted, emotionally drained, and unable to be present with my family. 😣

Through these experiences, I learned the importance of self-compassion and emotional resilience. I had to learn to leave work there and not take it home with me. 💪🏻

You are not alone in this journey. Balancing empathy with self-care is crucial for providing compassionate care and maintaining your well-being. You are enough, just as you are. Let go of the overwhelm and live from that place of peace already inside you! 🌸

08/05/2024

Do you ever feel like you're not good enough?

Growing up, my mom always told me I could do anything I put my heart into. Her belief in me was unwavering, even after I got married young and had two baby boys. But when cancer took her away at 49, I felt abandoned and lost. The words she used to tell me were soon forgotten.

The pain and anger were unbearable. I fought to find peace in what others said or thought of me because I had no real direction. I remarried and spent years in a cycle of people-pleasing and emotional turmoil. Finding God at 30 brought hope, but I was still stuck in religiosity and seeking validation from others. It wasn't until my marriage fell apart that I began to discover myself and my true desires.

Do you ever feel like you're not good enough? That you're constantly seeking validation and approval from others? Have you felt like I did, that I had to prove my worth? If so, I’m hear to say it’s time to take a long hard look at yourself and see yourself from a new perspective. It’s time to figure out what YOU really want. Connect with me to reignite your journey of self-discovery and let’s chat and find out how you can embrace your true self.

Becoming an ICU nurse and facing burnout taught me to prioritize my own needs. I set boundaries and focused on self-care, which transformed my perspective and abilities. Helping women realize they are enough has been a longtime passion of mine. Because what I have gone through in my life has a purpose and someone needs to hear this today. Whether you are in the ICU doing all the things and feeling like you can’t do anymore OR you know that you know, this message was meant for you no matter what path you are on now.. if this got your attention, do something about it… today… You are enough, you are strong, you are worthy!

08/03/2024

🌟 How's Your Understanding of Empathy vs. Overextension in the ICU? 🌟

Empathy is fundamental in nursing, but unchecked, it can lead to emotional exhaustion. I remember a harrowing shift with a young overdose patient on life support. The mother struggled immensely with the loss, making it an emotional time for everyone. This experience taught me the importance of balancing empathy with self-care to avoid burnout.

Here are some steps to maintain empathy without overextension:

~ Don’t Take Things Personally: Recognize that patient emotions are often reflections of their circumstances, not your care.
~ Understand You Are Enough: Your worth isn’t defined by fixing every problem. Acknowledge your efforts and know you're doing your best.
~ Practice Mindfulness: Incorporate breathing exercises or meditation to ground yourself.
~ Set Emotional Boundaries: Learn to say no when necessary to protect your mental health.
~ Reflect and Journal: Reflect on your day and jot down thoughts and emotions to process experiences.
~ Seek and Offer Support: Engage with peer support networks or professional counseling.
~ Choose Joy and Celebrate Small Wins: Focus on positive aspects of your work and celebrate small victories.

Share a time when a patient and their family pulled on your heartstrings and how you and your Unit dealt with it.

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that balancing empathy with self-care is crucial for compassionate care. Setting realistic boundaries resulted in peace and made life less stressful. Empathy, when balanced, can enrich your professional and personal growth. 🌸

Let's support each other.

07/30/2024

🌟 What the HECK is Overextension Of Empathy? Let me tell you what I know... 🌟

A long time ago in a land far away, there was a little girl who gave and gave until she just couldn't give anymore. She wore herself out and had no more energy nor sanity for herself. This was me, before I became a nurse. As a young adult, I always felt a deep need to help everyone around me, to the point where I forgot about my own needs. This pattern followed me into my nursing career, where the emotional weight of my patients and their families became overwhelming. I was so invested in their pain and recovery that I neglected my own well-being.

What you may need to know to not be in this little girl's shoes...
🙌 Give yourself a break: You are worth it too, you know. Taking regular breaks is essential for your mental and physical health.
🙌 Assess where this need to give and not receive comes from: Understanding the root of your overextension can help you address and manage it better.
🙌 Set Realistic Boundaries: Learn to say no when necessary. Protecting your mental health is crucial for providing sustainable care.
🙌 Don't Take Things Personally: Patients' emotions and reactions are often a reflection of their situation, not your care. This mindset helps maintain professional boundaries.
🙌 Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you offer to your patients. Self-compassion can help you recover from difficult experiences and maintain emotional balance.
🙌 Engage in Reflective Practices: Take time at the end of each day to reflect. Journaling can help process emotions and gain insights into your emotional responses.

Join us in our FREE Overextension Of Empathy workshop! Learn practical techniques to strengthen your emotional resilience and improve patient care. Register now! https://loom.ly/MBGzjLQ

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that empathy, when balanced with self-care, gave me powerful tools in providing compassionate care. Setting realistic boundaries and practicing self-compassion resulted in peace beyond all understanding and made LIFE a lot less stressful. You are already good enough. Remember, you are enough just as you are, and taking care of yourself first enables you to take better care of others. 🌸

Let's support each other in this journey. See you tomorrow!

07/29/2024

🌟 Everything You Need to Know About Overcoming Overextension of Empathy in the ICU 🌟

Feeling overwhelmed by the emotional weight of your patients and families? Been there! I struggled to shake off the stress and brought it home, affecting my family and sleep. It was then I realized I was overextending my empathy, taking a toll on my mental health and effectiveness as a nurse. I knew I had to make a change.

Try these critical tips to overcome overextension of empathy:
💥 Recognize Your Limits: Understand you can only do so much. Give yourself permission not to be everything to everyone.
💥 Don't Take Things Personally: Patients' emotions and reactions often reflect their situation, not your care.
💥 Set Realistic Boundaries: Learn to say no when necessary. Protecting your mental health is essential for sustainable care.
💥 Practice Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness and understanding you offer to your patients.
💥 Engage in Reflective Practices: Take time at the end of each day to reflect. Journaling can help process emotions and gain insights.

Join our workshop on Overcoming Overextension Of Empathy In The ICU. Strengthen your emotional resilience and improve your health. https://loom.ly/MBGzjLQ

Balancing empathy with self-care is crucial. Setting boundaries and practicing self-compassion have allowed me to provide better care without sacrificing my family and well-being. Remember, you are enough as you are. Taking care of yourself first enables you to take better care of others. 🌸

Let's support each other in this journey. See you next week!

07/28/2024

🌟 Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Self-Care? 🌟

Self-care is essential for EVERYBODY’s well-being. In my twenties, I didn't even know what those two words meant. Self-care? Nope. I was a mess! After my mom passed away from breast cancer when I was 23, life was incredibly rough. Working as a lab assistant in the hospital in Lake Havasu, I went through a divorce and rebounded all in the same summer. My twenties were spent overwhelmed, people-pleasing until I dropped, remarrying for all the wrong reasons, and still was NOT happy. I was not getting the most out of self-care that’s for sure!

By the time I hit 30, something changed. I found GOD and, in turn, found myself. I realized that I needed to take care of myself first before I could care for everyone else. Thankfully, I had the support of my family, church, close friends, and mentors as I put myself through college to become a nurse. This journey of self-discovery and self-care taught me invaluable lessons.

Ask yourself:
~Do I put everyone else before my needs?
~Do I feel like I am not important?
~Do I get behind on tasks and goals that I have set for myself?
~Am I exhausted trying to be everything to everyone?
~Do I feel miserable or unsatisfied?

If you said yes to any of these, we need to talk. These questions are crucial in self-assessing where you are right now. You gotta start somewhere. Reach out to me and my team, and let’s connect.

When I became a nurse at 41, I faced the familiar challenge of people-pleasing and neglecting self-care, leading to exhaustion and burnout. Remembering the wise words of my nurse mentor: ‘Take care of yourself first, so you can take care of others.’ This perspective shift significantly improved my ability to handle the ICU's demands and LIFE in general.

At 56, I am so glad I went through all that I did to get to where I am today. I am grateful for all that I have been through and accomplished. I’ve been given the gift of simple solutions to now give to others in need…. And you won’t have to go through 30+ years to learn like I did.

So remember… Self-care is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for sustainable nursing and for every person, no matter where you are in life.

07/26/2024

🌟 Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Emotional Wellness Resources?🌟

Emotional wellness is crucial in the ICU. Early in my career, I struggled with the emotional toll of the job. The constant exposure to trauma and stress left me feeling drained and disconnected. I knew this was part of the job, loved the intensity of it all and became really good at it even though my self care was lacking. 🙋🏼‍♀️

A turning point came when I finally realized that it was becoming too much and just wasn’t working for me. I had to set realistic boundaries for myself and others so that I would not succumb to the overwhelm of it all. Way back when, the only wellness resources available were help with family death or addiction intervention. 😢

Fortunately, things have changed over the years. Now, there are numerous avenues for nurses to seek help... 🤲🏻
support groups, 1:1 counseling and resources within the company helping nurses with self care, learning more about mindfulness along with applying practical relaxing techniques. Yet this too can fall to the waist side if we don’t put our oxygen masks on first and take care of ourselves. 😷

Taking care of our emotional health, just as we would our physical health, can significantly improve our well-being and our ability to provide compassionate care for others. Explore our emotional wellness resources designed specifically for ICU nurses, and don’t forget to sign up for our wellness workshops! 🩺

I can now say that things are way different for me when it comes to patient care and overwhelm. I’ve lived through it and am here to tell you that there are tons of ways to combat the overwhelm, enjoy your job, and have a life outside of taking care of everyone else. 👑
https://loom.ly/MBGzjLQ

Are You Getting The Most Out Of Your Emotional Wellness Resources? If not, let’s do something about it.❣️

Lisa Marie Swanson

01/18/2025

08/17/2024

08/12/2024

08/11/2024

08/07/2024

08/07/2024

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