So, ^^^^ THIS just happened! I’ve always felt that the top three honorable things I could do with my life would be being a nurse, a teacher or a mother. And so now, I’m hitting two of the three! (forget number three, I’ll continue to be Auntie extraordinaire!) It’s amazing to me, that while I’m looking around to find out where I can do my Master’s practicum requirement for nursing education, I’m suddenly being offered a job as a clinical instructor! Getting to take little duckling nursing students under my wing, and getting to teach them the RIGHT way to do things and helping them build a strong foundation and knowledge base as they go on into their careers; what an AMAZING opportunity! 🙂

Thinking back to where I was less than 2 years ago: in the same job in the same hospital unit for almost 14 years (although liking and appreciating most of the people I worked with, if not the people I worked FOR!); finishing up my Bachelor’s degree after a long time out of school, with no intention to go on for a Master’s; living in a cluttered, dirty home as a moderately depressed hoarder, who preferred to isolate herself from the world, and put on a great mask of congeniality most of the time at work; and having minimal interest in interacting with the world around me (although I have always stayed up on news and current topics in the world, but just again, tended to be isolated, even from my own family).

Fast forward 2 years: Working at a fantastic hospital, for a fantastic boss, with wonderful people, and being given multiple opportunities to challenge myself and learn more; having the opportunity to be a clinical nursing instructor for new students; six months into a Master’s degree program; living in a fully remodeled and clutter-free home which I love and am comfortable in; socializing more at work and outside of it, going to events with friends, initiating such events at times, surrounded by more friends and fantastic people than I ever thought I would know (the amazing turnout at my birthday party last year still boggles me!) Learning to enjoy and appreciate more activities than I had ever done before, like more hiking and paddle boarding, Pilates and jogging 5Ks; teaching things to my darling nieces and watching them experience new things, and getting to witness so many of their “firsts”; and being completely happy, comfortable in my own skin, and ridiculously enjoying my life!!

Keep in mind, no matter where you are at in your life at this point, it CAN change. Don’t expect it to be easy. Just expect it to be worth it! Because YOU are!!!