I found my antidote
Pause, breathing, nature, honesty, optimism, courage, appreciation of beauty, fun and learning
My antidote took me from burnout to breakthrough. I felt exhausted during my burnout. I learned to pause, discovered what I call metaphors in nature, and realized my courage lies in my super powers.
As I began to acknowledge and honor my experience, name my superpowers, teach my mind and find my inner courage, the results became evident!
Each day I use my antidote and live in each dose of pause, acknowledgment and acceptance, honesty, courage and true wellness.
You can find it too!
Acknowledging and accepting
I am Krista Chavez. I am a wife, mom, daughter, sister, friend. I am a critical care nurse practitioner, nursing faculty, the household organizer, the social planner, a high functioning co-dependent and much more – just like so many care givers it never stops. Underneath “it’s fine”, there was love and resentment, commitment and disappointment, stubbornness and exhaustion! I loved most of the of my life, but I was out of balance, anxious, and scattered. I felt more overwhelmed than fulfilled. I imagine you can relate. From the outside it all seemed wonderful, but “it’s fine” wasn’t the honest experience or truth I was afraid to face.
Naming my superpowers
Since childhood I wanted to be in healthcare. To help people. To solve problems. To fix and heal. I learned about the human body every chance I had. I loved learning how to assess, diagnose, and treat people. I became a nurse practitioner and found such fulfillment in having answers for people. My purpose and passion were born, caring for everyone! I loved being a nurse, but lacked boundaries. As I paused and reflected my true passion and superpowers became clear.
- Caring
- Nature and creativity
- Honesty and courage
- Optimism and hope
- Appreciation of life and wellness
- Fun and zest
- Love of learning
These are my superpowers and have brought me success in my recovery.
Teaching my mind
During burnout, I still loved caring for people, but my mind had become focused on disappointment and negativity. I lacked any feeling of control over my day, and felt there was very little health or care in healthcare. My strengths were buried. I needed to teach my mind a new way.
As I began to pause and re-focus on my superpowers, my courage, fun, and beauty of life, I started to see a whole new world. I began to heal and my brain started to see something besides the negativity. The impact on patients, co-workers and at home was incredible. The results were just another antidote!
Illuminating my inner courage
The antidote process took me from burnout to breakthrough. The action of acknowledging and accepting, finding my superpowers and teaching my brain a new way and focus on my values has led me to a new peace.
Pausing each day to live the antidote has allowed me to find wellness, fun, balance, optimism, and practice true healthcare partnering with patients.
With every pause, my understanding of my experience and compassion for myself is clearer. The courage to understand ourselves and accept the reality and challenges of burnout, especially in a grind culture is brave and loving.
The antidote is in you.
Recovery is possible.
We can all find our inner courage, rediscover our values and live with passion and live fully being the healthcare heroes we were meant to be.