Finding Courage in Crisis

Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway. - John Wayne

The last few weeks have been an emotional rollercoaster with stories of shortages of PPE, the "surge", and healthcare workers getting sick and dying. If you are like me, you have gone through every emotion from anxiety to guilt to anger and outrage. Over the past two weeks we have talked about managing anxiety and guilt. Today, I want to shift gears and talk about how to find courage in crisis.

Courage means having the ability to do something scary or having strength in the face of pain or grief. While some people think it means not having fear, this definition pretty much says that fear is a required part of courage.

So how do you find courage during a crisis?

I believe it is learning to lean into something that terrifies you and believing it is worth it for your future self's sake.

Courage is not the same as self-sacrifice. Courage is individual and your courage may not look like your friends or coworkers. It may look like:

-The courage to get on a plane full of nurses who are voluntarily going to NYC and help.

-The courage to show up as an advocate for the people who are sick and cannot have visitors.

-The courage to say no to the extra shift because you are mentally and physically exhausted.

-The courage to show compassion and understanding to a patient who is dying from COVID19.

-The courage to seek help for your mental health.

-The courage to speak up against the PPE shortages.

-The courage to look for solutions and innovation instead of complaining.

-The courage to put your health first.

-The courage to say this is not what you signed up for when you went to nursing school.

-The courage to quit a job without knowing what the next one will be because you are a single mother or the sole caretaker of someone who is immunocompromised.

And most importantly...

-The courage to know you are making the best decision for you no matter.

We are in this together.

I believe in you and all your possibilities,

Mary B.

P.S.

If you are struggling with anxiety, fear, stress, guilt, and/or overwhelm about the pandemic, I am offering a special 6 week Conquer the Crisis bootcamp  to help you stay healthy, show up better in your relationships, and be the nurse you want to be for your patients. Click here to learn more.