Everything doesn't have to be about fear. There's room in our line of work for hope, too. - Batgirl
This past weekend I recorded a special talk for The Support Summit called Burnout Prevention: Be Your Own Superhero. I was inspired about this talk after seeing all the pictures and comparisons of nurses to superheros. Whether you like being called a superhero right now or not, there is a lot of lessons in the plot lines that we can apply to ourselves to help with burnout.
Lesson #1 - Life is 50/50.
If you read comics or maybe just watched the movies, one thing that that all superheros have in common is they experience failures, they lose battles, and have personal pain. Clark Kent trying to fit in with humans. Spiderman losing Uncle Ben. Rogue cannot touch people without sucking the life force out of them.
Life is 50% good and 50% bad. While there is a huge positive vibes only movement, we all experience failures, disappointment, fear, and pain and these feelings have as much value as joy, happiness, and excitement. Instead of avoiding it or resisting it, make peace with the 50% bad that is going to happen. Because the difficult or bad stuff you have overcome is what makes you interesting.
Lesson #2 - Be confident in who you are and your own unique gifts.
One of my all time favorite superhero is Wonder Woman and her pose is my confidence booster that I use a lot when I am nervous. What I love about her is that she knows who she is and doesn't sit there feeling bad because she can't fly or doesn't shoot lightning out of her hands. She shows up and kicks butt.
We all have unique gifts, passions, and what gives us purpose. Feeling guilty or comparing yourself to others won't change that. All it does is rob you of the joy in doing things that genuinely feed your soul.
Lesson #3 - Get a mentor.
Mentors are people who look out for our best selves and help us become the people we want to be. If you watch superhero movies, most superheros have some form of mentor. These mentors gave words of wisdom that inspired heroes to keep going even if they lost a battle.
Complaining with your coworkers or venting to a sympathetic ear do not fix burnout. PERIOD. You might feel better for a little bit, but there are no solutions. As a coach and mentor for nurses in burnout, I want to help you get the results you really want; whether it is having better relationships with your coworkers or moving away from doing direct patient care. All you have to do is take the first step today and sign up for a free consult.
I believe in you and all your possibilities.
Mary B.
P.S. If your job is sucking the life out of you, stop trying to solve your career woes by yourself. You don't have to do it alone. Click here to sign up today for a free consult to join the Unbreakable Nurse Society. In this course I will teach you the tools that help nurses stop pre-shift dread, develop more confidence, and intentionally get a job they actually like.
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