I could make a career of worrying...

Hanna0225 · Sep 21, 2008

3rd,

as a mother myself we will always worry! lol, but yes i can totally understand why you are stressed with your working/school/family situation. i worry about my toddler and sometimes feel that i neglect him because i dedicate so much of my time to school & studying.

take it one step at a time, i'm sure you're a great employee and try to have a talk with your boss again. try to make him/her see where you are in life right now, i am sure he'd be willing to work with you.

with family, i know it's hard because as mothers we carry so much responsibilities, but i've decided that since i'm in nursing school now, i will need to sacrifice. even if it means, that i can't spend the time with my child like i used to.

i can see that you've definitely put a lot of thought in choosing nursing as a career, and i am sure you will be able to get in! keep your motivation and persistence up and i'm sure you'll be fine.

reach for the stars, i know you can do it!

polka-dot, RN · Sep 21, 2008

You are not alone! I am not even IN a program yet and I'm already stressing about how difficult it is going to be, ATI testing, Exit Exams, NClex, mean clinical instructors, "critical thinking" test questions, care plans, my confidence levels, work load and on and on and on.

Try to just take it one step at a time...I am really really trying to do the same.

Best of luck to you!

peytonsmom · Sep 22, 2008

I do the exact same thing! Last week especially I was experiencing EXTREME mommy guilt because after work most of the week I was hitting the library to study for an A&P test instead of spending time at home. The thing I always try and remember is that when I finish this in how ever many years it takes, my son is going to benefit. He will benefit by having a family that is financially not struggling, having a parent that has job security, having a mom that enjoys her job and therefore has a more positive outlook, and a big one for me is that he will see that his mom was able to go to school, work a FT job, and take care of her family all at once. I want him to understand the value of an education and attaining your dreams/goal no matter how many obstacles are in your way.

So that helps with the mommy guilt! I do worry about what happens though when I finish the two years of prereqs and hopefully get into a program. I've seen the schedule and I just don't see any way I will be able to work a FT job. Which means that my Dh is going to have to step up in a big way and find himself a job (or two or three) that will be able to support us while I work PT and go to school FT. So that's my current worry!

taodepooh · Sep 22, 2008

(((Hugs))) I am also a major worrier and I know how hard it is with all the details up in the air and so many unknowns down the road. One thing that works for me is to take time to slow my thoughts down and to make lists of more manageable steps. I try to work on lists that will take care of more immediate plans and goals. For you that may be needing to check in with your boss soon to retouch on the subject of that extra day off or a schedule that will work with what you may be taking in January. It may have just slipped his mind. Perhaps once you get that worry out of the way then some of the others won't seem so hard to noodle through.

For your school worries do you have an adviser that you like and that you feel you can talk to? Sometimes just checking in with them outside of just advisement time can help to get rid of some of your fears regarding actual program issues. They can help focus you on what is most important for the stage you are in now. Really, this is what I need to do soon myself.

jjjoy, LPN · Sep 22, 2008

And remember that no experience is a "waste" - so even if you ended up being sidetracked at some point, the fact that you took each step along that path contributed something to your life experience that makes you a better person. And then you rework your plans and goals and continue on this life journey.

Talk to yourself like you would your child. Would you say "If you make a plan and get stuck along the way, you should feel terrible and guilty and like a failure" ?

Take it one step at a time. Having a plan is a good thing and can really increase one's chances of reaching their end goal. But somethings you can't plan ahead. And sometimes, life just gets in the way.

It IS a risk to pursue your dreams. And it's a risk NOT to pursue them either.

Good luck!

MAFDC08 · Sep 22, 2008

Hey 3rdGen,

Story of my life. My advice is just try to take one day at a time. I know--so cliche, but it works. What I try to do when I go from where I am right now, to worring about 2 years from now is, stop, take a few deep breaths and I know this sounds silly, but I do stretching exercises and some how it works.

Focus on the classes your going to take in January and try not to look ahead too much, as that only disrupts (wasted energy) what your doing Now...

ps, I remember freaking out not too long ago to my mother-in-law about how much my husband and I need to save, save, save each month (we work extra for retirment savings, crazy) for retirement--crying, snotting all over the place-- saying how I don't want to be one of those old women eating cat food from a can. Suddenly, she stops and says, how old are you? in a very calm and rational way--my reply is "37" and she then reminds me that I have LITERALLY 30 years before I can retire, 30 years to Work, and then laughs and says "how do you go from 37 to 67 so quickly. I think of that conversation every time to help put things back in perspective...

What was that song--Don't worry, Be happy.

MAFDC08 · Sep 22, 2008

Jjoy,

Great advice.