If You Could Turn Back Time . . .

WDWpixieRN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

I would've paid more attention to what I really WANTED to do with my education/career, and also more attention to what my gut was telling me about my crummy marriage, sad to say....if the former had been thought out more carefully, I would have had more control over the latter....live & learn....

ldh, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

I would have held my ground and been more assertive w/ CNAs and techs from the start. I used to fear confrontation and I was walked on. I am now a very strong charge nurse, but it was quite a strugglele to get where I am.

Wow this is bang on - except I should give myself this advice now before it gets out of hand! I can't imagine being a charge nurse - I guess that's one of the things I fear too. How did you get over your fear of confrontation? Was it one particular event that served as a "defining moment"? Just curious . . .

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

If you could go back in time 10 years and give yourself a piece of advice (knowing what you know now), what would it be?

I would have advised myself to avoid gaining weight during nursing school!

Chaya, ASN, RN · Nov 23, 2006

I would have trusted my gut more. I would have told myself to take a deep breath and chill when I felt panicky (which was most of the time), because fear in my case proved useless except to drain my energy and sense of purpose. And I would have been more assertive- with instructors and with nurses who showed bullying behavior.

luvs2readlotsRN · Nov 23, 2006

I wouldn't have waited this long to have lost a lot of weight(80lbs off at this point, 50 more to go!!!!!). It probably would have come off easier in my 20's or 30's. At 45 it is coming off, but I truly work off every pound!

jschut, BSN, RN · Nov 24, 2006

I would have stayed in college the FIRST time and been finished by now!

Personal things???? Umm....maybe I'd better not say!

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Nov 24, 2006

10 years? To go to nursing school THEN!!

Can I have 20 years?

(1) to marry M1 instead of M2.

(2) to change my major (except I'd never have met M1)

but then if those things happened, I wouldn't have my boys, so OK I'll stick with 10 years... go to nursing school while M2 was still working!!

tofutti · Nov 24, 2006

I'm gonna answer this before I read everyone else's replies, then go read them.

I would have told myself to be happy and find joy in life in spite of what's going on around me because everything was going to be ALRIGHT.

Also, that I don't need to carry anything more than what I am able.

Finally, I would have assured my 1996 self that my intuition on things was right on, and that I should ignore anyone who tries to convince me otherwise.

I also would have said, Keep praying, girl!

I guess we can give ourselves the same advice today that we would have given ten years ago, huh?

We do get wiser as we get older.:studyowl:

donsterRN, ASN, BSN · Nov 24, 2006

I would've started the nursing program then instead of just evaluating all of the other programs that came along. I'd be a BSN grad by now, maybe even an MSN.

tofutti · Nov 24, 2006

Wow I got all philosophical there huh!

I would have started the nursing prereq's sooner too.

Oh, and used more sunscreen!!:chuckle

ZASHAGALKA, RN · Nov 24, 2006

Save back 10k/yr and put it all into google and hold on until it reaches 500 bucks/share . . .

(maybe hold that money in Starbucks in the meantime. . .)

~faith,

Timothy.

MB37 · Nov 24, 2006

Wouldn't have been so scared of hard science classes the first time I went to college - I only took Geology and psych classes. If I would have tried maybe one Bio and done alright, I could have gotten my confidence up and maybe have been premed. Even if med school wasn't for me, I would have had fewer prereqs to do for nursing. At least I'd know for sure, and not worry about what could have been...that and the degree I earned that qualified me to bartend for the rest of my life.