Transitioning From Healthcare Into Wellness

Are you in the second half of your career and itching for a change? Wondering what your next challenge is and wishing it has something to do with wellness and not illness? Seasoned nurse Carol Ebert will share her journey and show you that anything is possible when it comes to nursing. Nurses General Nursing Article

Transitioning From Healthcare Into Wellness

Hello! I will be writing a blog for YOU the professional nurse leader in the second half of your career, anticipating what's next and wanting to embrace a wellness lifestyle. I'm the perfect partner for you as you embark on this journey since I am already in the Boomer Retirement Zone myself. So let's get acquainted!

I am not a nurse in the traditional sense; a patient care expert - though I did do that some. I am a nurse in the global sense - caring about the total health of the human condition; mind, body and spirit. Luckily, my nursing path led me to wellness, my true passion, where I spent the majority of my career. Even within my passion, however, I still found a need to reinvent myself regularly.

Why this desire to change? Born with a creative brain I am often plagued with frustration when working in a structured and predictable environment. I can do it if I have to, but it is not my true nature which I discovered once I reached adulthood when I could fully express who I was.

And so my life adventures began. Listening to my inner voice saying do something different with my life, I became a Vietnam-era Navy nurse, then a public school nurse and classroom health teacher, pursued an advanced degree in Health Education, became a College Health Service Director which solidified my passion for wellness and my desire to help others get healthy and stay healthy. I then re-entered the old familiar world of the healthcare system but with high expectations of bringing the wellness message forward in the world of fixing, not preventing, and with my usual positive and persistent nature, I succeeded. Though I will admit the nurses I worked with were a tough sell when it came to wellness. What is it in us that always seems to put others first rather than ourselves?

I loved my work but once again my inner voice was shouting, "you need to make a change!" And this was the big one. I had done enough, experienced enough, matured enough, proven myself enough, been successful enough. The real test was to survive and flourish on my own, free of the hypnotic tug of financial security and benefits. My can do attitude took it on as a challenge and I created my own wellness business.

Now I am free from constraints, I am continually reshaping and designing my own grand plan for my life's work. And it revolves around YOU, the nurse. Yes I want to give back and help my tribe get on and stay on the wellness path to live a long and prosperous life while continuing your current work - or even beyond into retirement. Yes – there is another life to live in retirement and I can help you craft your own plan as well. It is my gift to you to share what I know and be of service to you with whatever your needs might be.

7 LESSONS learned (so far) on my journey - may the lessons keep coming!

L - Live your best life (as Oprah would say) by being true to your passion and calling.

E - Enjoy the work you do and when you don't, explore the reasons and make a course correction.

S - Start each day with a smile and carry it thru to everyone you connect with at work and at home.

S - Support your team no matter what challenges come your way. You are in this together.

O - Own up to your own stuff instead of blaming others. We can only change ourselves, not others.

N - Notice joy every day and create it whenever you can. Creating positivity is healthy for body, mind and spirit.

S - Stay with your career as long as it brings you joy and if it doesn't, re-create a new path for yourself.

Yes the beauty of being a nurse is you can shift your focus in life and there will still be a role for you as a nurse that matches that shift. I can attest to that because I have had many and varied nursing positions that fit whatever my desires were at the time. Aren't we lucky to have decided to be nurses?

So stay tuned, check back often and together we can support each other on this magnificent journey called LIFE.

Be well on your wellness journey!

Carol Ebert RN, BSN, MA, CHES, CWP

Certified Wellness Practitioner, Certified Wellness Coach and Coach Trainer,

Certified Law of Attraction Facilitator, Certified Sanoviv Nutrition Advisor,

USANA Health Sciences Silver Director

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Carol Ebert

About Carol Ebert, MSN, RN

Carol Ebert RN, BSN, MA, CHES, Certified Wellness Practitioner, Certified Mindful Coach, Sanoviv Nutrition Advisor

36 Articles   207 Posts

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Rheumatology.

There are SO many Startups popping up in this Wellness/Corporate Wellness space. I am happy you found your spot! Each company needs to have a "Wellness Coach" of some sort (imho). Now that companies are more involved with Health Insurance payments, they are slowing starting to see things our way!

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How do wellness companies make money?

Are wellness companies contracted with businesses compensated based on client results?

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care, Rheumatology.

There was an article on the topic of Wellness startups, I am unsure if I can post a link...but Google the words wellness frezy afoot check out the companies mentioned reach out to them...getting on the phone with startups is not that hard ( they value Nurses ;)) .

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Specializes in Wellness and Coaching for Women in their Third Act.

Thanks for your idea.

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Specializes in Wellness and Coaching for Women in their Third Act.

So glad wellness is finally taking hold. It's been a long battle for me throughout my career but so glad to see this all unfold. I love the idea of being an independent wellness practitioner, especially at my age. Love not having a boss!

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