Finding a sense of wholeness within yourself begins by adopting true, faithful rituals around recognizing your nurturing skills as an inner aspect of who you are. What does that even mean? It means that when you fully acknowledge your nurturing side—The Nurturer—you also decide to maintain and wield it wisely. It’s no longer just a skill you were taught in nursing school; it is a part of your being. And with that comes a unique set of responsibilities that are yours alone to bear.

The first step is acknowledging your Inner Nurturer. Seeing it for what it truly is in its purest form. It’s more than just a skill or something that "comes naturally" to you. Acknowledging The Nurturer requires stillness and understanding. You need the stillness to observe when, what, who, where, and how your Nurturer shows up. When does it appear naturally, and when must you call upon it in situations where you might not feel like nurturing anyone? Stillness allows you to see The Nurturer as a separate entity from you.

I know when I was starting out, I found it difficult to recognize my Inner Nurturer and notice the small, unique traits that made it mine. But I learned by observing others—watching how their Inner Nurturers came forth—as a way to invite myself to deeply reflect on my own. This also brings us to the second part of acknowledgment: understanding.

You’ve likely encountered that preceptor who changed your life as a nurse or NP. The way they looked out for you, encouraged you, and spoke to you in a way that made you feel deeply understood. Your preceptor probably changed the way you saw other clinicians and providers in healthcare. They showed you how the job could be done—how you could do it, in your own unique way. They had a lightness about them that no other preceptor could recreate, no matter how much more knowledgeable or skilled they were. That preceptor made you feel safe in a way no one else could.

When I had that preceptor, I felt like midwifery was my true calling. They were exactly what I needed at that point in my clinical training. I had never felt so calm and peaceful in a clinical setting before (yes, even on a busy urban hospital L&D floor). I felt like I was truly being myself.

The spirit of your favorite preceptor is The Nurturer in action. They practiced deep understanding with you as their student—understanding to empathize, guide, and support you. They knew where you were coming from, where you were going, and what you needed from that experience. This is what understanding looks like: zooming out to see the bigger picture and recognizing the path ahead.

So many times throughout your nursing career, you may have lost track of the path you once envisioned for yourself. The constant hustle, the grind, the go-go-go nature of being a clinician—it can make your dreams and desires feel hazy and distant. They might even seem too far away to grasp. You might have felt too "green" when you first entered the field to truly understand what nursing meant, and now, you might feel cold and numb to the dreams you once had.

But you’re here, reading this message. You’ve recalled the love, support, and guidance that your preceptor gave you. Nursing is a role you chose so you could express your most authentic self—the Nurturer within you. Sometimes, remembering the way The Nurturer showed up for you in the past helps you reconnect with it now.

You’ve encountered the Nurturer many times, and you’ve felt its loving embrace on every level. The Nurturer called you to become a nurse, to provide guidance, support, and empathy for others. But what you and I both know is that nursing isn’t just a job—it’s become your life, your personality, you. It has extended into your very being, and sometimes it feels like it’s taken permanent residence there.

But how do you feel about that?

Do you enjoy its presence in your life?

Do you want to continue as things are?

It’s easy to feel like nursing has consumed your life. You might feel like it’s drowning you. And when you look around, you see more nurses and NPs who aren’t like your favorite preceptor. They’re operating on empty, going through the motions with frustration and irritation, unable to see a way out. Nursing is hard—we both know that. It has a way of pushing you, crushing you, and leaving you to pick up the pieces while still being expected to give everything you have.

When you’re in those moments, remembering why you became a nurse, especially when things are difficult, can feel almost impossible. You begin to question your life’s purpose.

I want to remind you that these feelings are normal for us nurses. But they don’t have to be your default reality. While others may despise their circumstances, you have the opportunity to grow in wisdom by acknowledging your Inner Nurturer. The Nurturer is the reason you became a nurse. You don’t have to stay stuck, emotionally disheveled, mentally uncertain, or physically worn out. Nursing is not the problem. It never was.

The real issue lies within you, in the deepest parts that need to be nurtured and cared for with great focus. The Nurturer within you must be honored to uncover what lies beneath. This journey doesn’t have to be difficult if you have support. That’s why I created the 3 Week NP Job Hack Program—so you can receive direct, honest guidance to not only uncover what the problem is, but also the solution that will help you reconnect with your Inner Nurturer. Because you, just like me, deserve to live the life of your dreams.

Most nurses and NPs want it, but very few achieve it. Very few become Dream-Makers. But this isn’t a secret skill available only to a select few. It’s about re-regulating your mind, body, and spirit, so that the real you—not just the nurse, not just The Nurturer—can take center stage.

The most important trait of a Dream-Maker is acknowledgment. They recognize where they end and where others begin. They understand their role in this larger story and know when it’s time to reflect or move forward. Dream-Makers embrace the full spectrum of themselves, using their self-awareness to harness their power. They see the fog not as a barrier, but as an invitation for clarity and peace.

I want to invite you to journal or create an audio diary of yourself on the word acknowledgment and these journal prompts:

1.When was the last time I felt fully connected to my nurturing self? What was the situation, and how did I feel in that moment?

2.How do I feel about the role of nursing in my life right now? Has it become more of a "job" than a calling, or do I still feel passionate about it?

3.What dreams or aspirations have I put on hold because of the demands of nursing? What would it look like to re-engage with those dreams now?

4.What would it look like for me to step into the role of a Dream-Maker? What changes would I need to make to live more aligned with my truest self?

With deep focus and clarity,

-Liz