Tag Archive | work

I Know Ive Been Quiet….

But I saw something today that really slapped me in the face and got my attention!! Now I’m sharing it with you because it’s so important and no one tells you this!!!! Don’t put your well-being at risk to avoid making a scene or hurting someone’s feelings!! This goes for all the things listed below but also for friendships, jobs, marriages, family dinners, appointments, etc!! If something is making you uncomfortable you don’t owe it to anybody to stay there and suffer!!!

I think this resonates with me so deeply for a number of reasons but especially because of how long I stayed working for an abusive employer because I felt I had too!! I was raised to believe you don’t quit and now thanks to life experience and therapy I know it’s ok to quit! It’s ok to put myself first! It’s ok to walk away!!!

It’s funny writing this today after coming home from my shift at my new job which I absolutely love. I think about what I worked through at my last job and feel so incredibly grateful to now be working for a family who values me as nurse, as a caregiver, and most importantly as a person!

When I left my last job I truly didn’t know if I’d ever return to nursing but after a long hiatus involving therapy, self discovery, self love, and healing I’m so thankful to have found a job in the field I love that reminds me why I went into health care in the first place. I’m so thankful to have found a family to help that truly is thankful for my help.

I now know it’s ok to leave when you don’t feel right about a situation. It’s ok to leave when you aren’t being respected, it’s okay to walk away. You don’t owe your well being to anyone except you!!

❤️

Thankful Thursday Week 46/52

Nov12

Don’t expect others to always support your choices but do not let their opinions change how you feel about your choices. You will never be able to see yourself through their eyes, so see yourself through your own eyes and don’t waste your time trying to make everyone else happy. Do what you need to do to take care of yourself. Make you happy.

Be supportive not over bearing. Be kind but firm. Tread lightly and love fully.

Remind yourself that everyone gets to make their own choices, their own mistakes, your triumphs are your own. Make your own choices and own them. You don’t have to justify your choices but you have to accept the outcome of your choices.

Life never turns out quite how you thought it should but that doesn’t mean it isn’t exactly how it’s supposed to be.

I’m thankful that I didn’t have to answer the phone this morning. That nothing in me felt the need to justify my choices to a man who treated me so poorly. I’m thankful that those closest to me all had the same reaction when they saw the number on the phone. A reaction somewhere between WTF and anger. I’m thankful that time of my life no longer has any control over me.

One Year….

Aug21

It’s been exactly one year since I walked away from my job with an employer who didn’t value me as a employee but worse he didn’t value you me as a human being. Finding the courage to walk away from a well paying job when I was the sole provider for my little family was one of the hardest and most terrifying things I had ever done!!! But you know what? It was the best decisions I ever made. My well-being and my mental health, my actual health, my sanity all proved more important than a paycheque. Finding my self worth and myself again has been a journey. But as I sit here in this little cabin, looking at the moon reflecting on the lake I’ve never been more sure of something in my life!!

Take care of yourself! Your whole self! Don’t put up with people who treat you like you’re worth less than they are! Don’t put up with people who think they own you because they sign your paycheque. Treat others with respect and don’t tolerate those who don’t treat you the same. Love the ones who love you. Find your people and hold on!

Everything will work out even if the first step terrifies you!

Thankful Thursday Week 33/52

Aug13

Good morning friends! Im sitting here sipping a cup of tea on the couch and cuddling with Muffin! All is quiet here right now because the boys are still asleep.

When I decided Back in January to do this weekly thankful Thursday post I truly thought it would just be one post of many I did weekly! I had planned on getting back to sharing recipes, Friday faves, life updates, etc but obviously none of that has materialized! I’m not really sure why. I find that despite not having a set list of to do’s, work, etc isn’t making me productive in the traditional sense. I also realize that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. I feel like I’m in a quiet season of life these last few months. Obviously covid has lended a hand in that by way of slowing our plans, our outings etc.

I find myself sipping drinks slower, admiring the flowers a little longer, and paying attention to the way the light in the evening hits our living room. Im also finding myself less likely to reach out to friends and wanting to spend more time alone and with my little family.

I can’t really explain how I feel. It’s a weird combination of slower, calculated living and learning to control the pockets of brewing anxiety that make me question what if I’m not making the most of this time?! What if I’m not doing life right!

Kevin has always told me that I’m one of those people who looks for reasons to stress, that I often worry about the what if’s and he’s right! I do that! Lately I’ve been making an effort to not do that. But on some level it’s who I am. However I’m finding myself learning to acknowledge it and work through it more often than not.

I truly thought that I would of spent this time away from work being extremely productive in terms of weight loss, exercise, creating a home schedule for cleaning, meal plans, etc. It’s been almost a year and none of that has happened! And that’s ok! Because what has happened in the last year is a stepping stone that I needed to live the rest of my life. I’ve learned that nothing is guaranteed and that no matter how hard I try to make others happy that ultimately I’m not responsible for their happiness or their joy. Sure I can lend my love and support to their happiness but I’m not responsible for it! I’ve realized that I’m an adult and I don’t need to ask for permission for things I want or need. I’ve learned it’s ok to trust my gut. I’ve realized that I can disappoint others in order to protect myself. I’ve finally accepted that this is my life and no one owns me. No one controls me and the daily civility of life doesn’t mean letting others dictate how I live to meet their needs.

For that I’m truly thankful ❤️

Thankful Thursday Week 32/52

Aug6

Hey friends! It’s been a pretty quiet week around here. It’s sometimes weird to think it’s been 5 months of this pandemic. 5 months of restrictions, sanitizing, and wondering what’s next!

I can’t help but be thankful on a daily basis that I’m blessed enough to be at home through all this. I don’t know how I’d be handling it all if I was on the front lines nursing patients through this. Actually I do know! I’d get up every day and do my job and be and tightly wound ball of stress.

It’s so easy to get tangled up in feeling blah with the whole situation but I’m making a strategic effort to see the good in all this!! My family is at home, safe, comfortable, healthy, together! Sure everyday life isn’t as simple as it used to be but it sure could be worse!! And I’m truly thankful it’s not worse!

Thankful Thursday Week 14/52

Apr2

Happy Thursday friends! We are in our fourth week of self isolation over here! The new life “normal” is a lot to take in! Definitely a whole host of emotions daily! I’m thankful my little family is holding up well and healthy so far. I’m thankful for all the folks doing their best to follow the rules and care for each other!

Lets remember there is no one size fits all for handling this current pandemic situation! Some people will thrive through this and others will fall, hurt, or even take their own lives. If you want to work out at home, awesome! If you want to sit on the couch and binge watch Netflix, fantastic! Do whatever feels right with your time at home. Don’t worry about what other people are doing! Resist the urge to compare yourself to others! Resist the urge to judge how others are reacting/function/coping or not! We’re all in this together but we are all allowed to work through it how we need to! Stay home and do you ❤️

PS I’m really thankful for iced coffee! ☕️☕️

Thankful Thursday Week 11/52

Mar12

With all the information and fear coming to light surrounding the current COVID-19 pandemic I’m thankful for those helpers among us. The doctors, nurses, and the man in our community group offering to deliver groceries to anyone quarantined or immunocompromised. In these situations peoples true characters really shine through.

Having worked the front lines of other outbreaks I know first hand how exhausting it can be to be in a position of helping but I also know how beneficial it is.

Thank you to all of you working to mitigate the risk and effects of this. We see you,we appreciate you, and we thank you.

To everyone else take care of yourself and each other. Do your best to keep yourself and others healthy. ❤️

Consoled a cup of coffee but it didn’t want to talk…

Jan2

2020 …. How did that happen? Wasn’t it just 2010? Didn’t I just start nursing? Get married? Become a mother? How did 10? 20? Years go by so fast?

I’ve got very little advice to offer at this point other then to be weary of people in the darkness who hold flashlights. Not everyone drawing you towards them wants to help you.

“Surrender”

Oct1

Surrendering and quitting are not the same thing. Surrendering is not always a sign of giving up. Sometimes surrendering is a sign of intelligence and strength. A sign that you’ve accepted when enough is enough.

I’ve been absent on the blog front lately and I am sorry for that. I’ve been wrapping my head around some major life changes that are in my very near future! For starters I only have about eight more shifts at work before I’m laid off. It is a very surreal feeling, I’ve worked here for almost 5 years and my job is a huge part of my life. On some levels being a nurse defines who I am. But I’ve realized recently I’m more then a nurse and sometimes in life you have to step back and not only accept change but embrace it.

I see this lay off as blessing in disguise. A chance for me to slow down and catch my breath so to speak. A little me time, a little life exploration.

You really never know what’s around the next corner in life but all any of us can do is face it!

I have lots of Fall inspired recipes to post this month and a quick recap of our amazing trip to Seattle!

I look forward to having more time soon and sharing more of my life with you and catching up on yours!!

Good Evening….Good Morning! It’s 1:32am Your Call!

Feb27

I just got finished deleting half of the people off of my Facebook friends list and putting a good portion of the remainder on limited profile. I know in a few cases this will not go over well but honestly I don’t care. I did it for me and my own well being. There are a few reasons I did this and the most major one is I don’t want to share my life with some people I don’t feel comfortable or close with. Now you may be asking yourself why I have a blog in that case. This blog was never posted on my Facebook account and while it by no means is hidden if certain friends, famy or acquaintances wished to located it that would be at their own discretion. The Facebook machine is an interesting beast. In many cases Facebook seems like nothing more then a glorified pissing contest. A who’s who of making their life sound like complete perfection. While I enjoy many aspects of Facebook and enjoy sharing my life in this manner, I think the deletes were a very healthy choice for me.

Now on to the real interesting bits and bites of my day! Okay I lie…today was pretty uneventful!!! Typical Tuesday at work.

Just ask Muffin how eventful our day was!!!! Actually don’t she is sound asleep …. AGAIN!

I tried some new gluten bread at lunch time and it was stellar. I will snap a picture of the package tomorrow. As for now check out my yummy sandwich ! Ham, cheese,micro-greens, and tomato on the tiny gluten free bread! I

I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did. I guess trying new things really is worth the risk.

The only other food I took a picture of was my snack.

I couldn’t help myself because I thought it was pretty!

Well friends I should try and get some sleep incase I need to fight off angry deleted Facebook peeps in the morning 😉

Life With The McGavins

100% Not Sugar Coated