Connection-a confidence from within the journey

From a young age, I was confident that I wanted to end up in a career that allowed me to care for others. Human connection and helping others has always been important to me.

My road to becoming a Registered Nurse began shortly after taking on a role as a nursing assistant in high school. Within just a few days, I knew I was on the exact right path of what I wanted to do in life and applying for nursing school was going to be my next step. Although I knew exactly what I wanted to do and how to get there, I was well-aware that embarking on this journey wasn’t going to be easy.

I’ve struggled with a learning disability all my life, so schooling has always been extra challenging. However, my excitement and drive to succeed kept my foot on the gas pedal and in December of 2007, I officially became a Registered Nurse. Fast-forward twelve years, a marriage, and two daughters later, my role as a RN had turned into a leadership position. That position was one I worked so hard to achieve and something I was sure was an amazing “next step” for my career.

The Journey

However, not long into it, I realized how truly unhappy I was. I no longer looked forward to coming into work, I felt unmotivated, and I could feel depression rearing its ugly head. I didn’t enjoy what I was doing anymore, but I knew I was good at it. I felt stuck. The fear of change, the anxiety I felt about the unknown, and my deep desire to keep others happy were holding me hostage in that position. Furthermore, I found myself using food for comfort. That then led to feelings of guilt, which then prompted me to exhaust myself by working out 6 days a week. I was developing unhealthy habits, my mental health wasn’t great, and I could feel my sense of “self” slipping further and further away.

I needed to be better for my husband, my daughters, and myself. I knew I needed to be back in direct patient care with the ability to impact the lives of others. After all, that’s where my passion for nursing began.

Recalling a meeting I had with a woman a year prior about a health program, something in my gut told me to give her a call. After chatting with her about my current job situation and struggling health, she helped me believe I could begin to make an impact on the lives of others, outside of nursing, through coaching with Optavia.

The Change

I thought to myself, “If not now, then when?” and decided to become both a client and a coach that day. It didn’t take me long to fall in love with everything Optavia encompasses. The human connection, making small differences day-to-day, and really helping people – all of that is deeply connected to who I am. As I was going through my own journey of losing 30 pounds and finding my true self again, physically, mentally, and emotionally, I began to share my story with hopes of being able to help others who were where I was just a few months earlier.

After taking on my 5th client and feeling fully confident that this was what I was meant for, I decided to stop hiding behind a wall of fear and step down from my upper management position to part-time RN. Dedicated to the Optavia mission and refusing to fail, I kept running. I began linking arms with those who shared my same passion for coaching and together, we began to build an amazing community changing lives.

Momentum

Because of our continued excited momentum, I’m proud to say that I was able to completely resign from my nursing profession and am now a full-time coach. I’m where I was meant to be. I want people to see me, hear my story, and say,

I want to continue showing people that the trajectory of their lives can change for the better if they are willing to push aside fear and discomfort. With Optavia, so much is possible.