Alright, if you were here for the previous post you know that we were examining our pasts to find some clues as to our enjoyments with our jobs. I shared an example of a person loving to play with Barbie and bringing that into their current work experience. And I know some people may be thinking, “Huh? How can I bring my Barbie dolls into my current work?”

Here we have to use a bit of our imaginations and creativity. Ok, so what did you love about playing Barbie? Was it the fact that you got to use your imagination? Was it that you liked putting her in all those different outfits? Was it that you enjoyed playing with friends? Or alone? What was it about playing with the Barbie that you actually enjoyed?

What we want to do is examine what we used to enjoy and pull out the pieces that we can apply in our adult lives. Let me share some stories and examples with you to make this a bit clearer:

• I really loved to play outside as a child. My sister and I and our two friends spent hours, and I mean HOURS, tramping around in the woods. Who knows what we were actually doing out there or what “game” we were actually playing, but we did it! On days off from school or summer vacations, we spent a ton of time out there in the back woods of our friends’ house.
• Now, does that mean I want to work as an outdoorsman? Maybe, but maybe not. I can tell you… (Side bar) one of my favorite jobs in high school was riding the tractor and working in my local county park. But anyway, here and now- as a nurse- who may or may not go back to school to be a park ranger, I can look at this experience and pull out from it what I can use now.
• So I loved playing outside. I loved the imaginary games we were involved in. I loved running around. Ok- for my current experience as an adult- I can see that I love being outside. I love being in nature. I love using my imagination when I create workshops and programs for nurses. I love exercising and being active. I love being in a small group of people. I love being part of a team project. Are you starting to get the gist of this?

What you would do- is look to your childhood pastimes. Look to them and pull out from them the concepts, experiences, and parts that you can use now.

Is it that you are artistic? Is it that you are social? Is it that you are organized? Is it that you are diplomatic? Is it that you like things fast-paced? Is it that you thrive on adrenaline? Is it that you use your creativity?

Really start to examine what you used to love to do and pull from these childhood memories the enjoyments. And as you shape your ideal career, full of passion and purpose, you want what you are working as to be in line with your joys. You want to be doing things for work that you love to do as the unique being that you are.

And as nurses, we can totally do this. The thing that I love about nursing is that it has so many facets, so many avenues, and so many paths we can go down. You can work in education, administration, research, clinical practice, or legal. You can work in the hospital, in the home, in the school, or in the outpatient setting. There are many, many roles a nurse can choose- probably even more than I am aware of!

So start to shape your ideal role by bringing in the things that you love to do. Bring in the enjoyments of your past. Create your ideal work with having things you love being a part of your everyday experience. No one is “stuck” where they are. Unless they believe that- (remember from last month: our thoughts become our reality) – what do you believe?

If you are happy with where you are at, great! You can only improve it by using this tool. If you are not pleased with your current role and are looking for a new one- I say use this technique as you start your career change. Choose your next job based on the things that you enjoy. Do something that you love so that each and every day you are running to work. Make your career something that you are passionate about so that it never feels a day like work again!

Let’s hear from all of you! What things did you enjoy as children? How can you bring them into your work roles? I’d love to hear some examples from your own experiences. I find this topic so fascinating and fun!