Everything is made up of energy. I know, I know- I’ve said this before… many, many times in fact. But I have to say it again- and I’ll give you an example to illustrate my point.

Have you ever had a school-age crush? What happens when you see the boy or girl coming your way on the playground? Your hands start getting sweaty. Your heart beats faster. You feel the butterflies fluttering in your stomach. “Oh my goodness… he’s coming my way- what if he talks to me?”

What happened there? What were those “butterflies” in your stomach? Why was your heart beating faster?

It’s all about the energy! It’s all energy…

So now let’s apply this to nursing and the groups we find ourselves in.

• You work on a busy inpatient psychiatric unit. Each month you and your team heads out to a monthly staff Happy Hour. But the vibe at Happy Hour is anything but ‘happy’. You and your colleagues gossip about members of your team. You complain about the management. You agonize over difficult patients. The talk and tone is very negative, even demoralizing. You leave feeling worse off than when you started- so what was the point of going again?

Remember- everything is energy. So the groups that we find ourselves in- good or bad- have a certain energy about them. That scenario I just described was not fictitious- it was my life. And reflecting back upon my experiences, I was a big part of the negative energy in my workplace. Through feeding into it, perpetuating it, bringing it to life- I played a major role in why I felt ‘miserable’ at my job.

In addition to me bringing my own energy to the group the group created an energy about itself. The conversations we had contributed to the energy. The feelings that were felt, the emotions shared. All of this energized what was happening with our workplace… good or bad.

On the other hand, how about this?

• You are a part of something wonderful- a network of like-minded, positive professionals who are all interested in taking care of themselves. The group shares ideas, resources, and modalities for wellness. You can collaborate with other nurses and ask questions. You can learn how people are doing things in their organizations and you can be the change agent that brings these healthy ideas back to your workplace. You support each other through challenges and celebrate each other’s successes. You highlight the best in each other. You have found professional friends all over the country!

That is my life now. I am proud to know the nurses I know. I am amazed by the accomplishments and expertise my colleagues provide. I learn something new every day from another nurse. I meet people from all over the country and collaborate with them on various topics and projects. I love the conversations I am a part of and the things I read and hear. I truly am grateful for my supportive network and wouldn’t change it for the world!

You too can join us and be a part of this super-quick growing group! We are on the air LIVE tonight on RN.FM Radio: Nursing Unleashed! Nurse hosts Keith Carlson and Kevin Ross are two of the amazing presenters in the RCIII line-up. And the RejuveNation Collaboration is that network of supportive, positive, and like-minded professionals interested in uplifting the profession, enhancing our health, and being that change we want to see in our Nation’s well-being.

Visit the RejuveNation Collaboration website for more information. I look forward to having you and your energy be part of our Nation of Healthy Nurses!