Do you think you can change?

Or do you believe that you are who you are and it is what it is? 

Often, when you’re up to something new or different, you will inevitably get uncomfortable. Then, you will have the urge to repeat or reinforce who you ARE instead of who you WANT to be. 

It may sound like this: 

  • I’m always late. 
  • I’m not a good nurse. 
  • I’m just a procrastinator; I do things best at the last minute. 
  • I can never remember anything.
  • I’m always exhausted. 

What if instead of, “This is just who I am…” 

There is simply some discomfort that you can learn to sit with instead.

Remember, your brain’s job is to keep you the same. 

It doesn’t want to change, grow, or do different things. 

It likes same-same. 

So when you try to adopt a new belief about yourself, to do or create something new, your brain will urge you to reinforce your current ways. 

It will hold you back from taking enough consistent and tangible action to create a different result. 

Instead, have awareness. 

Notice when you’re reinforcing your old beliefs. 

Notice how often you tell yourself: I can’t do that; I don’t know how. I’m not a good nurse; she is better. I’m never on time. I’m just forgetful, etc. 

With that new awareness, you will see what you’re doing, and you can question if it’s true. 

Are you really never, ever a good writer at all? Never? 

Are you never, ever on time, or can you get to work on time; you’re just perpetually late to dinner with friends? 

Do you really always forget things, or do you only forget things that seem inconsequential? 

Can you figure out how to do something you’ve never done before? And if so, where might one start? 

Be honest with yourself and your brain. 99.999% of the things it tells you are not true. 

Once you dispel these myths it’s offering you, you can start to build the belief that you are, indeed, able to change. 

And you can resist the urge to reinforce the belief that you can’t. 

Simply choose not to repeat those beliefs to yourself. 

Since you’re on time for work, you can be on time. 

Since you remember your child’s birthday, you can remember things. 

Since you can put together furniture, you can figure things out. 

Just because she is a good nurse doesn’t mean you aren’t a good nurse, too.

Find more and more evidence for how this is true. 

Then, repeat these new beliefs- the beliefs of someone who you WANT to be. 

In time, you will become the person you want to be and look back, astonished that you’re no longer that person over there; you’ve become this person over here– the person you want to be. 

If this interests you and you would like to learn more about how to change your self-concept- the perception you have about yourself and who you are, join me via Zoom on Wednesday, July 17th at 11 AM MT for the next FREE monthly masterclass. Registration is required, and you can do so by clicking here.


As a reminder, as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, you are entitled to fully confidential coaching at no cost to you. (Yes, it’s free for you). You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here. If you have any questions, just email me at Christine@christineseager.com.

The Difference Between & Solutions for Burnout & Overwhelm

Burnout is defined as a person in a state of physical or mental collapse caused by overwork or stress. 

It happens when you are producing results– like your hair is on fire, but you’re pushing through it, still working, still doing. It might look like things are fine, but you’re slowly dying on the inside. 

People think this happens when we work too many hours or too hard, but not necessarily. You can work many hours and still not get burned out, and you can work very hard and not get burned out. It’s the thoughts behind it, the attitude that leads to burnout. 

When I worked in the ER, I likened this to the difference between a busy day and a cluster eff day. We could see 60 patients in a 12-hour shift, and things could go smoothly, like clockwork, or we could see 30 patients in 12 hours & it could be a cluster— a big difference. In either case, everything could go sideways, but you can think: this always happens to me. Or you can think: this is what happens in a busy ER; this is just part of the deal. This is what I signed up for. 

Burnout happens when you’re trying to outrun a negative emotion. 

The solution is to give yourself more space. Relax, slow down, and be more intentional with your actions. Work smarter, not harder. Rest, take a break if you can. Manage your mind. Purposefully direct it to better thoughts. 

For example: 

  • I signed up for this when I took this job. 
  • People are out enjoying the nice weather; of course, there are a lot of injuries now. 
  • Tourists are also trying to enjoy the outdoors. Sometimes, they don’t know what they’re doing and make poor decisions, which can be costly—both physically and financially. 
  • I’m glad they’re here, and I’m equipped to help them. 

Overwhelm is defined as being overcome completely; to overpower, especially with superior force, to cover or bury beneath a mass of something.

Overwhelm happens when you are not producing results, like when your hair is on fire and you’re running around in circles.

It’s an emotion, a way for your brain to stay comfortable because when we feel overwhelmed, we often resist, react, or distract (aka. do nothing; take no action; spin our wheels). 

The good news is— because it is an emotion, you have control over it. Since you are creating it, you can change and manage your overwhelm. 

Overwhelm looks like feeling confused about what to do (how to get started or what to do next). You might have an unclear plan and procrastinate, thinking, “I don’t know what to do; I’m just so busy.” 

But it doesn’t have anything to do with your to-do list. It has to do with the thoughts in your brain about how overwhelmed you feel. You’re likely spending more time thinking overwhelming thoughts than actually doing things or taking action. (Also, notice that if you have a to-do list, then you actually know what to do, so check your list.) 

You can tell this is you because you see that you haven’t actually done much. You’re spinning, not creating. 

The solution is to plan and then do; take action. Make decisions: Pick one thing and do it, then the next, and the next. Constrain to doing one thing at a time, not all of the things at once. Take intentional action and get things done. All while managing your mind—not letting it run amok, thinking overwhelming thoughts, and creating the feeling of overwhelm. 

Knowing the difference between burnout and overwhelm will help you determine solutions to mitigate each in your life so that you can create and live a life you love rather than just going through the motions.

What are your thoughts? What are your questions? What would you love to learn more about here? Leave your comments below.


Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here

You can register for the next free Christine Seager Coaching Masterclass on How to Change Your Self-Concept by registering here.

collaborate

Are you someone who would like to have a better relationship with someone than you do now? 

Perhaps it’s your direct reports, your teen, or your spouse. 

When they feel safe sharing openly with you, there will be less conflict, tension, and chaos and more connection, cooperation, confidence, and trust. Managing, parenting, and being in a relationship will stop feeling so hard, and you will experience more calm, peace, and joy. 

The first step is to notice when you are triggered. How does it feel in your body? For me, I feel tight and tense. It feels like my blood pressure is rising; maybe my hands are in fists. My heart rate is faster, and my heart is pounding. 

To calm your emotions, get curious. Take a deep breath & think to yourself, “I wonder what happened here.” 

When you’re calm, you can respond intentionally rather than react emotionally. 

When you’re calm, they will be more open to having a conversation with you rather than shutting down. 

Next, find a good time to talk to them and state what you see objectively. 

State the facts, just the facts, with no tone or judgment (which you can do now that you’re being curious). 

My favorite phrase is, “I notice… [state fact].” 

I.E., “I notice a vape pen in your backpack.” 

Or “I noticed you were 20 minutes late to work.” 

These words from you will help them stay open and not defensive because they are not anticipating being in ‘trouble,’ judgment, or anger. 

Next, validate to show understanding. When you normalize what they are feeling, they feel like you understand them, you get them, and they remember that you are on the same team. 

You will reflect back their feeling and acknowledge the situation. 

I.E., “It makes sense that you feel left out when all your friends vape.” 

Or, “It’s understandable that you were 20 minutes late when you discovered that your car door was frozen shut.” 

Important note: this does not mean you agree with or condone their behavior. You are merely validating their experience. 

Then, invite their solution. 

People have an overwhelming desire to do well. We want to have autonomy and figure things out on our own. As managers, we want to ensure they stay within organizational boundaries. As parents, we want to help them build problem-solving skills safely and with our guidance. 

You can do this by simply asking them, “What are you going to do?” 

Your kids might respond by saying they don’t know. You can help them unhinge their inner knowledge by following up with, “I know you are really smart; I bet you can figure this out.” Or you can ask, “What would you tell __ (state their friend’s name here) to do?” This helps separate them from the problem and helps them come up with creative solutions. 

Lastly, make sure they know you are available for support and guidance by simply offering, “I’m here if you’d like help.” 

When you communicate collaboratively, you will be amazed at how much better your relationships can be with less stress, worry, and anxiousness. 


Reminder: as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here

P.P.S. You can register for the next free Christine Seager Coaching Masterclass on How to Change Your Self-Concept by registering here.

choices

I just had an unplanned, quite uncomfortable, and somewhat unsuccessful medical procedure today that will require more diagnostic testing. 

(Not at LHW, so don’t go thinking it was you, LOL. And don’t worry about me– it’s just my body doing its thing; nothing has gone wrong.) 

Here’s what I didn’t do.

Think: 

“Of course, this happened.”

“This sort of thing always happens to me!” 

“Well, here we go again…”

“If my doctor wasn’t on vacation, this wouldn’t have happened in the first place.” 

“This is never going to end– first this, then there’ll be more and more.” 

“Having this done is making things worse.”

If I were thinking those thoughts, I would feel overwhelmed, hopeless, dismayed, frustrated, and powerless.

They don’t help anything at all. 

If anything, they only make me feel worse: complaining, stewing, dwelling & feeling sorry for myself. 

Here’s what I do think:

“This is just my body doing its thing.” 

“Nothing has gone wrong; this is just what happens sometimes.” 

“I’m glad I have a medical team who can help me while my doctor is on vacation.” 

“I hope my doctor is getting some well-deserved rest & relaxation.” 

“I’ll have more answers soon.” 

“One step at a time. Let’s get this done & then go from there.” 

These thoughts DO serve. 

Not only do they help me feel better, they help me keep a level head. 

I called to schedule that procedure while I drove home. And they were able to get me in first thing the following day. 

(Here’s another thought: I’m so grateful I was able to get in so soon; if I lived in a bigger city, I’d probably have to wait weeks.)

I choose not to spend time thinking thoughts like this, and now, more often than not (over time & with practice), my brain doesn’t even bother to offer thoughts like this. 

(Even for writing this post, I had to purposefully think about what negative thoughts I could think & what might apply- I have to dig for the negative! How amazing is this?!) 

How do you go through life when not-so-great circumstances come up for you? 

Do you lose your marbles? 

Do you yell & scream & jump up and down? 

Do you shake your fist at the indecency of the universe? 

If you choose to live this way, that’s cool—I’ll still love and support you. 

But I want you to see that it IS a choice, and there is a better way. 

And if you want, I can help you with that. 

Now let me know what questions you have. 

*To be clear, I’m not advocating going along mindlessly with whatever anyone recommends for you. Make informed decisions and advocate for yourself. Keeping a level head and coming from a better-feeling place will help with this, too.


This is how you create & live a life you love.

There are a few ways you can work with me, but the first step is to book a complimentary, no-obligation consultation here.

Reminder: Logan Health Whitefish offers free coaching sessions to employees as part of their benefits package. To book, click how you’d like to meet below.

Hey, one more thing. You can register here for the next free Christine Seager Coaching Masterclass (via Zoom) on How to Change Your Self Concept on July 17, 2024, at 11 AM MT.

no, without guilt

Are you feeling overworked or overwhelmed? Do you struggle to say no? Then this is for you.

You already know you perform incredible work. Your dedication to helping others is inspiring, and your job can be rewarding and challenging. However, it can be difficult to maintain a healthy work-life balance—you’re pulled in far too many directions.

Setting boundaries, saying no, and making time for things you enjoy are essential, but how do you do that?

You know saying no is a one-word sentence, but you keep thinking about your co-workers who will have to work short-staffed. You feel guilty saying no, but you’re also drained; you’ve got nothing left. You’re annoyed at the person who called and asked you to work in the first place—as if they threw a “guilt bomb” on your day. You’re annoyed at the “system” because nurses “always” have to work like this. You’re annoyed at yourself because you struggle to say no.

But what if there was another way?

You can say no and not feel guilty.

You do this by finding different thoughts and directing your brain to focus there.

They will be OK; they know this is part of the job when they sign up to be nurses.

If I take a day off, I will be a better person—less exhausted—and better able to care for myself, my family, and my patients.

By recovering from my stretch on, I will have more staying power.

You can say no and still be kind, respectful, and loving towards your co-workers.

While it’s easy for caregivers to think they’re responsible for everything and everyone around them, that is simply not true. You can take care of yourself and let others be responsible for their thoughts and feelings.

Saying no without guilt will help you reduce burnout, sleep better, decrease stress, increase job satisfaction, improve patient care, have better focus and attention, build better work relationships (no one wants to work with a crabby co-worker), and allow you to be a better person for everyone around you.


P.S. as part of the benefits offered at Logan Health Whitefish, employees get free coaching sessions. You can book an in-person coaching session here or a remote/Zoom coaching session here

boredom

When we feel the restlessness of boredom, we think something has gone wrong.

Just because we have a million things to do doesn’t mean we are interested in or excited to do them. 

We’ve forgotten many mundane tasks are required to run a successful life and business. 

Food shopping, cleaning, cooking dinner, doing laundry, for example, or 

Bookkeeping, payroll, client documentation, or writing newsletters… 

I don’t know many people who are innately excited to do these things. 

(Do you? If so, send them my way; I want to know how. LOL) 

Not all of life is exciting or amazing, and that’s OK. 

You can dial up the fun by asking yourself: if this could be more fun, what might that be? 
~ listening to podcasts while shopping at Costco
~ having a dance party while cooking dinner 
~ listening to rap music while writing your client notes

It seems like such a minor thing, but it can be so draining when your brain constantly tells you something is wrong because you’re bored of life. 

So instead, create more fun. 

If you’d like to learn more tips and tricks like this, join me on Wednesday, 5/8, at 11 AM MT for How to Take Action.

You can register here.

I’ll see you there.

Screenshot

“Difficult” patients

As a healthcare professional working in a hospital or clinic, you are faced with many challenges, one of which is dealing with patients who may not always treat you with kindness, calmness, or patience. These interactions can be emotionally draining, leaving you feeling frustrated, exhausted, and overwhelmed. It is helpful to take measures to protect yourself from their negativity.

One empowering way to do so is by using grounding techniques. These are simple strategies that not only help you stay present in the moment but also empower you to remain calm and in control. For instance, you may focus on your breath, feeling the air moving in and out of your body, or concentrate on a physical object, like a pen, an alcohol pad, or a picture on the wall.

By staying clear, grounded, and level-headed, you can avoid getting caught up in the fight-or-flight mode, a natural response to stress that can lead to burnout and exhaustion. When you are in fight-or-flight mode, your body releases adrenaline and cortisol, making you feel anxious, irritable, and unable to think clearly. Grounding techniques, such as focusing on your breath or a physical object, can help regulate these stress hormones, promoting a sense of calm and clarity.

By grounding yourself, you can activate your prefrontal cortex, the part of your brain responsible for decision-making, problem-solving, and creativity. When you are grounded, you can think more clearly, make better decisions, and provide superior patient care, boosting your confidence in challenging situations.

So, the next time you encounter a challenging situation with a patient, take a moment to ground yourself. Use your breath or a physical object to stay present and focused. Remember, you have the innate ability to remain calm and in control, even in the most stressful situations. This reassurance can protect you from burnout and provide better patient care.


Join our next FREE Masterclass on ‘How to Take Action’ and learn practical strategies from Christine to overcome the root causes of inaction and achieve your goals. You will also learn how to balance client care, administrative tasks, and personal development while prioritizing your own well-being. Sign up now and take the first step towards a more productive, fulfilling, successful, and sustainable practice.

lead

For all leaders (or those aspiring to be), it’s not uncommon to feel overwhelmed by fears, doubts, and worries, especially when “performing” in front of others. You may want to appear confident and assured but are concerned that your true feelings may be exposed.

To tackle this problem, you need to decide how you want to present yourself as a leader, whether in a meeting, to your staff, or in any other role. Embrace your emotions and lead from that place. By being open and confident, you can make a significant difference in how you approach your role as a leader.

If you lead from a place of vulnerability and authenticity, you will show your team that it’s okay to make mistakes and that it’s natural to be human. This can create a sense of safety and trust within your team, leading to greater collaboration, innovation, and success. It’s essential to remember that you don’t have to have all the answers as a leader, and it’s okay to ask for help or admit when you don’t know something.

At the same time, when you lead from a place of confidence, you show your team that you believe in yourself and them. You set the tone for your team’s culture and create an environment that fosters growth and development. When you lead with vulnerability and confidence, you make a well-rounded approach to help your team thrive.

By following this advice, leaders can transform their approach and create a positive culture within their team. When you lead from a place of vulnerability and confidence, you can create a safe, valued, and supported atmosphere for everyone. This can lead to greater engagement, productivity, and satisfaction for both you as a leader and your team members.

As a leader, it’s essential to acknowledge your fears, doubts, and worries, but leading from a place of vulnerability and confidence is equally important. Determine how you want to show up in your role, the next meeting, or for your staff, and embrace that. By leading with authenticity and confidence, you can create a positive culture that fosters growth and success for everyone involved.

tag

What dream, goal, or desire do you have in your heart right now? 

The one that you’re afraid to admit you even want out loud because that’s how terrified you are of it. 

What is it? 

State it. 

Breathe life into it. 

Know that it is safe and OK to want something more. 

Know that you are safe and OK to want more. 

Know that it’s safe & OK to admit your heart’s desire. 

The first step to achieving any goal is to know what you are working towards. 

Step toward with wild abandon. 

Be willing to be uncomfortable. 

This is where most of us get hung up and stop. 

It will not be comfortable, AND also you will be OK. 

If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. 

But while we know logically that it will be challenging, this doesn’t make it easier for us to withstand the discomfort.

Start small. 

Take one step at a time. 

(Any step because there is no one right step- who could even tell beforehand what that would be anyway? You don’t know the ‘right’ step until you’ve taken several steps & found which ones were ‘right.’)

Be willing to be wrong. 

Try different things. 

Evaluate your results. 

Keep going. 

You will inevitably arrive at your dream, goal, or desire.

decide

No one is going to decide for you.

So, you might as well learn how to decide for yourself now, and the sooner, the better.

You can poll all your friends.

Ask your spouse.

Confer with your mentor.

But they can’t decide for you.

They aren’t you.

Even with your best intentions at heart, they won’t experience the outcome of your decisions the same way.

Tough love truth: it comes down to you.

So, what do you want?

Which decision feels more like FEAR, and which feels more like LOVE?

What route helps you feel expansive, rejuvenated, or euphoric?

And if you can’t get to that–

Which feels thrilling & terrifying?

I know that when I’m thrilled and terrified, I’m in the exact right place—despite being uncomfortable.

Often, the best decision is not comfortable.

But comfortable equals boring, too.

Similar to: it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all; it’s better to be thrilled and terrified than not be thrilled and terrified at all.

Here’s the thing: the sooner you make a decision, the sooner you can implement it, and the sooner you can make that decision be the best decision.

You will NOT die.

You WILL learn.

If you want to learn a process for how to make empowered decisions, join me this Wednesday, April 17, at 6 PM MT for the next (FREE) CSC Masterclass. You can register right here:

https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zVWZVyepSVGGsndkPFd-dQ