The new year has a way of showing up with expectations.
New goals.
New habits.
New versions of ourselves we’re supposed to become by February.
But if you’re anything like me—or most nurses I know—you’re still catching your breath from the holidays. Still recovering from long shifts, emotional moments, and the quiet weight of caring for others when your own cup felt low.
And maybe, just maybe, you’re not ready for a full reinvention.
The Honest Truth
Every January, we’re told to reset, restart, rebrand.
But nursing doesn’t always allow for a clean slate.
Sometimes you’re walking into a new year still tired from the last one.
Still processing moments you haven’t had time to name.
Still learning how to carry responsibility without losing yourself in it.
And that doesn’t mean you’re behind.
It means you’re human.
Instead of asking “What should I become this year?”
What if we asked:
“What do I need to carry forward—and what can I gently lay down?”
Sometimes growth doesn’t look like a big resolution.
Sometimes it looks like choosing rest.
Or grace.
Or one small intention that makes the next shift feel lighter.
As Ecclesiastes reminds us, “To everything there is a season…”
And not every season is meant for striving.
Whether you’re:
- a new nurse finding your footing,
- a seasoned nurse wondering when it got this heavy, or
- a student still trying to picture yourself in scrubs,
this season can still hold meaning—without pressure.
You don’t need a “new you.”
You just need space to breathe and permission to begin again… gently.
Selah Pause
As this year begins, ask yourself:
What’s one thing I can release—and one thing I want to carry forward?
You don’t have to answer it all at once.
If you feel comfortable, share one word that describes how you’re stepping into this year.
I’d love to hear it. Happy New Year Nurse You!
