Thanks for visiting my site and taking the time to read my blog! If you read my bio then you know I'm very passionate about helping others- but more importantly self-care as this has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. I was raised with the mentality of caring for others first and then I would pretty much get what's left over. This was no lesson that was taught as I sat and took notes but this was a lesson learned from simply observing the behaviors around me. The women I knew growing up were very strong women who carried a lot on their plates and even when they were tired and appeared to have no more to give they continued to give because I feel this is what they knew. I recall that no matter how depleted they were, they never looked as so. They were well put together with the coordinated clothing, jewelry, and makeup. They managed the homes with multiple children, their careers, continued their education, and was also active in their church or communities. Oh there is no doubt that these women rocked and they were that "Superwoman" in my life and I love them dearly to this day!
When I entered Nursing school, one of the very first lessons we learned regarding patient care was about self-care. Yes, we learned all about teaching the patient how to care for themselves effectively and how important it was. We also learned how important the patient/customer/client was and that their needs came first- no matter what. So yet again, here is more learned behavior of taking care of myself last but this time it was formally introduced. I was tested on it and had many opportunities to demonstrate it as well. As I began my career, I was surrounded by mainly women who were yet again overloaded with work but they still had the same mentality and that was to cater to the patients' every need or else. Naturally, I was able to fit right in and recall sacrificing my body's health to save another's life. I recall holding my bladder for at least 6-8 hours on many occasions and eating my lunch (when I was able to) in less than 10 minutes and running back in to care for my patients because of insufficient coverage due to a staffing shortage on many occasions for many years. This was the culture I grew up in and this is what I knew- despite my teachings of the opposite to my patients. You see, I never translated that formal education I had into the need to APPLY it to MY OWN life because my focus was on taking care of my patients and making money to survive. That's the truth!
I absolutely love my life's lessons and I wouldn't change a thing because it's what has helped me to get to the mindset I have today. I know there are those women- and men who are superwomen and supermen who are focused on taking care of their customers first by any means necessary because they understand that this brings in the dollars and also they are very passionate about helping people. Well, I have seen first hand over the years of the damage that could occur to your bodies by neglecting it and it's harder to repair than to simply prevent the damage from occurring.
This is why I've committed to helping others be able to create that balance by means of "escapes" so they can live a healthier and more meaningful life. This goes far beyond simple diet and exercise but it all starts with your mindset. I believe in getting to the root of a problem in order to move forward effectively. You can't simply put a bandaid over a wound with a bullet in it and expect the bleeding to stop. The root of the problem is the foreign object in the wound- which is the bullet and it needs to be removed. Well the same goes for our lives. Many times our health declines due to our current lifestyles but we may find ways to justify it and basically overlook the symptoms that is literally slapping us in the face until it's took late. This is why you have people who are diabetic and can't get their levels controlled, or the people who have hypertension and they can't control their blood pressure. The same goes for the person who has been struggling with obesity and can't get the weight off and keep it off. There are other underlying issues that may need addressing and it all falls back to self-care. If it's not a routine already then this could be quite a challenge for many but I'm here to help you and/or your organization.
I've been improving my health overall and getting to the root of my health issues and it's been life changing. I believe in self-care and I call it "escapes". I've branded it well amongst my family and friends where they actually understand when I get ready to go in "escape-mode" that means it's "me-time" and I'm unavailable. I simply couldn't pass the opportunity to help others experience the same. So you will see my postings on topics relative to self-care and my journey as well as other inspirations. I welcome your feedback here and look forward to helping you escape your past for a healthier future! ((HUGS))
Your Escape Coach,
Suprena
Suprena Hickman
Suprena is a Registered Nurse and has worked in many aspects of nursing with over 17 years of experience as a healthcare professional. She has traveled across the country caring for many patients for nearly a decade as a travel nurse and loves assisting in the transformation process.