The Past Truly Defines You

Every action, every word, every thought, has made you into who you are today. Think about that. Each negative or positive thought and/or action created you. When I am taking care of people who are dying, they always look up at me and wish they can take back their past. They would have done things differently, they would have reconnected with family, because, “life is too short.” They look over at me and tell me the secret to life every time. Be Happy and Be Kind. I was telling a colleague the other day about my past experiences as a nurse. Mostly, by working on the oncology/med-surgical floor, I have encountered many people taking there last breaths. I have endured deaths of my peers’ family, friends, and co-workers. I had been in a dark place for many years because I just thought life was not fair. My thoughts of life being not fair, made my life not fair. My thoughts created my reality. They created my future. My past relationships didn’t work with loved ones and friends. I have gone through a lot of friends! However, I think a lot of people do. Reason, season, or a lifetime. Currently, friends are circling back due to the new change in mindset. They no longer see the life not fair Brooke. They see the improved positive outlook. Magnets are fun.

Work right now is a little tough. The healthcare world has gotten busy. People are stressed, which in turn, creates exacerbations of chronic conditions. What if we had no stress in our lives? Would the hospitals be busy? Would I have a job? I wouldn’t be working extra, that is for sure. I started asking my patient’s about their previous days because they come in with a new chronic onset of a disease. Why I say a new chronic onset? I say it because their stress levels have been so high for so long, they have bought themselves, a chronic disease. They talk about how stressed their lives have been and when they felt a new pain, they left it alone, because they didn’t want to know the truth. They didn’t want another stressor. Our thoughts are our stressors. I was listening to a podcast the other day and this podcast described this man who ate healthy, worked out all the time because he didn’t want cancer. Guess what he got….you got it. So, did he create this with his mind? Power of the mind. He was constantly thinking if I stay healthy, I won’t get cancer. How many times do you think he thought about cancer? He was stressed all the time about it!

Did you know that 80 percent of healthcare workers have a chronic disease! 80 percent! Why? Because not only are we dealing with our life stressors, we are taking care of others who have stress. We take it upon ourselves to fix it. We cannot fix them, if we cannot fix us. It just keeps adding up. Well, how do we fix it? Positive thinking. Every bad thought or feeling you get in your mind, you turn it around and see some light in it. You fix your bad behaviors, your bad insights, your altered thought process, and you create a new one. Remember, your past defines who you are right now! What you eat, what you watch, and what you surround yourself with. Turn off the negative tv and watch something light and happy. Life is meant to be happy, not dark. What if the tv only showed beautiful scenery for 48 hours straight? No one talking, no bad images, no violence, no right or wrong. Tune out the noise! Be at peace with who you are right now, right in this moment. For you, are the one creating it.