Make money coaching...no problem.

You love your job, yet you hate your job, right?!

If onnnnnly you could make money working out?!

And then blogging about it and sharing photos of the food you eat and workouts you do.

Would you be interested in that?

Well...there's a little more to it than that, but what a great gig, right?

I mean you workout, eat healthy, and help people. 

And you can make a living doing it.

There's no better part-time gig.

College students. Stay-at-home parents. New grads with too much time on their hands. Anyone who wants more freedom in their lives to set their own schedule and be their own boss. Someone whose currently occupation is no longer fulfilling. 

Me...yah. I'm a registered nurse. I work 32 hours a week at the hospital and a few hours at home as a coach. And...I LOVE coaching.

But the BEST part...having an elite six-figure (in her first year) coach sharing all her secrets with you in order to make YOU succeed.

I bet you want to find out more. 

Comment on this post, or add me to Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/astrongnurse. Then message me! 

It's that simple.

I'm looking for only THREE new coaches right now to specially train, so don't wait!

"Your thought process and inactivity make you old. Not your age."

This man, Sonny, is 70 years old. He started bodybuilding when he was 44. 

Watch this awesome video on one inspiring man.

http://youtu.be/uKJaZDGVNWA

Grief

Grief seriously sucks. 

And it never goes away.

It will be four years in July. Four years since I last saw my brother living and breathing before me.

My beloved, dear, sweet, funny, kind, most huggable, quirky brother left my life way too soon.

This was and will likely be the most tragic, traumatic event of my life. I can't imagine anything else worse happening in my life than losing my 26-year-old brother... my mentor, my best friend.

How does a 25-year-old girl cope with that?

Honestly, it was hard and still is hard EVERY SINGLE DAY. It's not easy to sleep at night. Sometimes it's not easy to wake up in the morning. For a long while, I imagined I would never be truly functional again because my mind and my heart were too distracted. And after a few weeks, even after one week, everyone around me went back to their normal lives. I walked around in a cloud, wondering how the person on the street beside me could be laughing. Wondering if the pain, loneliness, sadness, and utter HEARTBREAK would ever go away. Wondering if I could bear to say my brother's name, without breaking down in sobs.

But, I knew if I didn't get out of bed the first week I was home on my own, I would create a terrible, dark future for myself. So, I took it day by day and step by step. I chose to be proactive. I went to my church and asked if there was someone there I could talk to. This weekly meeting with a counselor-in-training was the best and worst part of my week. She asked questions about my brother. She asked how I was doing. She was okay with my roller coaster of emotions. Most people on the outside world had no idea what to do or say, so they didn't say anything at all. And on my last meeting with her, I sobbed because I wouldn't have her in my life anymore. She helped give me hope.

The gym also helped me. I went every day. It seemed a better option than going home after work. If I was home, I'd be home with my thoughts, and I did not want that. So, I turned to exercise because the endorphins lifted me up, even if temporarily.

I also volunteered. At a Hospice facility of all places. I was able to spend time with those individuals living their last days and provide comfort to them and their families. This helped give me peace. And, it reminded me that I am not alone in my grief.

Of course, I still had my sister to lean on too.

But mostly, I helped heal myself with my own positive thinking.

And thoughts that my brother would want me to be living a certain way, in a joyful way, loving everyone I came in contact with.

He and I both shared a similar instinct. We could "feel" whether a person was genuine or not at an initial greeting. We could tell when something was "off". We could sense internal turmoil a mile away.

I think it was because deep down, our weakest and strongest characteristics, is/was our hearts. We knew we were vulnerable because of our capacity to trust and to love. And yet, we still put ourselves out there to get to know others and spread as much joy and hope as we could.

We shared a great ability to see amazing qualities in those broken, hurt, or fallen. It is this quality that allows me to lead in a nonjudgmental way. I thank my brother every day for thinking this and for never turning his back on anyone, regardless of ______________ (fill in the blank...anything). He helped everyone.

It is this gift that I was given, that my brother was given, that makes me a great nurse. I can see pain in someone's eyes. I can sense loneliness. I can tell when someone wants to say something, but is afraid. I know when someone is confused about their plan of care. Frustration, fear, worry, anger, anxiety, hopelessness, stressed, self-doubt, self-consciousness ... I see all these things. I do see good things too...

I choose to help. I enjoy helping. I love to listen. I love to support. I love to encourage. I truly enjoy being someone else's inspiration.

And I have my brother to thank for that. For filling up my heart with so much love and so much goodness that it will surely never run out.

A Strong Nurse

Please follow my journey as A Strong Nurse on Facebook at this link here.

I'm a registered nurse at a local hospital and work with patients of all backgrounds. I work daily with individuals who suffer from complications of obesity, type II diabetes, heart disease, chronic wounds, digestive issues, infections, cancer, and so much more. I'm from the Midwest, a region that's often criticized for being unhealthy and overweight. I love to inspire people to become their best selves. I believe fitness and a healthy diet and lifestyle can truly be the difference-maker in having a long, joyful life. 

I've also experienced significant loss at an early age. I was 25 when my 26-year-old brother and best friend passed away unexpectedly. Life is too short to wait until tomorrow to make a change. Set a goal, make a plan, and take action today. Not later. 

I identify with the adjective "strong" on many levels. My goal is to be my best always and nurture a strong mind and body. If someone asked me to hike a mountain tomorrow, I want to be able to do it. 

Whether your family has been unhealthy for years and you'd be the first one to suggest a walk or healthy meal for dinner. Whether you have had one, two, three, four, or five children and think there is no way back to your former mom self. Whether you enrolled in your first college class not only to gain a load of debt, but also 20 pounds. Maybe you lived overseas like I did and gained 15 pounds in five months (mine was in Italy). Maybe you're a middle-aged man or woman who is just now realizing, after having many friends and family members in and out of the hospital recently, that just because of your age, you are at risk for a lot of negative health problems. Or maybe you just need a team and coach to keep you motivated and accountable. No matter who you are or what your background is, I'd love to help you make a change for the better!

I believe in a holistic, well-rounded, well-balanced life. If you improve your body (give it exercise, feed it well), your mind will improve (happier, more self-confidence, positive outlook, goal-setting, motivated). And once your mind improves, your soul will improve (grateful, joyful, peaceful, truly happy). I'd love to help get you to this point...a happy soul.

Important things.

 Two quotes I recently read and related to. Words to live by.

1 - "The most selfless gift we can give to others is our time."

2 - "Let us be reminded again that if there is a change you want to make in the world, someone you need to forgive, or a goal you want to achieve, don't count on tomorrow. Do it today.

Tomorrow is never promised."

Wisconsin Weekend.

This weekend was all about connecting.

The connecting started on Wednesday when seven of us girl friends (plus two hubbies named Scott) from high school got together for dinner. We decided on Thai...such a good choice. I am so addicted to pineapple chicken curry. Yum.

High school girls at my wedding reception. Photo by Max Lee Photography.

Friday I had off work, but was asked by a friend to babysit her four-month-old. Yes, please?! Honestly, babies are one of the biggest joys of my life. They make me so happy. How can you not love cuddly bundles of preciousness?!

Since my husband was working late, my friend Ashley and I decided to grab dinner and watch a high school basketball game coached by another high school friend of ours. It's so fun to see how 10 years out of high school, everyone is ridiculously grown up (with kids, jobs, homes, husbands). I'm proud of each and every one of them. While we haven't been inseparable since graduation, we've all stayed in contact and make it a priority to spend time together. Now that many of us have returned to the area we grew up, we make it a bigger priority to plan dinner nights at each others' houses or at a restaurant in the area. I love them all!

With Matt, the high school PE/health teacher/basketball coach.

Photo by Max Lee Photography.

Saturday my husband and I were going to drive to spend the day with my longest best friend and her boyfriend and go snowboarding with them, but as it turns out, it was pretty cold outside and her sister had a baby! Instead we planned an early dinner when they arrived to town. Because Scott and I had a free morning, we decided to run errands and try out my new snowshoes. We stopped at Walgreens, the post office (my new camera is in...YAY), and then drove out to Weaver's Country Store, an Amish store that sells mostly bulk items (see huge bag of oats below). We then made a trip to Sam's Club for some staples (frozen fruit, frozen veggies, and yogurt).

And then...we went snowshoeing! It was the first time trying out my new Tubbs Vertex snowshoes and a new trail. We paid $3 to park and use the trails. There were more cross country skiers out than we were used to (but we don't often go to an area with groomed trails). We're a little selfish and were happy to have the hiking trails mostly to ourselves.  

After snowshoeing, we ran home to shower and cram in some food before running out of the house again to cram in more food with friends. Dinner and catching up is always great. By 7:45 p.m. we were home already and decided to squeeze in the second-to-last episode of Homeland (season 3). We were just starting the final episode when we got a text that our other friends were at a local bar. We didn't tell the birthday girl we were coming, and it was nice to see her surprised happy face when we showed up.

Sunday morning we hit the gym. I seriously have a love-hate relationship with squats. I actually really enjoy squatting, but always get upset with myself because I have the tendency to take long breaks between squats and never make any real progress. Boo to that, but I am hoping to increase my load soon! I just have to keep working. 

Scott went to work and I went home. After beginning more laundry and showering, I made a protein shake. My typical shake includes unsweetened almond or coconut milk, pure vanilla extract, chocolate protein powder, and frozen strawberries. I've also started adding flax seed or psyllium powder as my prenatal vitamins (see below) have iron in them, which slows my GI tract down (is there any nicer way to say this?!). Water, fiber, and exercise are all good solutions to this problem and I am so thankful for them! If you know me (my line of work) or my family, this is a common topic of conversation. 

More connecting with friends happened next after calls to two of my best friends from college (one lives in Minneapolis and the other Chicago). It was so nice to simply hear their voices. As always, even with distance, our conversations never falter and we always pick up where we left off. 

Below are a few of my favorite things in my home that I used today. 

1. A drying mat. This works great for wine glasses and coffee/tea mugs. 

2. Kitchen towels stitched by my grandma. Sunday makes me smile.

3. An elephant watering can. I bought this on Amazon for fewer than $7. It's awesome. I have five plants at home that I am trying to keep living (a struggle, definitely). One pot has a hole in the side for watering, but I couldn't find anything in my home to pour water into it without spilling. Thus began my search for a watering can. I saw this cheap elephant one and couldn't resist buying it.

Sunday night is Superbowl night, but no party at our house. We're eating leftovers from the week (definitely not a bad thing). As far as the game goes, I'm not going to lie. I am a Denver Broncos fan and have been since I was five years old. While I am disappointed with the present score (22-0), I won't be upset if Russell Wilson and the Seahawks win only because Wilson was the QB at Wisconsin.

Cheers to an amazing friend-filled weekend! Next week will be filled with work and exploring my new camera equipment. I can't wait to share my work with you!