A travel nurse is born

Well, here we are.

My very first blog post. CLASSIC, I know. I've thought about starting a travel nursing blog for a while now, unsure if anyone would be interested or care. It's hard putting experiences into words, and when I've sat down and thought about it some days, the negative aspects about starting a blog outweighed the positives. BUT, as time has passed, I've realized that maybe I've been thinking about it all wrong. Maybe I'll end up with a FIGS ambassadorship (I wish), maybe it'll be a way for family and friends to follow along on our adventures or maybe it's as simple as reaching that one nurse who's thought about travelling but is afraid to take the leap. All I want to do is reach one person- that's my goal. So, regardless, of the risk, I've decided to take the plunge and bear my soul to y'all.

I've sat at my computer for hours on rainy days up here in Anchorage and debated how I want to tell my story. I can't tell you how many times I've erased full paragraphs and started posts completely over. Type, erase, type, repeat. For hours. But after hours of organizing and typing, I've decided the simplest way to tell my story is from the very beginning, and where it all began.

So, without further ado, I'l get right to it.

In May 2018 I travelled to Hawaii for the very first time. I had a bunch of vacation time built up from work and decided to go on a trip with my mom and sister. Growing up, my grandparents frequently vacationed in Hawaii. They loved Maui, and had a specific spot they returned to every year. After hearing about the "Hawaiian charm" all of my childhood, I figured it was time I experienced it for myself. I asked my mom and sisters if they wanted to go on a trip, and after deciding on the date and a few weeks of planning, off we went. As many of you know, the Hawaiian Islands are a magical place. From beaches to waterfalls to incredible sunsets, I was blown away. I've backpacked a few places in this world and have seen some amazing places. But Hawaii...well.... Hawaii is in it's own category. 10 days was all I needed and by the end of our trip, I truly believed I was Kate Bosworth in Blue Crush. All I needed was a casual rendezvous with Kelly Slater and there was no way you were getting me off that Island.

As our trip neared its end, I remember lying on the beach one afternoon trying to read a book but my mind was elsewhere. We still had a few days left, but I was already mentally preoccupied and wrapped up in the post vacation anxiety of returning home. Work, friends, sleep, repeat. Back to the work grind I'd go, back to the hustle. The "rat race" of North America. I wasn't ready to go back to the city and I certainly wasn't ready to get back to the hustle. Being in Hawaii had given me time to find a balance within myself that I had been struggling so hard to find for the past few years. I wasn't ready to lose that, nor did I want to. That afternoon, I sat there on the beach and considered my options. I know that sounds dramatic, but I honestly sat there trying to figure out how I could change my lifestyle and live a life where work wasn't the center of it.

For those of you who are a nurse, are friends with a nurse or are related to one, you know the emotional, mental and physical strains this profession can have on an individual. We in the nursing field call this caregiver burnout. Unfortunately, burnout is so common that a nurse will likely experience it more than once in their career. Only ONCE if they're lucky. If it wasn't bad enough, not only does burnout affect an individual's performance and attitude at work, but it also spills over...jk, that's not the right word for it... it OVERFLOWS into our personal lives. Burnout follows you out of the hospital, into your car and all the way home...sounds fun, right? Prior to my vacation in Hawaii, I was burnt out. I was working full time in ICU, trying to navigate my work life balance and was riding the struggle bus. I felt like I was experiencing a midlife crisis in my 20s and it had taken over my life. I didn't know what I wanted. I wanted to continue my career becoming a badass ICU nurse, but also wanted to leave the city and be anywhere else. I wanted to travel and explore. I wanted a change but didn't know how to get it without sacrificing everything I had worked so hard for.

The first day getting home from Hawaii, I remember sitting at home chatting with *Brad* (my then boyfriend, now husband who prefers to be under an alias- hilarious I know). I was blabbering away about the food we ate, the places we stayed, basically all things Hawaii when he interrupted me to tell me how happy I seemed. I vividly remember him saying this as it was followed by him telling me it had been a while since he had seen me so genuinely happy. And it was true, it had been a while. I had been so wrapped up in figuring out my work life balance and hustling to keep up with the world around me that I lost myself. I hadn't been happy or myself for quite some time.

Back In Hawaii, I came to the realization that something had to change. I refused to go back to the wobbly work life balance I had been sustaining and potentially risk losing myself again. I had come up with a plan on the beach that day, but I wasn't willing to do it without Brad. So, I sat across from him that first day home and told him I wanted to become a travel nurse. I told him I wanted to experience different cultures, move to new places and do it all while still making an income. I told him I wanted to do it together. As much as I pride myself on being an independent woman, there was no way I wanted to start this chapter of my life without my better, stronger and extremely handsome other half. Once I had finished telling him my potential plan, I sat there in silence as he thought it over. Now, if you know Brad, you know he's always down for an adventure. He's an outgoing social butterfly who loves new experiences, but the proposition of a big life change was more than he had anticipated for this conversation. However, after a few moments with some very serious humming and hawing, he finally spoke. He sat upright, looked me in the eyes and said, "alright babe, let's do it". So we did. Within 7 months, we packed up our apartment, gave notice at our jobs and said adios to the city we had called home for our entire adult lives.

Fast forward two years and three states later.. my dream has become our reality. It hasn't been easy getting here. In fact it's taken a lot of work. We've made handfuls of amazing new friends, enjoyed countless golden hours on the beach and have been blessed with the opportunity to really get to know one another. It couldn't be more true when they say you don't know someone until you travel with them. I couldn't have done this without the support of Brad and his love for me and my dream. Despite the meltdowns, stress and struggles, we wouldn't change a thing.

I'm also so thankful for everyone that's supported me and our dream along the way. Y'all are the real MVPs and it's meant the world to us. Moving forward, my plan (depending on adventures of course) is to post weekly updates, whether personal or travel nursing resource related. I'm currently up in Alaska enjoying fall, so there's nothing but moose pictures and adventures to come! So, stay tuned!!

Thanks for reading,

XX Kels