MILESTONES — Monday Motivational Meditation #405 — 2019-05-13

“I look forward to a time, in the not so distant future,
when we no longer look forward to ‘firsts’ as milestones
women have yet to achieve, but we look back on them as
historic events that continue to teach and inspire.”

Dee Dee Myers, 1961-

American political analyst who served as the seventeenth White House Press Secretary during the first two years of the Clinton administration. She was the first woman and the second-youngest person to hold that position.

MILESTONES
by Ron Noecker

There are times when I as a leader must perform the courageous task of helping my patients and team celebrate a milestone. Some may wonder about feeling joy when all around us there are difficulties. Or, some of my colleagues may also be afraid of feeling some sense of accomplishment because of so much that yet remains undone. In times of darkness, I don’t want to miss leading others to see and celebrate glimpses of light.

My patient may be missing the milestone of a son or daughter’s graduation or wedding. I want to help them call to mind the ways they helped them get to the moment. I want to give them permission to feel proud. I’ll listen to their stories or if possible share a toast with their favorite soda. I want to take the time to celebrate a patients completion of chemo or radiation treatment and give myself permission to feel good about doing my part to help them.

Looking for ways to help my colleagues celebrate when their patient is discharged, I’ll help them take some time to regroup before expecting them to begin a new admission. When my colleagues retire, I want to be a part of their reflections and feel their joy and sorrow when arriving at the milestone of retirement.

Divine Joy, give me the courage to pause to mark the milestones of accomplishment amid work or healing that remains undone. Keep me from focusing on scarcity or lack and squandering opportunities to rejoice in the achievements of myself or others. Knowing that I can hold both joy and sorrow, free me to lead with an attitude of eternal springtime. AMEN.

ACTION: Take some moments to assess which of your colleagues are celebrating milestones in their careers or families. What can you do to help your team mark the moment?

Learn more about the above photo by Kendall Draeger below. Our thanks to Kendall for his use in this series called, “Leadership.” Credit is given for the influence provided in “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown in these reflections. Learn more at BreneBrown.com.

Nursing Heart Friends,

Nurses from Florida Atlantic University joined us this week to provide School wellness clinics in remote villages of Guatemala, screening over 450 children!

Prior to their travel, they fundraised with family and friends to purchase 15 stoves, for families in need, benefiting over 60 people including young children in the small community of San Lorenzo el Tejar.

In the developing world, like Guatemala, many cook on an open fire in a poorly ventilated room using traditional cooking methods. This causes more than two million premature deaths annually, according to the WHO, due to the exposure to smoke and creates health problems like Asthma and Chronic Lung Disease. Many families sleep in the same room as the fire and simply cannot afford a more suitable stove.

As part of our commitment to Public Health, we offer the services alongside our friends at Chapina Stoves and our visiting universities.

Our biggest thanks go to the team from FAU and Dr. Rhonda Goodman for their support over the last week. You made a very big difference in a short amount of time.

You can purchase a stove to be installed by one of our visiting groups by following the links and making a donation. Each stove costs $135 and benefits up to eight family members.

Happy Monday,

Jade Parker-Manderson xx

Executive Director NHI/ACE

Support Nursing Heart’s Mission by making a donation.

“Many student nurses reach a milestone in their nursing career by attending their pinning celebration, others by spending a week in Guatemala nursing and educating. I could not have asked for a better celebration of both of my professions.”

Stephanie Little BSN, RNC-OB
Registered Nurse and Nurse Educator – Florida, US

Kendall Draeger grew up in Kansas and received his first camera as a Christmas gift while in high school. After college he moved to Ohio to start his career and family. Photography has remained a hobby and nature is one of his favorite subjects. Family vacations with his wife and daughters would often be trips to state and national parks. Now that he and his wife Meg are empty-nesters, they continue to enjoy adventures to both local and distant scenic areas throughout the US.