Elevated Nurse Coaching

Learning how to make 'squassoms' (squash blossoms) from Italian grandmas on YT🤯

Will be stuffing some of these with mozzarella, some with an herbs & ricotta, then dredge in a light batter (using cold soda water for airiness, and mint as most Italian grandma's seem to do this), and pan fry lightly...

These are from a mix of butternut, acorn, spaghetti, zucchini, yellow squash, and Galleux des Eseynes & sugar pie pumpkins.

🎆Happy Independence Day! 🎇

I woke up early today for a ride, got lost on purpose. 🚵‍♂️

Found new routes, new opportunities, and found that my aerobic tolerance could use some improvement! 💓💓💓

Good.

Now I can plan and work to improve it. 😉

Our bodies are like race cars... 🏎

We can build them up to be strong, fast and resilient, or let them rust, and whither.

Skeletal muscle is the currency of aging. 💪

It's up to us to take care of our bodies, as nobody else will. 🌻

I have been on this continuum of new opportunities and pursuits since I left a full-time bedside nursing career almost two years ago, & I’m ever so grateful 🙏.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could design & live life like this. 🙏

Establishing my holistic health coaching practice (Elevated Nurse Coaching, LLC), has allowed me connect with people on much deeper levels than most, helping them heal as I heal myself alongside them. 🙌

🌱 Obtaining the Master Gardener certification helped me learn humility, along with the unbelievable ass-kickings from Mother Nature in the form of weather, insects, or otherwise. While my motivation to grow food came from a scarcity mindset, what has resulted is a beautiful deepening of connection with nature when I needed it most. Right now is that time for many.

🤟 Learning ASL for a year (& counting) has helped me appreciate different cultures, & realities, & abilities, while increasing appreciation for every sensory experience I am privileged to have in the body. While I started this for a family member who has lost some hearing, I’ve found the brain health, & fine motor coordination improvements have grown significantly!

🐝 Diving into beekeeping has been the biggest challenge lately, but also the most reward. While a ways away from 🍯 harvest, I most enjoy sitting at their hive entrance every morning, sipping coffee as the take off for their morning flights. They are so gentle, so intelligent, & such good teachers. We’ve gone from scared newbies, to taking care of (babysitting) other beekeeper’s hives in just a couple of months! When my energy changed from fear & anxiety, to confidence & love, so did the bees. 😉

But as excitement for learning new things grows, other areas of my life are often neglected, as the bandwidth is often maxed out. Habits start failing, and new ones especially drop off…

I find what my favorite habits coach, James Clear once said very helpful for not losing the habit/routine in entirety, and getting back on track more quickly when I realize the slipping occurring:

"If you're having trouble sticking to a new habit, try a smaller version until it becomes automatic. Do less than you're capable of, but do it more consistently than you have before."

If you feel overwhelmed with life responsibilities, first, what is one loving thing you can do for yourself today, that would make you feel a bit better? For me, it’s a walk in the woods, and smelling these juicy roses🌹

Why the f* #% not:

Get after that dream you've been holding onto?

Find the shift you need in health, career, or life?

Finally break the cycle of "birth-school-career-retire-die?"

Discover a greater sense of purpose & meaning through self-reflection, helping others, & spending time alone with your thoughts?

You don't have as much as you think you do to lose, & everything to gain.

You already have the answers inside of you, they will bubble up as soon as you can quiet the noise & be still.

If you need help finding your Truth in this world of anxiety & overwhelm, let's have a conversation. 🙏

Schedule using the below link or DM for more info.

Have an epic day, & KNOW you have the power to take that 1st step! 🙌

Nurse Coach Aaron

A crisp start to April. 🙏

"Envy is a quality that we all have, it's deeply embedded in human nature, but it's one thing we never admit to ourselves.

We rarely admit that: 'you want what they have, & it causes you to behave in a certain way..."

~Robert Greene

"I split problems into two groups: muddy puddles and leaky ceilings.

Some problems are like muddy puddles. The way to clear a muddy puddle is to leave it alone. The more you mess with it, the muddier it becomes. Many of the problems I dream up when I'm overthinking or worrying or ruminating fall into this category. Is life really falling apart or am I just in a sour mood? Is this as hard as I'm making it or do I just need to go workout? Drink some water. Go for a walk. Get some sleep. Go do something else and give the puddle time to turn clear.

Other problems are like a leaky ceiling. Ignore a small leak and it will always widen. Relationship tension that goes unaddressed. Overspending that becomes a habit. One missed workout drifting into months of inactivity. Some problems multiply when left unattended. You need to intervene now.

Are you dealing with a leak or a puddle?"

~James Clear

"We are only Limited by Weakness of Attention and Poverty of Imagination."
~Neville Goddard

Pic: Blessed with an epic bluebird powder day 🙏

Happy International Day of Forests!

Grateful to have the privilege to snowboard through Engelmann spruce forest. 🙏

Engelmann spruce trees can reach heights of over 100 feet (35 meters)!

These trees are exceedingly long-lived, continuing to grow steadily for hundreds of years. Dominant spruce trees can be up to 450 years old, and it’s not unusual for Engelmann spruce to live for 600 or even 800 years! 🤯

Riding above the clouds as spring arrives... 🙌

Grateful to get outside! 🙏

"I am what I eat and I look what I do. Everybody is. It is the physiological equivalent of integrity.

To say what I mean and mean what I say. This too makes life more comfortable. Money is opportunity.

Opportunity is power. Power is freedom. And freedom means responsibility.

Without responsibility, eventually there is no freedom, no power, no opportunities, and no money.

More importantly, freedom is more than power.

Power is more than opportunity. Opportunity is more than money.

And money is more than something that just buys stuff. It is simple to understand but hard to remember, but do remember this if nothing else."

~Jacob of Early Retirement Extreme

Pic: Rob Roy Glacier trek, NZ

Overwhelmed? Feel like life's slipping away? Feeling helpless while trying to make positive changes in a world that seems to be falling apart?

Have you tried 👇

Radical Self Responsibility? 😉

This has helped many of my clients, and myself, break through resistance, & start reprogramming life & health. By taking extreme ownership, and by becoming more introspective, & honest with ourselves, we are able to more easily shift old patterns/habits or start new ones. Simple. Not easy.

🙌Self Acceptance. Accepting yourself for who you are at your core, not who you were in the past, or who you have pretended to "be." You are not the situation, you're in a situation. There are things we can control, & things we cannot. You are not a body, you have a body. You are not the mind, you have a mind. Practice gently shifting to the sweet spot of the present moment, however you can. Everyone begins where they're at. You are unique & have your own story, this cannot be understated.

🧐Self Reflection. Taking a good, objective look at your life, trying your best to see things from an emotionally neutral state. Asking self: "What triggers me?" & "Why?" & doing so without judgement. Reflect on your true self, why you're here, what is your purpose. These are important questions for any human, & helps expand consciousness, deepening perspectives. What do you want with the remainder of your lifetime? Do this in the woods, & you get all the whole health benefits of Nature.

🤓Active Planning. Working towards meaningful, empowering goals that come from within you, and with a powerful "Why?" behind each. Clear, simple goals can be surprisingly motivating, especially as you see results! I call this the "Upward Spiral." ⬆️🌀

👊Action & Integration. Doing the thing you said you were going to do. Even if you don't want to. Feeling the soreness of a good workout the next day, feeling a bit more tired initially while adapting to a healthier sleeping schedule- these are real growth periods. These are the times to push through, & go even harder on your self-care- however you define that for yourself.

🤝Support System: whether a partner, family, friends, AA, clubs, therapists, trainers, colleagues, coaches, whoever you need on your team to help support you all the way, optimize your success, and minimize rebound time from relapses. Design your Dream Team. Who can you trust to be there for you unconditionally? Who can you call to help lift you up when you are feeling down for failing to stick to a plan? Or need to process new unanticipated changes that inevitably ripple from any changes along the path of life?

🙂Studies on longevity & happiness show reliably, a support system is key to our health as a species. If you need help, take action! It's your responsibility to advocate for your dreams, & take radical responsibility- no one else will. People don't know you need help if you hold it all inside/compartmentalize. You can find the support you need if you look hard enough & are extremely honest with yourself. 🙏

💖Self Compassion: by learning to practice "rapid forgiveness" for self & others can reduce the sticky negative energy of self-judgement, & the ruminating thoughts that swirl in the head, causing anxiety or depression. This doesn't mean giving ourselves or others an "out," or an "excuse." This gives back to body-mind-spirit the love it needs to heal, & move forward. If "I love myself" feels weird when you say it out loud, you could greatly benefit from cultivating self compassion.

🧘The above can lead to a much greater level of happiness, whole health, life balance, & meaningful, lasting change. It all starts with Small, Simple Steps. What's ONE small step that you can take RIGHT NOW toward a goal you've been saving for "when I have time/retire/before I die?"

🤯

If you are ready to experience the catalytic power of coaching (like taking the cable car route up, vs climbing the mountain alone, coaching can help you meet your goals faster, often with far less frustration), I invite you to try holistic health & life coaching with a Registered Nurse 🙂. Book a free call below👇

https://l.bttr.to/zEoVK

Pic: Huangshan (Avatar) Mountains, China 2014
Our "Mini-Retirement: Part 1 - Travels"

America, we need to talk! 😔

"Highly processed foods (HPFs) can meet the criteria to be labeled as addictive substances using the standards set for to***co products. The addictive potential of HPFs may be a key factor contributing to the high public health costs associated with a food environment dominated by cheap, accessible and heavily marketed HPFs."

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/add.16065

This fascinating study points out what many of us already suspected: HPF's are crazy addictive, & really bad for human health!

If I had a nickel for every bag of chips I crushed in one sitting, in front of a screen after work... 😭

So... shouldn't these junk foods have a label warning consumers?

No, I'm not advocating for mandates/rules on what people eat. That would be about as helpful as mandates were for... 🙃

People should have choices on what to consume- but they should also have the facts.

I still hope for Real Public Health to open the dialogue with Americans on what is healthy to eat, & what will contribute to a lifetime of suffering, illness, & premature death.

This should include the truth about red meat vs plant based HPF's (some of the highest containing products of inflammatory seed oils), & explain the relationship of the FDA/AHA & how they award "healthy" stamps on packages.

Just imagine how much room in the hospitals, and fewer prescriptions would be necessary if people just reduced the HPF's by 10%?

Now, imagine combining that with moving our bodies just 10% more...

There is hope! 😉

Need ideas to spring you towards a healthier you? Ready to upgrade your whole health? DM or comment below. I love helping others find ways to live more, & get sick less.

🙏

"You reap what you sow..."

While applicable to gardening, this can apply to human thought process.

Spending too much time with negative thoughts, begets more & more negative thoughts (energy).

Plant more positive, you'll get more positive returns. It really is that simple.

Not easy.

Plant more positive seeds.

🙏

🧐

The reason people get good ideas in the shower is because it's the only time during the day when most people are away from screens long enough to think clearly. The lesson is not to take more showers, but rather to make more time to think.

~James Clear

Did you know? 👉Getting out in NATURE can:

-Significantly lower blood pressure?

-Improve immune function (decreasing risk for infection, cancers, & possibly autoimmune diseases)

-Decrease inflammation

-Elevate mood, balance neurotransmitters, & when paired with exercise, nature may relieve depression better than SSRI's (ie: Prozac, Zoloft, etc)

-Decrease general anxiety

-Improve vitamin D levels (depending on climate, & clothing)

-Improve "sense of purpose & meaning"

-Quiet the mind/allows a shift in thought patterns

-Provide a positive feedback loop- the more you go out in nature, the better you feel, which makes you go out in nature more often...

-Provide the seemingly-missing break time to tune out of our devices, & experience more free thinking, questioning, pondering. We used to call this "boredom."

It seems pretty obvious that nature is an essential part of us- or, more correctly: we are a part of it, in a "connection-to-Spirit" kind of way, whatever your beliefs may be.

Technology doesn't have to sever our connection with nature, but our Hedonic adaptation will if we don't pay attention! 😶

There are 100's of studies on the powerful effects of nature, some of the best data coming out of Japan with their national shinrin-yoku ("forest bathing") program.

Whenever I start to feel stagnant- dare I say bored, I know it's time to get outside. Hit the trail. 20 minutes is better than nothing, but 45 is always better... 😄

If you have physical limitations, you can still do what you can: go sit in nature, or even bring a plant or two into your home.

USA avg device screen time: 7 hours/day 📱🖥

USA avg out-in-Nature time: 0-1 hours/day 🌲

USA avg person on one prescription medication: 66% 💊

USA avg person on 2 or more prescriptions: >50% 💊💊

USA avg person on 5 or more prescriptions: ~20% 💊💊💊💊💊

Public Health Announcement/campaign to get people outside & move our bodies, rather than stay inside, breathing recirculated indoor air, glued to screens (& chairs)? ... 🦗🦗[still missing]

🧐

Talk to your Primary Care Provider today & find our if Nature is right for you! 😉

'[P]recognition . . . has so much experimental evidence attesting to its reality that no reasonable person could doubt it . . . [but] at some deep level, I find the idea of precognition, where the inherently unknowable future can sometimes be known, so incomprehensible that I just never think about precognition in a serious way.'

~William James

Putting Self-Acceptance Above Self-Care:

"In theory, consistency is about being disciplined, determined, and unwavering.

In practice, consistency is about being adaptable. Don't have much time? Scale it down.

Don't have much energy? Do the easy version.

Find different ways to show up depending on the circumstances.

Let your habits change shape to meet the demands of the day.

Adaptability is the way of consistency."

~James Clear

10X program graduation: an "n=1" review 🤓

This comprehensive & beginner friendly program introduces the importance & total "doability" of incorporating resistance training at any age, either at the gym, or at home with a few pieces of home equipment. The workouts are SHORT! ~20-25min, 4x/week.

Why is this important? Because skeletal muscle truly is the currency of aging‼️ It regulates our metabolism, hormones, and much more.

Most important question for most things: What Is Your WHY??? 🫵

Why I workout/move heavy stuff:
-I stay younger, stronger, limber, mobile
-It helps my hormones stay balanced
-Reduces stress & tension
-I want to be around for a looong time to help other people, & to enjoy time with family, friends, & learning new things for life!

So for me, the "I don't have time for a workout" BS excuse (L.I.E.) is greatly influenced by the time commitment. It is a perception or tradeoff of time. If I know I can bang out a 20 min, intense, yet safe workout, I'm more likely to do it.

There's less friction with "only 20 min," & I can jump right in after some quick mobility work.

For years, I've been stuck in this cycle: start lifting, advance too fast (focused on "mirror-muscles" & vanity), not paying enough attention to form & especially leg days, injure self, need to take time off from lifting, atrophy/weaken, rinse, repeat... For YEARS! 🤦

As a result, I've been dealing with some nagging tendinopathies of the forearm, calves, & hips. I knew I had to do something different.

So I snagged a Black Friday deal for a MindValley membership last October, & by chance found this fitness program called "10X."

This program really starts from the very basics, teaching you the importance of proper form, alignment, breathing, measurement, sleep, diet, supplements, and more.

A lot of the content was familiar to me, but I did learn/relearn some very important concepts: 👇

-Proper form combined with slow/super-slow reps, create optimal "time-under-tension" conditions, which build & maintain muscle. 2 second concentric/3 second eccentric for the big, compound moves like squat/deadlift; 2 second concentric/2 second squeeze at top/3 seconds eccentric for isolation moves (like triceps or biceps work).

-Keeping your heart rate up, while working focused muscle groups safely, & several times per week, will help your body burn more fat/improve metabolism more than cardio. If you do this at home, you're not waiting for a certain piece of gym equipment. Usually😉

-Doing only 2 rounds of a 3-6 exercise workout can be quite a workout! It's about intensity, & time under tension, not total workout time that may count the most.

-Taking a "de-load week" every couple of months or so is a great way to let your joints recover, without losing muscle mass. This is simply reducing the reps by 1/2, but keeping the weight the same. My body didn't want to stop at 6 reps, but I made it...

-The rep range best to target for strength & muscle growth is between 8-12 reps. If I'm doing 12 reps consistently with good form, it's time to increase the weight.

-"You have to shock da moscle!" - Schwarzenegger said... While somewhat true, it's also beneficial to stick with a specific set of exercises for a few weeks to see how you progress, & to make sure you have the form & technique down solid.

-"Rest-Pause method" - is exactly what it sounds like: taking a mini-break between reps when you're almost out of gas. I use this one intermittently, when I feel like I need a bit more work.

-"Eccentrics" which I learned as "negatives" back in bro-science years, are a great way to build muscle if you are struggling with hitting a minimum of reps. For example, I couldn't do a single pull-up at the start of this program due to arm pain... But by trying different assistance bands, & using eccentrics, I was able to make great gains in 3 months.

-The value of getting some quality wrist straps was not understated- these things have come in handy, & allow me to hold heavy dumbbells without forearms giving out 1st. 🙏

-The emphasis on quality sleep was huge, rest time does = grow time. I short-changed myself on this one for years ("plenny time to sleep when I'm dead" mentality).

-There was a decent amount of useful nutrition information in 10X as well, reminding me that I was forgetting great sources of micronutrients like sardines & liver. Also, only 3 supplements seem to be worth taking for muscle growth/strength: creatine, quality protein powder, and some caffeine.

-Creatine works by helping your mitochondria to make more ATP in your cells. ATP = energy. Bro science years- I thought the only purpose was to get more water in cells.
***PRO TIP: make sure to dissolve all creatine crystals in warm water, or it may cause diarrhea by osmotically pulling water into your colon (I thought this was just my body's reaction to creatine)! Not everyone is as sensitive as I am here, thank goodness. 🙏

-Increasing protein & healthy fats in our diets cuts out some room for carbs. I don't hate carbs, just processed food. My body actually rejects most of it now. BCAA's/pre-workout aren't as useful to the body as whole foods including protein. Eggs are way greater in terms of absorption & bioavailability compared to whey protein.

-The "only X grams of protein per meal can be absorbed" myth was busted, & however you eat, as long as you're reaching your protein & calorie needs, don't worry about it 😉. I'm shooting for ~40-50g/meal currently, which is a lot- but then I eat less carby stuff, stay full longer, & feel better afterwards.

-One thing I wish the program emphasized a bit more is mobility/flexibility. Their rationale: "because you're lifting slowly, & not starting near a max, you don't need to warm-up." I feel better w/ some gentle shoulder/hips mobility before any exercise.

So I hang on these rings a couple of time/day, not always with full bodyweight.

The Results:

-I feel incredible relief in my shoulders, & long-time forearm pain has been dissipating! 🙌

-I am able to do a few real pull-ups now!

-My strength in legs, & back have significantly reduced my back, hip & knee pain, I am convinced.

-I'm paying more attention to my macro & micro needs, especially hydration, & protein.

I am now repeating the ~90 day cycle, modifying it as needed, in conjunction with the , so I'm interested to see how much strength, & pain relief I can find through simply & mindfully moving this consciousness transporter of mine...

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5-stars, IMHO. Highly recommend to anyone with "resistance" to resistance training, new & experienced, young & old. 😉

We all need strength training, even more-so as we age. Whether from your own due diligence, from a gifted trainer or coach, or from a program such as this, you cannot beat this type of investment in yourself❗️👊

The compound interest just keeps on paying... 💪🤑

Great job Ronan, Monique, & crew! 🙌👏

When you find yourself in a situation where everyone looks at each other, it's time for you to lead. You're a leader when you decide to become one. There's no initiation or a title. Just a decision.

~Win Your Inner Battles by Darius Foroux

Now, to lead with a cool head, & not with a fiery heart, that CAN be an even greater challenge. Even for me... 😉.

Grateful for my arsenal of self-care tools to bring me back to grounded, & centered. 🙏

Artist: unknown

It's amazing just how quick the body can learn & adapt. If I don't start moving/mobilizing/lifting by ~0700, I start to twitch... 😉

The body knows what to do...

I do still struggle to get the water in early enough. It's probably the only part of this challenge I'll change, in about a month.

Overall, 75 Hard has been ridiculously tough, but not impossible.

The soreness has calmed down, & I am sleeping better at night.

It forces me to do the things I don't want to do, & I am getting stronger because of it. Builds up that "D" word: Discipline.

🙏

While I finished reading Kitchen Table Wisdom by Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen over a month ago, I continue to ponder her valuable insights...

Through a series of well-written short stories about the lessons of real trauma, & cancer patients, Dr. Remen shares so much about spiritual growth, & the power of humans.

I can see why she kept the stories short, as they hit hard.

Like Deepak Chopra, MD, "I recommend this book for everyone!" Especially healthcare professionals. 🙏

From snowball fights last week, to growing a Snowball cauliflower this week... What a different kind of winter! 🙏

"Growing 1% of your food is better than none %..."
~ Some wise person

Every time the AeroGarden fills out with Thai basil (about every month or so): it's Thai Basil Chicken time! 🤤. For a quick stir fry, grab/grow some Thai basil, your favorite veggies, fungus, protein. This sauce won't disappoint! 🙌

(Alternatively: every time AeroGarden No. 2 fills out with Genovese basil, it's pesto time! 🤤)

The lights from these gardens provide excellent supplementary light for other plants in the area, but they are bright!

As I'm breaking through old patterns, this thought keeps popping up.

Old ways, habits, patterns, belief systems, or whatever you want to label them, are often what is holding us back from living a life of freedom, love, happiness, & of authenticity.

The metaphorical "opportunity bus" comes along every 5 minutes...

We just have to keep our mind open to it, and avoid the pull back to "safety & predictability," which is what our ego wants.

Intuition often pulls us towards the opposite, away from our circular living patterns, towards what our inner guide wants.

So much greatness, opportunity, and freedom lie ahead, for those who choose this path.

Take a chance on yourself. 🤙

Do the thing you know you want to do, but are afraid to do. Don't wait.

Live. 🙌

“Wisdom is avoiding all thoughts that are weakening you.

Every thought has energy, just like everything else in the universe.

If you have thought of shame, it will weaken your muscles, and what is your heart but a muscle?

If you raise a child to believe in shame and feel ashamed of themselves. Every time they think that shameful thought, they will be weakened.

If you have a thought of fear and if you have thought of stress, and you have a thought of anguish and anxiety, all of these thoughts and many more are the thoughts that will always weaken you.

When you are having a thought like that, know that is it disempowering you. Shift it.

Shift it to one that is EMPOWERING, rather than disempowering.”

Choose empowering thoughts. 🙏

~Dr. Wayne

day 37 🙌

Healing looks different for everyone.

It can be painful. It can be beautiful.

It has been both for me, and much more.

I so love this beautifully portrayed expression of it. 😍

Heal well, fellow humans.🙏



Credit: Women's Magick, IG