Alright, y’all! The time has come. Today I’m checking out of virtually all social media for a while. I will be deleting all of my apps of my phone for this period. Want to know what I’ll be doing??? Here is a non-exhaustive list: ⠀
1. Refocusing... not just on me, but also on school and life outside of my professional endeavors. I plan to become more balanced in where I invest my time. I will be using the actions app by Moleskine to keep lists and keep my On track. I will be working and still prepping for my move to #NOLA later this year. ⠀
2. Going to bed earlier and having more meaningful and intentional mornings. I have always been a night owl... and that translates to be not waking before 8-9 am if I don’t have to (though many times I have to, and that leaves me feeling tired). I’ve noticed that morning when I go to sleep before 11 pm and wake between 6 and 7 am that I feel more energized and motivated, and I get more accomplished. ⠀
3. School and Writing: I’m approaching my capstone and teaching practicum to bring my two-year journey toward my MSN in Nursing Education at Western Governors University to an end. I also will be working on co-authoring a paper to submit for review and publishing in an academic journal called Teaching and Learning in Nursing... managed by the Organization for the Associate Degree Nurses
4. More reading and painting for fun. Just because I can, and that’s what brings me joy. Reading for entertainment has always kept me sane and given me just the right amount of escapism when life gets overwhelming or downright terrible. I’ll be starting Water Dancer by T Coates that my friend Shaunda sent me. ⠀⠀
5. Volunteering: This March marks a year since I started volunteering at the free clinic. I’ve enjoyed it immensely. I will choose a new place to volunteer this year and m currently debating on volunteering at the library (which I’ve done before) or the Zoo this summer. I’m leaning toward the Zoo ( 😉🐯🦁🐒🐊🦍🦧🦓🐘). I also will continue my spiritual volunteering speaking to native French speakers about spiritual things, the Bible, and hope for the future. ⠀⠀
6. Updating my blog and responding to PatMacRN related emails and requests... but still at my leisure.⠀⠀
7. Listening to more music as always... Still having car concerts... just not sharing them with anyone but me and whoever is unfortunate enough to be in the car with me. Sammy Johnson is my current new favorite in music ... I want to find more music, that speaks to me on an almost philosophical level. Music that makes me breathe easy and feel free.⠀⠀
8. Continuing my journey to be a #PlantPapi I’m going to buy more plants and come back with a jungle! 🌱🌴🎍🌿⠀I will be spending more time out connecting with nature period. I might even have some pics to share when I get back. ⠀
9. Lastly... enjoying the world and the people I am fortunate to have into my life, whether that be in-person or virtually. I will still be dreaming up impossible things and still being stubborn enough to believe they are possible. I’m not doing this hiatus as a way finding who I am. I’ve always known who and where I am. I’ve never truly been lost to myself, even though I may have felt that way sometimes. I’m leaving to embrace all that is me more fully. The wonderful and the infuriating.... To embrace ME with less distraction. I DESERVE MORE OF ME, and you all deserve more of you. ⠀
See y’all soon!
Patrick McMurray, RN ⠀
