After a meaningful hiatus, Ask Nurse Alice is back! In this first episode, Nurse Alice finds her way back and talks about what it means to pause, pivot, and reconnect with yourself, and why sometimes stepping away is exactly what your health deserves.
Behind the roles of family and ER nurse practitioner, mom, businesswoman, friend, and partner, Alice still deals with the everyday obstacles life throws in our way: navigating changing career shifts, relationships, parenting children into adulthood, and the ongoing work of making health, peace, and well-being a priority.
Nurse Alice shares why taking time away was necessary, what she learned in the process, and how she’s made certain aspects of her life non-negotiable. She also explores why caregivers, in particular, need permission to stop being everything to everyone, and start making themselves part of the care plan.
Consider this your reminder that you’re allowed to reassess, grow, change direction, and make room for the version of yourself you’re becoming.
So spread the news that Ask Nurse Alice is officially back! Tune in weekly for honest, health-focused conversations about healthcare, policy, personal wellbeing, and the everyday factors that shape how we live, work, care, and thrive.
For more health stories, medical advice, and whats new, visit https://asknursealice.com/
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[00:00:03] Welcome to the Ask Nurse Alice podcast, the place where we talk about all things health and wellness and make the complicated stuff easier to understand. I'm Nurse Alice, family nurse practitioner, and join me for a real conversation about the things that affect our health and our lives. Sometimes that means breaking down the latest headlines or talking with the health experts, doctors and nurses. Sometimes it's conversations about nutrition, fitness, mental health, relationships, aging, and what's happening in the healthcare system today.
[00:00:32] And sometimes it's simply talking about all the things we're trying to figure out as we work towards a healthier, happier life. And yes, I know, it's been a minute. I took a hiatus from the podcast, and while I could come back and give you some polished explanation about being busy and having a lot going on, the truth is much simpler. However, child, life has been lifing, okay? And one of the things I have to remind myself is that while I'm a healthcare provider, I'm also a patient.
[00:01:02] I am a mom. I'm a woman. I'm a friend. I've been a partner. And I'm a person just like you, trying to navigate life as it comes. And over the past couple years, there have been a lot of changes. I've navigated some career pivots. I've gotten my sons through high school and off to college, and spending time with my boys as it become men has been priceless. I've also navigated some changes in relationships. Yeah. Some great and some not so great.
[00:01:30] And not just romantic relationships. I'm talking about friendships, business relationships, and the people you allow into your lives. One of the things I've had to learn is that you can't keep giving when you're not getting the same care, consideration, or effort in return. Eventually, it depletes you. It disappoints you. And if you let it go on long enough, it can even make you a little resentful. A little bit. Or maybe a lot of it sometimes.
[00:01:57] And I had to hold back on some things for myself because I didn't want to become that person. And through it all, I've realized something. Mama got to have a life too, Jodi. That's from Baby Boy. So if you know, you know. And because I've spent so many years being Nurse Alice, being a mom, the medical contributor, the content creator, the businesswoman, the partner, the person people call on when they need advice, an answer, a solution, or someone who knows what to do.
[00:02:25] And somewhere in there, I needed to get back to Alice. Not Nurse Alice. Just Alice. So that's what I've been doing this past year and some change. Health has become my number one top priority. Non-negotiable. Non-negotiable. I've been focusing on my sleep. I've gotten serious and consistent about my nutrition.
[00:02:48] I've been paying attention to my stress levels and becoming much more intentional about what gets my time, my attention, and energy. And yes, your girl has been in the gym. I'm officially entering my muscle mommy era. Okay? Like muscles, they're coming. They're there. They're definitely there. But it's not just about how my body looks. It's about how it feels. It's about feeling strong. It's about getting my confidence back.
[00:03:16] It's about getting older and realizing that I want to protect my health, my strength, my mobility, my independence, and my peace. Okay? It's about doing the same things I've spent my entire career encouraging other people to do. So somewhere in all of that, I've been finding Alice again. And here's what I learned. Sometimes you need to take five. Sometimes you need to step away. Sometimes you need to change. Sometimes you need to pivot.
[00:03:44] Sometimes you need to admit that something isn't working for you anymore, even if it did at one point. And sometimes you need a season where you aren't producing, performing, fixing, explaining, or being everything to everybody. You just need some time to figure out what you need. And that's okay. Especially for those of us who are caregivers. We can become so wrapped up in taking care of everyone else that our identity becomes attached to what we do for people.
[00:04:13] So I had to ask myself, who's the nurse when she's not caring for patients? Who's the mom when the kids grow up? Who's Alice when the relationship is over? Who am I when the job changes? Who am I when the title goes away? And who am I when nobody needs anything from me? I had to sit with some of those questions. Now, I didn't have every answer, but I don't think any of us do. But I do know that I am sleeping better.
[00:04:42] I am eating better. I am lifting weights. I am protecting my peace. I am laughing. I am growing. I am learning. I am loving myself. And I'm feeling more like Alice. So I didn't disappear. I was living. I was recalibrating. And in a lot of ways, I was getting reacquainted with myself. And maybe somebody listening right now needs to hear that it's okay for you to do that too. You're allowed to take five. You're allowed to reassess.
[00:05:11] You're allowed to outgrow things. And you are allowed to decide that the version of you who got you here doesn't necessarily need to be the version of who takes you to where you're going next. And when you're ready, you come back. So I'm back. Ask Nurse Alice is back. We're going to talk about all the things health and health care, health policy, health finance, and et cetera. We're going to talk to experts. We're going to break down the headlines and make the medical stuff make sense.
[00:05:41] But we're also going to talk about life because health doesn't just happen in the doctor's office. It happens everywhere else. Health is your sleep, your stress, your relationships, your work, your nutrition, your strength, your family, your mental health, your joy, your disappointments, and the choices you make every day. And yes, knowing when it's time to sit your butt down somewhere and take five. And apparently, Nurse Alice needs a Nurse Alice too.
[00:06:10] So if you've been with me for a while, thank you for coming back. And if it's your first time listening, welcome. You came at a good time. So grab your coffee, your water, put me in your headphones and take me on a walk with you, your commute, your workout, or whatever life has you today. The Ask Nurse Alice podcast is officially back. Now, before I let you go, there's a lot happening that I can't wait to share with you. If we're not already connected, please visit me at asknursealice.com. That's really the home base for everything Ask Nurse Alice.
[00:06:40] There you'll find health and wellness information to help you better understand what's going on in your body, with your health, along with some practical information you can use on a daily basis. We cover everything from prevention and health screenings to nutrition, fitness medications, common health conditions, and some of the top health stories making headlines. There you'll also find many of our free monthly health and wellness webinars, where we take a deeper dive in some of the very health topics you are searching Google for.
[00:07:08] And when you're there, sign up for the Ask Nurse Alice newsletter. Think of it as your weekly check-in to help you stay on top of your health and wellness. And, you know, all of this is about staying connected as a community of people who are trying to live a healthier and happier life. We all want that. It's kind of like the friend you don't talk to all the time. But when you finally catch up, you're like, I'm so glad we did. I missed you. You can also keep up with me on social media at Ask Nurse Alice.
[00:07:35] That's where you'll get a little more of the day-to-day Alice, along with the health information and conversations and whatever else I'm getting into that day. And one more thing before I go, drum roll. I have a book coming out January, 2027. It's called How Not to Die in the ER, The Early Warning Signs You Can't Ignore. And it's basically everything I need you to know to help survive the ER. I even share how I had to navigate my own near-death experience.
[00:08:05] And child, I work in the ER. Okay, ain't that something? Now, I'm not going to give you too much right now, but just know it's coming in January and more to come soon. So make sure you follow, subscribe, Ask Nurse Alice wherever you're listening so you know when the next episode drops. And if you're watching on YouTube, hit subscribe and turn on those notifications. We've got a lot to talk about, friends, so make sure not to miss an episode. So until next time, make good choices, be kind to one another, and we'll talk soon.