It’s been nearly a decade since Dara Kurtz, motivational speaker, author, and breast cancer survivor, heard the words: “You have cancer.” At the age of 42, with 2 young children, her life took an unexpected turn. Yet, amidst the turmoil of a cancer diagnosis emerged a journey of resilience, transformation, and gratitude. Reflecting on this path in the keynote speech at the 2023 AONN+ Annual Conference in San Antonio, she thanked the unsung heroes who guided her through the most tumultuous times: the nurse navigators.
“I have felt firsthand the beautiful work that you do each and every day, and I understand how you pour your hearts into taking care of your patients,” she said. “I never felt like a number; I never felt like a statistic. And this made all the difference.”
Navigators are used to putting their patients first, but this often goes hand in hand with sacrificing their own well-being. Ms Kurtz encouraged the navigators in attendance to instead prioritize their well-being, explore avenues to nurture their passions, foster meaningful relationships, cultivate balance, and “level up their lives.”
“Please let me remind you that perfection doesn’t exist; there’s no such thing as the perfect life,” she said. “But at the same time, I do believe that happiness is your human right, and that you can absolutely modify your habits to help you be a happier version of yourself.”
Central to our well-being are the relationships we cultivate.
“I truly believe it is the relationships we have—with the people we love and care about—that make our lives meaningful,” she said.
Navigators often invest their energy into patient care, yet neglect their personal connections. It’s important to prioritize quality time with loved ones, to be intentional about who you spend time with, and to be willing to have hard conversations, advised Ms Kurtz. Remember not to keep score in your relationships, and to let go of judgment.
“Focus on the good instead of looking for what you don’t like,” she added.
According to Ms Kurtz, identifying your strengths and finding ways to use them at work can lead to greater job satisfaction. “This is really important because we tend to like what we’re good at,” she said.
Identify potential areas of fulfillment, and explore avenues to integrate your passions into your work. She offered an example of a man who came to her feeling unfulfilled by his job. She asked him what he would do if he could do anything, and he told her he’d be the host of a radio show. Identifying this desire led to him pitching a company podcast that he now hosts, benefiting all parties involved.
If exploring new avenues at work isn’t possible, find new hobbies to enjoy outside work. If you don’t know where to start, ask yourself what you enjoyed doing as a child, and start there.
Ms Kurtz emphasized that finding balance is about first identifying your priorities, and then recognizing that they might change. “Your daily habits are either moving you toward what you want, or they are pulling you further away from you reaching your goal,” she said. “But remember that there are different seasons of life, and some are busier than others, so don’t compare yourself to other people.”
Another important part of finding balance is establishing boundaries and learning to say “no” when necessary, she added.
Ms Kurtz highlighted the importance of community engagement as a component of leveling up your life. Whether through engaging with coworkers, volunteering, participating in recreational or religious activities, or spending time with friends and family, navigators can expand their social circles and find fulfillment within their communities. But this often requires getting out of your “comfort zone.”
“Leveling up your community connection starts with engaging when you’re at work,” she said. “Do what you can to help yourself feel more connected, and talk to the other employees. If you want to feel like you really belong to your work community, you have to be willing to make an effort.”
She also pointed out the larger, more global sense of community that can be fostered through technology, citing her own experiences of forming close connections with virtual writing groups. She encouraged nurse navigators to leverage digital platforms to connect with like-minded professionals around the world.
There exists an intrinsic link between physical and mental well-being. Ms Kurtz reiterated the importance of prioritizing healthy food, exercise, and adequate sleep, acknowledging the challenges of time management in busy schedules.
“As someone who’s been through a health challenge, trust me when I say: if you have your health, you have everything,” she said. “Because being healthy gives you the freedom to do what you want.”
Ms Kurtz advocates for a proactive approach toward mental health, promoting self-awareness of negative thought patterns, and destigmatizing seeking professional help. She pointed out the value of positive affirmations, journaling, gratitude practices, and meditation in cultivating resilience and fostering a positive mindset.
“It is absolutely okay to not be okay,” she said. “Life is hard; honor your feelings and remind yourself that it’s just a feeling and it will pass. The key is to be flexible; adapt, regroup, and help yourself keep moving forward.”
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