Breathe & Be Stil: Finding Peace in Life's Transitions as a Nurse, Caregiver or Mom
Transitions have a way of shaking us.
You can be going along, managing your stress the best you can, when suddenly—BAM—a change slams into your rhythm, routines, expectations, hopes, and dreams.
Sometimes it comes abruptly. Sometimes slowly. Sometimes gently, and other times it feels like a storm. But one thing is certain: change comes—ready or not.
And when your “stress bucket” is already full from caregiving, nursing shifts, or the demands of motherhood, even good changes can feel overwhelming.
The Season I’m In
Right now, our family is in one of those transitions.
School just started, and with it, the end of a 12.5-year chapter in my life: the stay-at-home mom of little kids era.
My youngest is now in kindergarten.
It’s bittersweet. I’m excited for this next season, but it still feels like loss. Like something I’ve cherished is ending.
You might be there, too. Maybe:
Your youngest just started high school or college.
Your only child is experiencing a “first” or “last.”
You’ve made a career shift—exciting, but hard.
You’re balancing a demanding healthcare job with a changing home life.
Even the right transitions can stir up grief, uncertainty, or discomfort.
When Change Adds to Burnout Risk
As a nurse, healthcare worker, or full-time caregiver, you already carry a high load of emotional, mental, and physical stress.
A major life transition—whether joyful or painful—can push your nervous system into overdrive, increasing your cortisol levels and making burnout more likely.
This is why learning how to process change is crucial to your overall holistic wellness.
God’s Word for the Transition
Romans 5:3-5 reminds us:
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Paul isn’t saying transitions are easy. He’s saying we can let these seasons teach us something.
Instead of numbing out with unhealthy coping mechanisms, overworking, or rushing past the discomfort, we can sit in it.
We can let God use the experience to grow us, shape our character, and deepen our hope.
A Breath Prayer for the Transition
Wherever you are—charting notes at the nurse’s station, sitting at your kitchen table, walking to your car after a shift—take a moment to be still.
Inhale deeply, expanding your chest and lungs.
Exhale slowly, releasing the tension in your shoulders and jaw.
As you breathe, pray:
Inhale: I will feel my pain
Exhale: and not do my pain
Allow yourself to feel.
Allow God to meet you in that space.
Choosing Grace and Joy in the Change
Change can be hard, even when it’s right.
But when we slow down to breathe, to be still, and to let God speak into our transitions, we can move toward peace instead of burnout.
Friend, whatever transition you’re in today—remember this: you are not alone. God is in it with you, and His presence is your peace.
🎧 Listen to the Full Episode
This post is based on the Breathe & Be Still podcast series.
You can listen to the full guided breath prayer and reflection here: Listen Now
HEY, I’M SHAN....
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