by Jen Smith, Australia
I had always tried to convince myself that I was healthy and happy. To be honest, I was overweight, never exercised, watched a lot of TV and spent a lot of time at the pub. Not to mention the fact that I completely ignored everything that I knew I needed to address – like how and why I ate, the excuses I made to myself about not going to the dentist and doctor. It goes on, but you get the picture. All of this and I work as a Nurse and a Herbalist!
I have been a student of Universal Medicine for 18 months or so. I first came to the clinic and workshops out of curiosity. I found that the practitioners of Universal Medicine were truly supportive and never lecturing. As I learn about being truly gentle with me and loving with me, all of what I was has changed and continues to change because I am choosing that way to be.
The most amazing thing that has happened to me, so far, is that I have gone from running away from my work as a nurse to totally re-embrace this as the work that I choose to do. I really want to be there. Nothing about my work environment has changed. Only me. I now love what I do and I take this with me every day that I am at work with people who are sick and dying and other nurses who feel like I used to. Imagine having a really busy day, chaotic but having fun and being joy-full at the same time. The quality of nursing care I give has changed enormously because of how it is that I care for me. This blows me away!!
The other amazing gift that I give myself everyday is that of time. I rarely rush to do anything now. I take my time when I prepare food. I have time to sit and read or have a cup of tea with a friend.
I have discovered and continue to discover that being me in the most gentle and loving way can be so simple.
The Truth about Serge Benhayon 
It is interesting how if we do look after ourselves, we can feel like we want to run away from the work we do. Like it is too much and we cannot cope, but in truth it has lot more to do with how we are living not what we do as a job. Often we are in just the right job, where we can be of great service and really flourish, if we make self-care a priority.
Thank you Jen – so true, once we are , as we are, we are constantly being pulled up to stand up for it and continue to deepen our way.. this means we constantly have to adjust our every day living accordingly to what is needed for our next step to take.. A very powerful and strong approach that results in the saving of our true selves and each other (humanity).
“The quality of nursing care I give has changed enormously because of how it is that I care for me. This blows me away!!”
This blows me away too.. I don’t work as a nurse, but in life in general the love I feel for others is beyond anything I have before experienced and yes, it is joyful and fun, even on those challenging days.
Beautiful. True nursing when you take love and true care to every patient, colleague and yourself with every touch and word.
It is a modern day miracle – changing from running away from work to totally embracing it, but you are still at the same job, nothing at work changed, but YOU changed, and that actually changed everything. Truly awesome.
This is an astonishing turn around Jen, and speaks volumes, ‘The most amazing thing that has happened to me, so far, is that I have gone from running away from my work as a nurse to totally re-embrace this as the work that I choose to do. I really want to be there.’
It is amazing the changes this choice brings to our lives, ‘As I learn about being truly gentle with me and loving with me, all of what I was has changed and continues to change because I am choosing that way to be.’ Beautiful.
Inspiring story Jen, this just shows how we are very quick at complaining about how we don’t like work, but in actual fact, it is our relationship with ourselves that needs to be honestly looked at, as once we embrace self-care and love into our lives there is more joy in everything we do.
A beautiful and very inspiring story Jen, when we begin to self-care we can then offer another our true care and support.
Dropping rushing about has been so powerful for me. I’m not saying I never rush – that wouldn’t be true – but most of the time I don’t, and am connecting more and more to the stillness and steadiness that is actually mine and everyone else’s natural way of being. I have used rushing and going into nervous energy as a way of getting through what needs to be done. I used to think it was the only way I’d be able to do everything. But now I am finding by staying with the task in hand and not constantly thinking about whats next, there is so much more space in my day. It’s pretty amazing.
On those days where I do truly look after me- everything flows much more and I am less stressed. I don’t get caught up in the day, it doesn’t affect me as much. I find I am more able to observe what’s going on and respond with what is needed.
“The other amazing gift that I give myself everyday is that of time.” It makes all the difference in my world to give myself space to feel and understand life and myself from my body – it keeps it very simple.
It is remarkable that you can say, I love my work as so many people today just look forward to their time off work or try not to work at all. However I can totally relate to this Jen, that work can be very fulfilling and brings a lot of joy into ones life – something I learned studying with Universal Medicine.
The healing and transformational power that self-care can have is quite extraordinary shown by the way you now embrace your work in the way you do…. This is a quality that is paramount and an absolute gift to all who are treated by you as well as those you meet.
It is interesting how we convince ourselves to be happy and healthy even the reflection from our body and relationships is so different – if we would just not numb ourselves so much to not become aware of it.
I have seen hundreds of cases like these, where the teachings of Serge Benhayon and Universal Medicine have presented teachings that allow one to unfold and expand into themselves. Watching those people lose excess weight, wear their true smile, walk their own walk has been absolutely amazing
Everyone would benefit from this Jen – maybe particularly in nursing but I would say that just about every profession has its stresses and knowing that we can change the way we are at work is huge, meaning how much we are allowing ourselves to feel what we really need in terms of rest, food, structure etcetera. We seem to have a tendency to want to patch up or correct what is wrong a bit too quickly so we reach for the coffee or sugary snack but in the end we need to look at what it is that makes us so tired.
I really had to laugh when I read the start of your blog, summing up the way you live and ending this with ‘All of this and I work as a Nurse and a Herbalist!’ But actually it is quite sad as a lot of health professionals are living (or should I say are surviving) in the way you have described your life up until the point that you became a student of Universal Medicine. We need to get honest about the way we live and or we are only just coping or truly live a life of purpose and thus with love and joy are in the energy of serving others while we take care for ourselves first, It is all about the quality we live in.
‘I really want to be there. Nothing about my work environment has changed. Only me. I now love what I do and I take this with me every day that I am at work with people who are sick and dying and other nurses who feel like I used to’. I love this Jennifer, how our work and life is changing when we start to love ourselves. It is such a joy to bring that love and care into nursing, beautiful.
“The quality of nursing care I give has changed enormously because of how it is that I care for me.” Wow Jen that is really wonderful and I am wondering why not every other nurse around you is not curious about what you have changed in your life to be like that.
“I have discovered and continue to discover that being me in the most gentle and loving way can be so simple.” You prove that it is not just about what we do but the way we are with what we do that makes the difference to whether we enjoy our work or not.
The quality we live in, when we allow these gifts for ourselves is something, others enjoy, too. More than enjoy, it’s a healing gift, because the space in my day is the space in my body is felt by everyone.
To allow yourself enough space and time for all the little tasks that need to be done is truly a beautiful gift. Isn’t it our days like this that feel so perfect and like a holiday? Isn’t that what we like so much about holidays? To have enough time and space for everything? Well, how empowering it is to choose this everyday! We have the power to reconfigure this into our days.
What I love about your blog is that you now give yourself time. Sometimes we might feel like we are lazy or not worthy when we are not constantly running around pushed by time but I found that being busy does not define who I am and then it is really loving to make time to prepare for work, leave on time and so on.
Serge Benhayon offers us all such a simple truth, that it is not the work we do but the way we are with ourselves in whatever we do. When we bring self-love to ourselves we take love to share with everyone we meet. Love really can make the world go around.
beauty to read Jen. Thank you for your sharing.
The choice to be gentle and self-loving is a real enabler in deepening our connection to who we truly are. Something so simple – with a sprinkling of commitment and dedication – that has such profoundly life-enhancing results not only for ourselves but just as importantly for all those who come into contact with us.
I loved reading your blog Jen. Self-care works, you turned your working life around and you are a blessing to all of your patients because of the choices you are now making. When a health care practitioner is gentle with us it seems to solve 90% of the pain then and there because in that reflection we surrender and feel held – thank you.
Yes Jen how simple life can really be when we take the complications out of ‘getting through it’ and instead take us to all we do in a gentleness, and flow of our natural rhythm. I know the person I’d want caring for me if I needed it!
I can imagine that by you not rushing the ongoing effect at work would be enormous. You would also be able to support people when their bodies are healing to see there is a way to live that does not need to include the crazy pace of life we call normal, not by the words you use but by way you are in what you do.
Gorgeous blog Jen. When our life becomes a gift we give to ourselves, our life also becomes a gift to everyone else.
Imagine if you had left? I see you now on social media and to me you are the most amazing dentist. I feel you are re-defining dentistry for your clients and for other dentists. Your care and integrity is obvious. What a crossroads, and it’s a true confirmation of what Universal Medicine delivers and the potential for all of us, by looking at the changes you have made Rachel.
Jen this is such an inspiring post and one that as a nurse myself feel would be great for the many nurses who are disillusioned to read.
Soon after meeting Serge Benhayon and attending a Universal Medicine retreat, I started a new job. Most things I do in my job are the same as in previous jobs, but I went into it with a different intention, I wasn’t looking for the job to make me happy and successful, it just felt like the perfect place for me to work and I absolutely love being there. When there have been uncomfortable or difficult situations, instead of looking for an escape route – a new job – I was able to look at my part to play and learn from it. The reason I love my job is because I have stopped running away from my life and looking for something better else where, the job didn’t really change, I did.
Hi Jen, what really stood out for me this time as I read your article was that you give yourself time. Even as I write this I can feel a part of me wanting to rush and ‘get it done’! Clearly, I have an opportunity here to allow myself the grace and time to express in full rather than rush 😜
Thank You! XX
Going from running away to re-embracing is something that I have also done since I started to make a conscious choice to bring more gentleness into the way of my being. It feels very settling to confirm my re-commitment to life, and it reminds me how important it is to be consistent and steady in that choice.
With all your love you are at work, Jen. What a tremendous gift you are to the world.
It’s inspiring to read how you chose to live and express has changed simply by being truly gentle and loving with yourself. What a wonderful reflection you provide for those around you. Thanks Jen
Thanks Jen, It feels very clearly the extent to which Universal Medicine helped to empower you big time. Beautiful.
“Not to mention the fact that I completely ignored everything that I knew I needed to address”.
This is my experience too, Jen. When I was inspired by practitioners and students of Universal Medicine to make changes in my life, these were changes I knew I needed to make for a long time but chose to ignore the fact. I was never told to change, but was inspired to make more responsible and loving choices. As you mention, this not only effects me, but all those around me too.
What a gorgeous and inspiring transformation – a gift to everyone under your care.
Beautifully simple Jen , how the loving choices you have made reflect out to those you work with and care for with such joy .
You are so right Jen, being me in loving gentleness – is simple (if not always easy) and has certainly been a great step in transforming my life in a similar fashion to yours. And I love my work too!
Thank you Jen and Helen, I agree, reconnecting to being the Son of God is transformational and brings love into all I do.
Its brilliant to read of how you have transformed your relationship with your work and also that of time. I find that I can still rush to complete tasks but can see from your sharing how counterproductive that can be and how important it is to take the time for ourselves.
What a privilege Jenny for both patients and your work colleagues to work along side you, to receive your gentle touch and to observe and, even share in your joy in an environment that can have many challenges. There is an art to nursing and I don’t just mean managing challenges using whatever means possible to survive them but the art of being loving with others at a time when they are often under the physical and emotional stress of illness and disease without becoming drained, exhausted and miserable. I am sure Jenny there is much you could say about this.
Simple, brief and to the point – when we care for ourselves, we can truly care for others. This is true for all relationships. What an inspiration you must be to the other nurses and staff you work with Jen. Thanks.
Very inspiring to read how you turned your life around, by choosing to be gentle and loving with yourself. Thank you Jen, for sharing.
Great to read your blog Jen. I can so relate to the changes you feel at work now. I used to drag myself in to work and blame everyone and everything else when I was not enjoying it. A change of job didn’t make a difference but what did make a difference was when I changed how I looked after myself. Bringing self care and a rhythm that really supported me allowed me to re-embrace my work as a physiotherapist and I am now working many more hours each week, am in a more demanding job and can feel the quality I bring to work is so much greater than before. And I don’t feel drained at the end of the day.
I have the same experience with my work, I love my work as a nurse as well. The moment I am not taking care for myself this changes. Sometimes I am in a rush when I go to my work and this stays all day with me, my nervous system is on the run and every moment and everyone is affected by this. The moment I choose to look after myself again by taking a moment to stop and feel my body and re-connect to the love I am, I am back and can be present and enjoy my work again.
Thank you Jen for this great blog. I used to be exactly the same, overweight, tv, not so much pubs but certainly a lot of alcohol, doing a job just to pay the bills and of course ignoring everything and saying to myself that I will do it tomorrow – however, tomorrow mostly never comes.
In my case, tomorrow did come and it came in the form of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon and I was shown that life didn’t have to be this way. I was shown that the choices I have made that got me where I was could easily be changed to get me out of where I was. Of course I already knew this, so what was different here? Two things: firstly I was introduced to the fact that I am responsible for everything that happens to me and secondly that I was worth it. Simple really.
Wow! to know you now I would never guess you used to hate your job!! That is very inspiring, and goes to show the power we have to change our lives around.
I absolutely agree Jen that changing the way you look after yourself changes everything, including the way you feel about your work. I know I have at times disliked work, but this has only been when something has not been right in myself, now it’s easy to see that when things feel right in me I love any job I need to do, even hoovering…