Gratitude: A Muscle Every Nurse Needs to Strengthen Against Burnout
- Heather Strand
- Nov 2
- 3 min read
By Heather Strand: Mindset Fitness + Self-Leadership Coach
It was Thanksgiving morning.
Most people were basting turkeys, decorating the table, and negotiating who’s in charge of the stuffing.
I was driving to the hospital with a lukewarm coffee and a heart that felt as drained as my scrubs looked.
I told myself, “It’s fine. You’re fine. Everything’s fine.”
(If you’ve said that to yourself at 6:00 a.m., you know—it’s a lie wrapped in caffeine.)
I loved nursing—deeply. But that holiday, the love felt buried under exhaustion and the kind of numbness that creeps in when you’ve given too much for too long.
At the nurses’ station, someone had taped a handwritten sign:
“We’re thankful for YOU.”
Beside it sat trays of cookies, pies, and enough whipped cream to keep an entire ICU staff sugared up for a 12-hour shift.
I smiled, grabbed a bite, and got to work. Halfway through the shift, a quiet realization settled in: everyone around me was trying to feel thankful, and I… couldn’t. Not even a flicker.
I didn’t recognize it that day—but looking back, I can see it now. I wasn’t just tired; I was already burned out. Gratitude had been slipping out of my daily rhythm long before I ever named what was happening.
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When Gratitude Goes Missing
Back then, I chalked it up to “just part of the job.” Too many shifts. Not enough staff. Never-ending charting.
But burnout isn’t only about doing too much—it’s also about what we stop noticing.
I stopped seeing the small miracles:
The teamwork that makes chaos survivable.
The sigh of relief when a patient’s pain finally eases.
The laughter that shows up in the middle of a code brown just to keep you sane.
When gratitude fades, so does perspective. Everything feels heavier. Every inconvenience feels personal. And burnout starts whispering, “You’re giving everything—and it’s still not enough.”
Since leaving the bedside, here’s the truth I teach every client: burnout doesn’t always start with workload. It starts when appreciation dries up—when gratitude stops being part of your daily rhythm.
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Gratitude: The Lesson Burnout Taught Me
When I finally stepped back to heal, I learned something simple—but powerful:
Gratitude isn’t just a nice feeling. It’s fuel.
It restores energy when the world keeps taking.
It grounds you when life feels upside down.
Gratitude doesn’t erase the chaos—it anchors you in it. And it doesn’t pretend everything’s fine; it sounds like:
“Lord, thank You for giving me the grace to get through this hour.”
“Today was messy, but I still found one thing that mattered.”
That focus shift didn’t change the work—it changed me.
Now, as a Mindset Fitness & Self-Leadership Coach, it’s a core practice I teach: don’t wait for gratitude to appear—build it into your mindset.
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What I Wish I’d Known Then
If I could talk to that version of me—the one silently crying in the supply room—I’d say:
Gratitude is your lifeline.
Don’t wait for life to calm down to feel thankful. Gratitude in the chaos gives the chaos meaning.
Perfection is overrated; perspective isn’t.
Not every shift will be good, but there is good in every shift. Hunt for it before your mind says it isn’t there.
You can’t pour from an empty cup—but you can laugh while you refill it.
Sometimes humor is holy. Sometimes it’s survival. Either way, it heals.
Burnout begins where appreciation ends.
When you stop seeing purpose in what you do, your soul starts to shut down. Gratitude turns the lights back on.
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A New Kind of Gratitude
Today, I don’t wear scrubs—but I carry this lesson into every workshop, coaching call, and conversation with a nurse hanging on by a thread.
Gratitude is no longer something I feel occasionally; it’s something I practice intentionally. It’s messy. It’s honest. And some days it’s a whisper: “Thank You, God, for trusting me to make a difference—just in a new way.”
Gratitude won’t change your workload, but it will change the energy you bring to it. That energy is what keeps your purpose alive long after burnout fades.
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A Note for Every Nurse Who’s Tired
If you’re running on autopilot, here’s the truth: you don’t have to wait until burnout breaks you to start healing.
Start small.
Notice one good thing before the end of your shift.
Say “thank you”—to yourself, to a teammate, or to the One who gave you the heart to keep showing up.
Peace returns one grateful moment at a time.
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An Invitation
If you’re ready to lead yourself out of burnout and back into purpose, I’d love to help.
Join me in the Mindset Fitness Movement, where we strengthen resilience, restore gratitude, and rebuild joy—without guilt, exhaustion, or perfection.
Because gratitude doesn’t just make you feel better—it keeps your calling alive.
Heather Strand | Mindset Fitness Coaching
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