Tell us about yourself (Who you are, what you do, and a favorite quote).
Hello sweet friend! My name is Courtney Kindrew. I am a BIG fan of Zach, my husband of 8 years. We have the sweetest one eyed boston terrier pug named Mugsy.
We also are over the moon to be blessed with our first child due December 2022!
I am a registered nurse of 3 years currently working in the Neuro ICU and recently started a nonprofit, Rekindled Nurse.
I am a quote and scripture lover – the one I am holding onto hard in this season is “Perhaps you were created for such a time as this” Esther 4:14
What is your brand and what is its mission?
Rekindled Nurse is a nonprofit with the mission to empower, support and encourage nurses.
What made you start your business and how does someone find you (social media, email, etc)?
Rekindled Nurse was created after a season of healing from deep burnout and brokenness.
When I started my nursing career back in Spring of 2019, I was excited and life was good. But, quicker than I thought, burnout, anxiety and loneliness set in. No one was talking about burnout in nursing yet so I truly thought I was alone in my pain and wondering “was I even meant to do this?
Did I make the wrong choice and waste all that time and money on my degree?” So, I silently struggled. I wore the “I have it all together mask” and thought I was juggling it all and no one knew the depths of my brokeness, but I wasn’t.
My pain started to seep into my personal life, my marriage, my relationships and my relationship with God. I began to hate the person I was becoming yet refusing help and pushing down my feelings and just kept moving – but I was actually bulldozing all the people I cared so much about.
My world shattered as I found myself at rock bottom, confused, and alone because of the decisions I made in my brokenness and the traumatic stories of my past that made their way to the surface that I later discovered were driving these reactions to my pain.
I finally released control, started seeing an amazing counselor and began fighting for my marriage, my relationships, and me.
While on my healing journey, I began seeking mentors specific to nursing and how to grow in that area of my life. I found an incredible mentor in the Spring of 2020 and started a 3 month program of growth, deep dives and education.
It was so beautiful going through something like that alongside other nurses who shared “me too” to my struggles with nursing.
To this day I feel that “me too” are the most powerful words you can tell someone while they share their heart. The growth I experienced in that program truly changed my life and the way I practiced as a nurse.
As my joy for nursing (and life even!) returned, I looked around at my coworkers and I was heartbroken because I felt like I was finally seeing them. Some were in that place that I found myself the year before and I had my moment of “I have to do something.”
In July 2021, alongside 2 coworkers, we put together a conference for 25 of our coworkers. We created a relaxing, refreshing environment for the nurses to come and just be. We had donated gifts and food from community businesses who said “we believe in you and want you to be poured into”. We had expert speakers come in and speak on different topics that nurses shared they were struggling with; nutrition, burnout, dealing with vulnerable patients, teamwork, and work/life balance. It was such a beautiful day!
My heart was so fulfilled and I loved creating that environment for them. I began receiving texts, messages and calls about the desire to have another one and if more units and nurses can come!
My husband and I prayed and talked about it and if this was something we could create into a business. Rekindled Nurse was born and officially got Nonprofit Status in November 2021 and the rest is history 🙂
You can find Rekindled Nurse on instagram at rekindled_nurse or at www.rekindlednurse.com.
How has your past led you to where you are today?
Oh my past has absolutely led me to where I am today!
It was a painful season but I feel like my marriage has grown exponentially, my heart has healed in ways I never thought it could, my relationships grew to a depth I never knew they were capable of and in my healing I finally began to see myself exactly how the Lord sees me and all the beautiful things he had for me.
What are the key takeaways you’ve learned since you started your healing journey?
Healing is HARD work. It is painful diving deep into your past and uncovering trauma that you stashed away. It’s uncomfortable getting vulnerable. It is scary putting yourself out there. I had to be patient in the healing – that doesn’t come very easy to me (lol).
But, oh my goodness SO worth it. Remembering how scary the healing was, has given me such a deeper sense of empathy for others in their pain. It has taught me to slow down and be with someone in their hurt. It’s really been a helpful trait because I work in the neuro ICU. That connection I’m able to have with my patients and their families really fills my heart.
What do you wish someone would have told you when you were healing?
I felt like I got so much support during my healing. It seemed like everyone always said the right things 🙂
What advice or steps would you recommend for someone who may be on the same journey as you, or what services you offering?
Rekindled Nurse is a special organization. We don’t just want to put on events, we want nurses to have support, build connections and know that they are not alone. No matter their journey, my hope is that nurses connect at one of our events and find so much peace and fulfillment in knowing they are not on this journey alone.
However they walk into the room, I hope they leave with their cup overflowing and ready to pour into the lives of their patients and are equipped to live their beautiful life so much more than a nurse.
If you want to find out more about Rekindle Nurse or maybe buy some super cute merch head over to instagram at rekindled_nurse or to their website at www.rekindlednurse.com.
Thank you Courtney for being on the blog!
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Blessings,
Ashley Marie
