How to Bring Main Character Energy Into Your Nursing Career in 2026
Hello 2026!! 🎉
It feels so good to be back and I’m genuinely glad you’re here.
If you’ve been part of this community for a while, you know I usually show up pretty consistently. But over the last couple of weeks of December, I intentionally stepped slightly off the hamster wheel. Not a full stop (because… life), but enough of a pause to slow down, log out of the endless to-do list, and actually be present.
And if you’re new here, quick context: I have three kids, we host Christmas, and this year there were over 20 people in our house. It was festive, chaotic, loud, exhausting, magical — all of it. And somewhere between the wrapping paper, the noise, and the late-night cleanups, I gave myself permission to reflect.
To ask myself one important question:
What do I actually want from 2026?
And the answer came through loud and clear.
This is the year I’m bringing Main Character Energy into my everyday life and especially into my nursing career.
Not in a cheesy, performative way. Not in an ego-driven way. But in a grounded, intentional, self-respecting way.
So let’s talk about what Main Character Energy really means for nurses, what it doesn’t mean, and how you can start embodying it in real, practical ways this year.
What Is Main Character Energy (Especially for Nurses)?
At its core, Main Character Energy is a mindset shift.
It’s the shift from surviving your life to actively participating in it.
It’s the moment you stop feeling like you’re just along for the ride in your own career reacting to schedules, policies, expectations, and systems and start recognizing that you are an active participant in shaping your professional story.
So many nurses, especially new nurses, feel like background characters.
Like you should just be grateful to be here.
Like you should keep your head down.
Like your role is to react, comply, and push through.
Main Character Energy is when that starts to change.
It’s when you stop thinking: “I’m lucky they hired me.”
And you start thinking: “I chose this and I get to choose how I show up.”
It’s when you start moving like your time matters. Like your energy is valuable. Like your nursing career is something you actively shape, not something that just happens to you while you try to keep up.
Main Character Energy Is About Ownership, Not Ego
This part matters, especially in nursing. Main Character Energy is not arrogance. It’s not entitlement. It’s not thinking you’re better than anyone else.
For nurses, Main Character Energy is actually about self-respect.
Nursing, as a profession, often teaches self-sacrifice before it teaches self-agency. We’re taught to put everyone else first, to push through exhaustion, and to be grateful, even when something doesn’t feel right.
Main Character Energy says:
I can care deeply and care about myself.
I can be a team player and advocate for my needs.
I can be new and still take up space.
When you start embodying that mindset, everything shifts:
How you walk into work
How you talk to yourself after a hard shift
How you respond to feedback
How you make career decisions
How you imagine your future
That’s the energy we’re bringing into 2026.
What Main Character Energy Is Not
Let’s clear this up because if we don’t, this concept can start to sound gimmicky.
Main Character Energy is not:
Arrogance or superiority
Ignoring teamwork or collaboration
Toxic positivity
Pretending every shift is amazing
Bypassing hard emotions
You can have Main Character Energy and still have bad days.
You can be confident and still be learning.
You can feel overwhelmed and still grounded.
Main Character Energy isn’t loud.
It doesn’t need to announce itself.
It’s quiet.
It’s steady.
It’s self-assured.
It shows up in how you carry yourself, how you speak to yourself, and how you make decisions, especially when no one is watching.
What Main Character Energy Looks Like for a New Nurse
Let’s get practical. Here’s what Main Character Energy actually looks like in real life especially during those first few years of nursing.
1. Preparing Instead of Dreading
It looks like preparing for your shift instead of dreading it.
Not because every shift is easy but because you’re choosing intention over fear.
That might mean:
Laying out your scrubs the night before
Packing your bag like it actually matters
Having a pre-shift routine that mentally sets the tone
This isn’t about aesthetics.
It’s about telling your nervous system: “I’m ready for what’s coming.”
2. Asking Questions Without Apologizing
It looks like asking questions without apologizing for existing.
Curiosity is a strength.
Learning out loud is how you become a great nurse.
You are not a burden for needing clarification.
You are doing your job.
3. Receiving Feedback Without Spiraling
It looks like receiving feedback without letting it rewrite your entire identity.
You take what’s useful.
You leave what’s not.
You don’t let one comment define your worth or your potential.
Reflection ≠ self-punishment.
4. Leaving Work at Work (More Often Than Not)
It looks like leaving work at work when you can.
Not replaying every interaction on your drive home.
Not carrying the emotional weight of the unit into every evening.
You are a human outside of your role and you’re allowed to live like one.
5. Making Career Decisions Intentionally
It looks like making career decisions intentionally not emotionally.
Pausing before reacting.
Zooming out and asking:
“Is this aligned with where I’m trying to go, or am I just responding to a hard day?”
Romanticize the Preparation, Not the Chaos
Main characters don’t glamorize burnout.
They don’t wait until everything is falling apart to show up.
They prepare with intention.
For nurses, this might look like:
Creating a simple pre-shift playlist that sets the tone
Doing a few deep breaths before walking onto the unit
Using an affirmation that grounds you before a 12-hour shift
Preparation tells your brain and body:
“I’m supported. I’m capable. I can do this.”
Speak to Yourself Like a Mentor, Not a Critic
This one changes everything.
Main Character Energy shifts your internal dialogue.
After a hard shift, instead of immediately thinking: “I’m terrible at this.”
Try: “I’m learning. This is information, not a verdict.”
You can reflect without tearing yourself apart.
Growth happens faster when shame isn’t driving the process.
Borrow Confidence Before You Feel Ready
Here’s the truth: Confidence does not come before action, it comes after.
Main characters don’t wait until they feel ready.
They show up anyway.
In 2026, try this:
Act like the capable version of you already exists
Let experience catch up
You don’t become confident then act confidently.
You act confidently — and confidence follows.
Protect Your Energy Like It’s Part of Your Job
Because it is.
Main Character Energy looks like:
Saying no without over-explaining
Leaving work on time when you can
Creating rituals that help you transition out of work mode
Your energy is not infinite.
Protecting it is not selfish it’s sustainable.
Dress, Move, and Carry Yourself With Intention
This isn’t about vanity.
It’s about embodiment.
Wear scrubs that fit well.
Take a little extra time to feel put together.
Do whatever makes you feel confident.
When you look good, you move differently.
When you move differently, your nervous system responds.
You walk into rooms like you belong because you do.
Take Ownership of Your Career Narrative
Main characters don’t let other people write their story for them.
One unit.
One manager.
One hard season.
None of those get to define your entire career.
In 2026, that might look like:
Tracking your wins (even small ones)
Reflecting instead of ruminating
Asking yourself where this chapter is leading
Every job serves a purpose:
A dream job
A bridge job
A benefits job
A “keeping the lights on” job
Whatever chapter you’re in, you’re still the main character.
Zoom Out: This Is a Chapter, Not the Whole Story
A bad day does not mean a bad career.
A hard season does not mean you chose the wrong path.
Early nursing often feels like:
Long shifts
Steep learning curves
Feeling invisible
Questioning if you’re cut out for this
Main Character Energy doesn’t mean every chapter is glamorous.
It means you don’t quit in the middle of the story.
You can say:
“This is a tough chapter… but it’s not the end of the book.”
Final Thoughts: Bringing Main Character Energy Into 2026
Main Character Energy isn’t about being perfect.
It’s not about being loud.
It’s not about having everything figured out.
It’s about:
Intention over autopilot
Preparation over panic
Ownership over survival
Staying in the story even when it’s hard
As you step into 2026, I hope you choose to show up like the version of you that you’re rooting for… grounded, intentional, and still becoming.
And if this resonated with you, I’d love for you to share it with a friend, follow the podcast, and leave a quick rating or review. It truly helps more nurses and future nurses find their way here.
Here’s to making 2026 a chapter you’re proud of.
As always — I have one hand for me, and the other for you. 🤍
Signing Off…
Caroline
PS. Want more on this topic? Listen to Life After Nursing School Podcast Ep 47