The Only Way Forward Is Through: How Discipline, Faith & Fitness Help Nurses Rebuild Their Confidence
Being a nurse is one of the most rewarding professions - but it’s also one of the most depleting. Between long shifts, emotional strain, and constant demands, it’s easy to lose yourself somewhere between the chaos and the charting.
That’s exactly where Gaige Matthews found herself until she decided to stop surviving and start rebuilding.
Today, Gaige is the founder of Beyond Bedside Fitness, a coaching program that’s helped over 800 nurses lose weight, find balance, and rediscover the confidence they thought they’d lost somewhere between back-to-back 12s.
But before she became a coach, Gaige was right where many of us have been: exhausted, overwhelmed, and wondering if this is just what nursing has to feel like.
From Bedside Burnout to Breakthrough
Gaige’s story starts like so many nurses’ - with compassion and purpose. She always knew she wanted to be a nurse. From the moment she met the nurse caring for her baby sister, she was hooked. That blend of compassion and competence inspired her.
But when she stepped into her first job in the ER, reality hit differently. Within months, she was struggling to find routine, balance, and motivation. The passion she started with was buried under exhaustion, night shifts, and the never-ending loop of give-give-give.
“I wasn’t lazy,” she explained. “But I felt like I couldn’t get myself together. I didn’t have the consistency I wanted in my personal life, and I started to lose confidence in who I was outside of nursing.”
That season became the breaking point and eventually, her turning point.
Faith and Fitness: Finding Purpose in the Pit
When Gaige describes the moment she decided to change, it wasn’t a glamorous “aha” moment. It was more like hitting a wall.
“The motivation to change came from realizing ‘I can’t feel like this anymore’. I was done. I had reached my line.”
It wasn’t just about losing weight or eating better. It was about reclaiming her identity.
Fitness became her way to fight back; not against her body, but for herself. She began building routines, learning about nutrition, and studying how habits form. Over time, she saw that what helped her get stronger physically was the same thing that helped her heal mentally and spiritually: discipline.
Discipline Over Motivation
As nurses, we’re used to showing up for others no matter how tired, hungry, or mentally drained we are. But when it comes to showing up for ourselves? That’s where we often struggle.
Gaige defines discipline simply but powerfully:
“Discipline is choosing what you want most over what you want right now.”
Motivation, she says, is fleeting. Discipline is what keeps you going when motivation is gone.
For nurses, that might look like:
Taking 20 minutes to cook a meal instead of grabbing takeout after a shift.
Going for a quick walk instead of collapsing into bed with your scrubs still on.
Saying “no” to an extra shift so you can say “yes” to your mental health.
“You can either stay the same and get the same results or take small, uncomfortable actions that build the life you actually want,” she shared.
That mindset, one built on progress, not perfection, is what she now teaches through her coaching program.
Breaking the All-or-Nothing Mindset
One of Gaige’s most powerful messages is about letting go of the “all-or-nothing” mentality.
Nurses tend to operate in extremes: 12-hour shifts, 7 days on, 0 days off, and a lot of guilt in between.
“We’re conditioned to believe that if we can’t do something perfectly, it’s not worth doing,” Gaige said. “But that’s exactly what keeps us stuck.”
The truth? You don’t have to overhaul your life overnight to see change. You just have to start.
Small wins—meal prepping one day a week, journaling between shifts, going for a 10-minute walk—compound over time. They rebuild not just your habits, but your confidence.
When the Only Way Out Is Through
During our conversation, Gaige said something that stopped me in my tracks: “The only way forward is through.”
It’s not about bypassing the hard stuff - it’s about learning to move through it with faith and grace.
Every nurse hits a breaking point at some stage whether it’s during night shifts, a tough preceptor, or the emotional weight of losing patients. But pushing through doesn’t mean ignoring the pain. It means honoring it, processing it, and using it as fuel for growth.
Gaige’s approach blends tough love with empathy, reminding nurses that healing often looks like:
Getting honest about your habits
Asking for help when you need it
Leaning on your faith when your energy runs out
Choosing progress even when no one’s watching
Because the truth is, transformation isn’t comfortable—it’s consistent.
Change Is Available Where You Are
In a world where everyone seems to be “pivoting” or leaving bedside nursing, Gaige’s message is refreshingly grounded.
“You don’t have to switch careers or become an influencer to change your life. You can make change right where you are.”
That belief is powerful for nurses who feel stuck. You can find joy, confidence, and fulfillment without leaving the profession you love, you just have to start making deposits into your own cup again.
And as we talked, we both agreed: sometimes the best way to change nursing culture is to change how we show up within it.
You can’t pour from an empty cup but you also can’t refill it with burnout.
Faith as the Foundation
For Gaige, her faith has always been the anchor that keeps her grounded. It’s what allows her to blend purpose with perseverance.
When the world feels chaotic, faith brings perspective. It reminds you that your worth isn’t tied to your job title, your weight, or your productivity - it’s rooted in something much deeper.
“Faith gives you the courage to keep showing up,” Gaige said. “Because even when you don’t see results right away, you trust that it’s working.”
This belief aligns so beautifully with what I teach inside The New Nurse Society - that your success as a nurse isn’t just about clinical skills. It’s about emotional resilience, spiritual grounding, and whole-person wellness.
Rebuilding Confidence as a Nurse
Confidence doesn’t return overnight. It’s rebuilt through small acts of self-respect.
When you start keeping promises to yourself (ie. showing up for that workout, meal prepping, journaling, or setting boundaries) you start to trust yourself again.
That’s where the real confidence lives. Not in perfection, but in perseverance.
So if you’re reading this as a new grad or a nurse who’s just tired, here’s your reminder:
You can rebuild. You can reset. You can rise again.
Practical Steps to Start Moving Through
Here are a few lessons from Gaige’s story that every nurse can apply:
1. Define Your “Why”
Write down why you want to feel better. Is it to have energy for your kids? To stop dreading work? To feel proud in your scrubs again? Your “why” is your anchor when motivation fades.
2. Focus on One Change at a Time
Start with something small but meaningful—packing lunch for work, stretching before bed, or scheduling quiet time before your shift.
3. Lean Into Faith
When your energy runs low, let your faith do the heavy lifting. Trust that your efforts matter, even when progress feels slow.
4. Surround Yourself With Encouragement
Follow voices that inspire growth, not comparison. Join communities that build you up—like The New Nurse Society or other supportive nurse networks.
5. Be Patient With the Process
Healing isn’t linear. Some days you’ll feel unstoppable; other days, you’ll barely make it through. Both are normal. Keep showing up anyway.
You Don’t Owe Burnout Your Career
Toward the end of our conversation, we talked about the guilt nurses often carry and end up staying in toxic jobs out of obligation. I said what I’ll always believe:
“You don’t owe your hospital your happiness.”
Your nursing license is your superpower. You can use it to serve in a way that aligns with your health, your values, and your peace.
That might mean pivoting roles, setting boundaries, or simply changing how you care for yourself outside of work. The choice is always yours.
Final Thoughts: Progress Over Perfection
Gaige’s story reminds us that it’s not about being perfect—it’s about being present.
Nurses deserve to feel strong, confident, and at peace in their bodies. You don’t have to wait for a career change or a “better schedule” to start.
You just have to take one small, faithful step forward.
Because sometimes, the only way out of burnout, exhaustion, and self-doubt and to move forward… is to go through.
✨ If this message resonated, make sure to listen to the full episode of Life After Nursing School featuring Gaige Matthews.
You’ll walk away with tools, encouragement, and maybe that little nudge you needed to start choosing yourself again.
And - as always, I’ve got one hand for me… and the other for you.
Until next time,
Caroline
PS. Want more on this topic? Listen to Life After Nursing School Podcast Episode 40