Your 2026 New Nurse Reset: The Science + Courage Behind Doing Hard Things
A Year of Growth, Firsts, and Embracing the Uncomfortable as a New Nurse
As we close out 2025, I can’t help but sit back and say, “Holy cow… how are we already here?” This year absolutely flew by — and if you’re anything like me, the end of the year always brings a moment of reflection. A moment to pause, breathe, and take stock of everything you’ve overcome, accomplished, survived, and learned… even the things no one else knows you did.
We rarely give ourselves permission to do that. We rush from one shift to another, one life season to another, without stopping to acknowledge how many times we’ve grown, stretched, and adapted. But growth deserves to be recognized — especially in your first few years as a nurse, when everything feels new, overwhelming, and sometimes downright intense.
So today, I want to share something deeply personal and deeply universal:
the power of doing new and uncomfortable things — and the science behind why it changes you.
This is your 2026 New Nurse Reset: a reminder that growth isn’t something that just “happens.” Growth is a choice. It’s deliberate. And it’s often inconvenient, illogical, messy, magical, and transformative all at once.
Let’s dive in.
A Year of Chaos, Gratitude, and… a New Puppy?
Before we get into the science, let’s start with a real-life example of “choosing chaos.”
As I’m writing this, my family and I are getting ready to pick up a puppy — an adorable little bernedoodle. On paper, this is not a logical decision. We already have:
a 13-year-old dog (hi, Mr. Finnigan)
a hamster
ten chickens
and a household that already feels like a rotating circus
But you know what? Logical isn’t always fun. Growth rarely comes from “playing it safe.” And this year taught me, again and again, that embracing the imperfect and unpredictable can lead to the most meaningful moments.
Which brings me to the heart of this post…
Why New Nurses Need Growth — and Why Growth Feels Uncomfortable
Earlier this year, a listener named “PhilFamBam” left a review on my podcast that brought actual chills to my body. They wrote:
“This podcast has been a huge help to me as I start my second career as a nurse. I have no other new grad nurses on my unit so had no one to talk to about how hard being a new grad bedside nurse is. I felt like it was me - but Caroline has helped and shown that it’s not me, it is normal and I will overcome the challenges and become a confident bedside RN and a huge asset to my team.”
This — THIS — is why growth matters. This is why trying hard things matters. Because new nurses often feel alone, overwhelmed, and convinced something is “wrong” with them when things feel hard.
But nothing is wrong with you.
You’re growing. Rapidly. Messily. Bravely.
And there’s actual neuroscience that explains what’s happening inside you.
The Brain Science of Trying New Things
If you’re stepping into 2026 hoping to build confidence, strengthen your mindset, and feel more grounded as a nurse, here’s the good news:
You don’t need to wait for confidence. You build it. And you build it by doing unfamiliar things.
Here’s how your brain responds when you try something new:
1. New experiences create new neural pathways
Whenever you try something unfamiliar — giving your first injection, talking to a physician, going to a networking event, or trying a new skill — your brain forms new connections. This is called neuroplasticity, and it literally rewires your brain for growth.
The more new experiences you lean into, the stronger and more flexible your brain becomes.
2. Novelty triggers dopamine — the motivation chemical
That tiny rush you feel after doing something scary-but-exciting?
That’s dopamine. It makes you feel proud, energized, and eager to keep moving.
This is why one brave moment often leads to another.
3. Your comfort zone expands every time you stretch it
Psychologists call this your window of tolerance.
When you try something you once feared, your nervous system learns:
“Hey… we survived that. Maybe we can do more.”
Over time:
fear decreases
resilience builds
challenges feel more doable
you trust yourself more
4. New experiences increase happiness and life satisfaction
Research shows that novelty — even tiny daily changes — boosts:
gratitude
confidence
creativity
emotional wellbeing
It’s like adding more color to your life. More flavor. More spark.
And new nurses need spark. You’re stepping into one of the most demanding seasons of your career. But it doesn’t have to be joyless.
My 2025 Year of Firsts: The Messy, Magical, Real-Life Version
Early this year, I made a decision:
I was going to try things I had never done before. On purpose. Even when they scared me. Even when they made no sense.
Here are some of the things I tried for the first time this year — some big, some tiny, some ridiculous, all transformative.
✨ I made a real vision board (and things came true)
Not the casual Pinterest scroll. I mean:
selecting intentional images
designing a Canva template
printing it at Staples
hanging it above my computer
And I still remember picking it up and feeling oddly exposed — like the Staples worker could see my dreams laid out on glossy paper.
But guess what?
So many pieces of that board actually came to life:
I got the “too expensive” car
I won a wellness retreat
I was featured on Jenna Kutcher’s podcast
Coincidence? Maybe.
Magic? Also maybe.
Proof that intention matters? Absolutely.
✨ I launched this very podcast
Something I’d been thinking about for over a year.
44 episodes later, 6,000 downloads, and over 500 followers…
this podcast has become one of my favorite places to connect with you. It’s where I can hype you, coach you, cheer for you, and remind you that you’re not alone.
✨ I went to Europe without my husband (and drove on the opposite side of the road)
This was… an adventure.
My mom and I traveled to Ireland (we’re very Irish), and guess who had to drive?
Me.
I had every intention of watching tutorials before driving a European car… but in true Caroline fashion, that didn’t happen.
So there we were:
sitting on the opposite side of the car
driving on the opposite side of the road
entering roundabouts like confused American toddlers
getting honked at
laughing so hard we almost cried
At one point, I drove down a tiny alley that kept getting narrower until we had to fold the mirrors in and pray.
But we made it.
800 kilometers, zero dents, and a whole lot of memories.
And our motto for the trip became:
“Everything is figureoutable.”
(It truly is.)
✨ I went into New York City twice — alone
For a Peloton nurse ride with Cat Golden and later for the Indeed Careers in Care event.
Traveling solo is empowering.
Being in NYC reminds me just how many paths a nurse can take. It’s a city made of permission slips — permission to dream big, expand, explore, and reinvent yourself.
✨ I invested thousands into my business
And THAT was uncomfortable.
I can spend money anywhere — except on myself.
But joining a business program has already changed the way I serve new grads. And investing in myself proved something important:
You cannot pour into others when you refuse to pour into yourself.
✨ I ran the Marine Corps Marathon… differently
No watch.
No plan.
No obsession.
Just running when I wanted to.
And it ended up being one of the most freeing experiences I’ve had as a runner — even though it brought up an unexpected identity crisis.
Sometimes, letting go of who you were is part of becoming who you’re meant to be.
✨ And a hundred smaller firsts…
Dog sledding.
A facial.
Teaching in a rehab facility.
Buying an electric car.
Reporting for jury duty.
Becoming an aunt.
Climbing the Eiffel Tower.
Seeing the Mona Lisa.
Kissing the Blarney Stone.
Touring Ice Castles.
Hatching chicks.
Dyeing my own hair.
Some were meaningful. Some were silly.
But all of them stretched me — even just a little.
What My Nursing Students Taught Me About Growth
This year, I taught first-semester nursing students — and every single one of them gave their first subcutaneous injection.
Watching their faces afterward was the highlight of my semester. They glowed with pride. They were buzzing with excitement. That tiny moment made them feel like real nurses.
And it hit me: I felt that once too.
Trying something new — even something small — can reaffirm your identity. It can remind you of your purpose. It can reignite your confidence.
Being there for their “firsts” reminded me how powerful these moments truly are.
Your 2026 New Nurse Reset: Start Saying Yes to the Things That Stretch You
So here’s your reminder, as we step into a new year:
Every new thing you try —
every uncomfortable moment —
every scary idea —
every skill you practice —
every dream you say out loud —
every brave choice no one else sees —
is growth.
It doesn’t have to be big.
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
It doesn’t have to make sense.
You grow every time you stretch yourself.
You evolve every time you try.
You expand every time you step forward.
And you deserve to celebrate yourself for that.
Final Thoughts: I’m Thankful for You
Thank you for being here.
Thank you for growing with me.
Thank you for doing hard things, even when they’re messy.
Thank you for being part of this community of new nurses who refuse to settle for burnout, overwhelm, or fear.
You are becoming someone stronger than you even realize.
And I’m proud of you.
If this post resonated with you, it would mean the world if you:
left a podcast review,
shared the episode with a friend, or
passed it along to a nursing student who needs encouragement.
Here’s to your 2026 reset.
Here’s to courage.
Here’s to trying new things.
Here’s to growth — real, messy, beautiful growth.
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 44