Nastasha
Appearances
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
So I'm in a South suburb of Chicago, Homer Glen near Orland Park. Okay.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
Yeah. Yeah. So thank you, Oprah and Dr. Kthema for having me here today and really this platform, this podcast. So I'm on an emotional healing journey with myself. I became a teen mom at the age of 16. And while my daughter, Caitlin, was an absolute blessing, she literally saved my life because I was on a bad path as a teenager.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
But I struggled with kind of my sense of self-worth and trying to prove myself. you know, kind of trying to beat that stigma or, you know, that being another statistic in terms of a teen mom. So I really just like pushed myself into my nursing career, you know, working full time, going to school. I mean, going all the way to the end.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
I got my terminal degree, my doctorate in nursing, which I'm extremely proud of. But in that process, I neglected the people that matter the most, which was my family.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
And I remember this aha moment, as you say, Oprah, where husband Dale, who's an amazing man, and we speak to each other from a place of love and honesty, he said to me, I feel like you treat your patients better than you treat your family. Yeah. And it was in that moment that I was like, oh, my God, I am pouring so much in to others and service that by the time I come home, I'm empty.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
And I am not showing up as my best self to the people that matter the most. And so it was really hard, but I decided that I would make a career shift so that I could give to these nonprofessional aspects of my life. And then but then I found myself in another predicament. I was in this like identity crisis. You know, for 15 plus years, I've been a nurse. I've been a nurse practitioner.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
But now that I'm not in that role, I'm not directly doing that. It was kind of like, who am I?
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
Yeah, I just remember going to pick up my daughter, right? And they'd be like, where's Caitlin's mom at? And I'd be like, I'm here. They're like, no, no, no. Where's Caitlin's mom? And I'm like, it's me. I'm here.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
And it was just like, I guess, not being seen or not even being thought of that this is the person that is raising this wonderful human being and doing everything in her power, working two jobs, going to school, staying up late at night just to provide a better life for her. Yeah. So I think that's where it felt like I tried to have that group that I'm worthy enough to be there.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
Oh, when you were talking about being still. And pausing. I have had the hardest time being still and pausing. And you would think that'd be easy, right? I'm going to leave my career. That's so demanding. I'm going to switch gears. I'm going to be home more. And I can't be still.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
Wow. Thank you. The question was, how do I start to rebuild myself? And I feel like now you've given me the tools or the foundation to start getting to know Nastasha, start loving myself.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
I feel it. And I don't know if it's because I'm turning 40 and this big number is coming, but I just feel like it's just something I have to deal with. And it's hitting me fast. But I feel like you are just speaking to everything that I've been thinking, but I guess scared to come to terms with it. And I feel like the big word is I'm scared. This is a scary space for me.
The Oprah Podcast
You’re WORTHY of the Life You Want
I release this pressure to be perfect. So I can be worthy and acceptance of myself and love myself.