Yolanda has spoken at many seminars to nurses and nursing students since 1990. As a registered professional nurse of 26 years, Yolanda is able to personally relate to the many joys and stressors of being a nurse, women and business owner. Women will be enlightened, motivated and inspired by the story of Yolanda’s Life and Spiritual Awakening. Women will be able to identify with her and reflect on their own lives in so many ways.
Who Is Yolanda G. Smith?
Yolanda G. Smith, RN, MSN, CCRN - Founder/Director Holistic Self-Care: Just For Me, Inc. established January 2007.
Yolanda has held positions as: Associate Director of Nursing - Cardiothoracic Services, Critical Care Educator, Nursing Faculty, Adjunct Nursing Instructor and Staff Nurse Cardiothoracic Surgical ICU. She is the Founder/President of YGS Medical-Legal Consulting established June 1997 - where she works in the roles as Legal Nurse Consultant, Expert Witness, Speaker and Nurse Educator.
When Did Yolanda Have A Spiritul Awakening & Begin Her Self-Care Journey?
Yolanda’s Spiritual Awakening & Self-Care Journey began August 6, 2004.
Yolanda had a Divine Intervention while teaching a Critical Thinking Workshop for nurses. While performing a role play, Yolanda became acutely confused, disoriented with a subsequent loss of memory. She was emergently hospitalized for four days.
While growing her business - Yolanda did not have balance in her life. She focused all her attention on fulfilling the needs of others and running her successful business - ultimately losing her identity to her business. Yolanda was working 15-hours days - six days per week. She did not practice self-care activities nor nurture - cherish & love herself first.
As a woman, nurse, healthcare provider and business owner - Yolanda constantly took care of the needs of her clients, family and friends at her own expense. She often felt too tired at the end of the day to take care of herself.
Yolanda had difficulty falling asleep, often waking up at 4:00 am thinking about what she needed to do the following day, the following week, often forgetting to make time to eat and frequently having tension headaches.
Yolanda was constantly putting the oxygen mask on others while leaving herself completely deprived of vital energy. In our society it is very altruistic for women to take care of the needs of others while it is considered selfish to take care of ones self first.
What Is Yolanda’s Belief?
Yolanda now believes, “It Is Self-Care - Not Selfish - To Love Oneself Mind - Body & Soul First“.
Yolanda learned first hand the true meaning of “Compassion Fatigue” and the personal, mental and physical cost of caring for others first. You simply cannot continue to give to others when you are running on empty!
Through, her first business, YGS Medical-Legal Consulting - Yolanda has enlightened & empowered so many nurses to be better clinical practitioners. It was her mission - “To provide nurses with quality theoretical based educational programs with a resultant outcome of enhanced safe competent care & improved/optimum patient outcomes“. Unfortunately, healthcare has changed so much in the past 10-years!
Yolanda, no longer had answers to the many questions that nurses were asking her during her lectures - regarding some of the complex unsafe practices in which they were working. Nurses were coming to her classes extremely stressed out from overwork - lack of administrative support - increased workloads - increased acuity level of their patients and subsequent nursing shortages.
Yolanda realized so many nurses were not living balanced, well, healthy and spiritual connected lives. So many nurses did not practice self-care activities nor did they know where or how to begin.
Yolanda personally developed 25 nursing curriculums, programs, seminars and presented & trained 5,500 nurses by herself until August 6, 2004 when - The Universe Divinely stopped her. After her event, Yolanda could no longer continue to live her life the way it was. That is when she completely surrendered and excitedly joyously discovered her true-life purpose.
What Is Yolanda’s True Life Purpose?
To enlighten and empower others to live a holistic balanced well happy spiritual connected life every day with a focus on Self-Care.
What Is Yolanda Doing Now?
Yolanda is now a Holistic Nurse Educator Specializing In Self-Care, Wellness, Compassion Fatigue and Stress Management.
Yolanda was Ordained as an Interfaith Minister on October 18, 2006 and is a Certified Reiki Master/Teacher.
What Did Yolanda Do After Her Event?
Yolanda used her life experiences and developed a Holistic Self-Care Wellness Model © 2007 with Self-Care Essentials: Mind, Body & Soul as her core.
What Is The Foundation of Yolanda’s Holistic Self-Care Wellness Model?
The foundation of Yolanda’s Self-Care Wellness Model is to assist individuals in creating a balanced healthy life by integrating eight essential elements: Work/Career, Emotional/Mental, Intimacy, Relationships, Physical Body, Environment, Finances and Soul/Spirit.
How Is Yolanda Now?
Since that time August 6, 2004:
Yolanda has never looked back! She has completely transformed her life. Yolanda now passionately lives a life of balance - joy - happiness - pleasure - wellness by loving herself mind - body & soul everyday. She has not missed one day of self-care since her journey began four years ago. All of her memory has not returned, she simply has so much more with so much less.
What Is Holistic Self-Care: Just For Me, Inc. Mission?
Our mission at Holistic Self-Care: Just For Me, Inc. - “To Enlighten & Empower others to live a happy - joyous - passionate - pleasurable life of wellness by loving themselves: mind - body & soul”.
What Is Yolanda’s Heartfelt Desire?
It is my heartfelt desire to inspire & motivate you, “To do your very best - Be your very best - At all times - Not at any particular time - To Love Yourself - Truly Love Yourself - As You Are - For Who You Are - No matter what is happening around you - Or in the lives of others - Especially when things are not happening when you want - The way you want”.
Many blessings & warmest gratitude,
Rev. Yolanda Gail Smith, RN. MSN, CCRN
Founder/Director
Holistic Self–Care: Just For Me. Inc.
