Interview with Mugs Haugen
In this episode, we will uncover 3 keys:
- Prioritizing Self-Care for Healthcare Professionals
- Challenges Faced in the Healthcare Industry
- Personal Transformation and Resilience
A Podcast Transcription
Episode 16: Mugs Haugen, RN and CEO of “Anchored Heart Coaching”
Intro
Odiva Vasell: (00:00)
Joining us today, a very special guest, Mugs Haugen of Anchored Heart Coaching. She has a business that serves a very underserved sector of our community, the healthcare workers, nurses, and caregivers. She teaches them how to find balance in a life that is totally out of balance and headed toward burnout. Listen now as she joins us in this very special interview with the tips that every one of us can apply to our lives. We have a special guest here today, and she is one who serves the very underserved population of healthcare workers. She is in the industry of giving care to the healthcare and caregiver workers who, without most of us, wouldn’t even be here. So let me welcome my special guest today, Miss Mugs. I love her name because it brings such great energy with it. Like there’s power in that name. So please tell us, who you are and a little bit about you to start with.
Prioritizing Self-Care for Healthcare Professionals
Mugs Haugen: (01:36)
Well, thank you, Odiva. I’m honored to be here with you today. Yes, my name is Mugs Haugen, and I’m a registered nurse. I’m still working as a registered nurse, but I’m also a life coach and founder of Anchored Heart Coaching. My goal is to support other nurses and healthcare workers and any kind of caregiver who may be feeling burnt out, overwhelmed, stressed because they work in such a stressful environment on a day-to-day basis, right? And so, you know, that can really take its toll on our own bodies. For us to take a moment to take care of ourselves is really important, and I try and bring that forth for them to take care of their own self-care so that they can truly be of service to others.
Odiva Vasell: (02:31)
And that’s huge. I mean, it’s revolutionary. It’s kind of, you know, common sense. “Hey, you should take care of yourself so that you can take better care of others.” But it’s something, it’s common sense that a lot of us don’t apply. I think, for far too long, women have focused on being the nurturer and the giver, and your value was connected to how well you can take care of your community, your family, your relatives, your neighbors. And as you know, in a profession as a nurse, you’re just there to give out what you have, and it can get depleted. Tell us more.
Mugs Haugen: (03:16)
You know, absolutely. I think nursing is a fabulous profession. It has served me really well. I love the work that I do. And, you know, I just think there’s so many things about it that also can be really debilitating for the people in the business of healthcare. You know, I won’t get into the politics of everything, but our system is pretty broken in the United States. So, I feel like there’s a lot of things that we see that aren’t real positive, like health equity or disequity, you know. And it can be very depressing sometimes when you see the same thing over and over again, and the health of people in general is not good because we don’t take care of ourselves. We don’t eat the right foods, we don’t get enough sleep, you know, we don’t truly take care of ourselves. And so, we’re trying to help those, but you know, we need to be healthy ourselves and practice what we preach generally, right? Because we’re out there telling people what they should be doing and how to overcome some of their illnesses and that kind of thing, right? So it’s like, you know, I feel like I want to be healthy myself, and that way, I can bring my best self forward when I am trying to help someone else.
Odiva Vasell: (05:00)
And so this is the thing, and I always like to do this when I’m talking about the healthcare industry and healthcare workers. I like to say, “Whoa!” first of all because they are the foundation that many of us rely on. We saw in the previous years in the pandemic how important they are, but the recognition, in my opinion, was not quite there. But recognizing them now and what they do, the self-sacrificing that they do, is above and beyond what many people have to do and offer in their profession. In saying that, I’m hoping that this kind of work that you’re doing would allow others to consider going into healthcare. You know, when you look at being a nurse or a caregiver, and the job description is “work yourself to death,” nearly to death, you know, nobody wants to sign up for that. I have first-hand experience; my mom is an RN, and she’s retired now, but she was in the industry for 60 years, and that is what it meant: shift to shift to shift. And if someone calls in sick, you take on that responsibility, and you cannot make mistakes either, and that’s huge.
Mugs Haugen: (06:56)
Right, yeah, it’s a huge responsibility, and one that I take very seriously, as most nurses do, right? Unfortunately, we’re all human, and mistakes are made, right, so you have to accept that part of the responsibility too, right, and take self-responsibility when those things happen. I think it’s part of the duty, you know, as a nurse, to have things happen. So, yeah, but definitely a big responsibility.
Odiva Vasell: (07:32)
And I think the kind of coaching you give can be applied to everyone because learning to separate ourselves from our work is, I guess, it’s part of it. Stopping the excuses because if I was working as a nurse, I would say, and I say, “Look, I have, well, my mom used to do 48-hour shifts,” but if, and I’m guessing it still happens, but if you have a shift-to-shift, the shift, your excuses: “I don’t have time to be healthy. I don’t have time to rest. I don’t even have time to take a one-minute breather.” How do you separate yourself from those excuses that are in your head?
Mugs Haugen: (08:17)
Well, I think that’s very true, and I think that is something that I deal with my clients too, right? Like they don’t have the time to really invest in themselves, so to speak, right? So, it can be a challenge because they’re not used to putting themselves first for a freaking change, which is one of my slogans: “Learn to put yourself first for a freaking change.”
Odiva Vasell: (08:44)
I see it together.
Mugs Haugen: (08:46)
Yeah, so, first for a freaking change. Yeah. You know, I totally understand that. But, you know, I tell people too, it’s like we all have 24 hours in a day. None of us get more or less than another person. So, let’s say you’re working those three 12-hour shifts, you do have days off in between those in that full-time job, right? So, there is some time there where you can make choices in how you care for yourself. You know, that might be your food planning, planning your meals, grocery shopping, and doing things that can support a healthy lifestyle so that when you’re working your three-day shifts, it goes really smoothly. You know, and I share my transformation with my weight; I lost over 60 pounds in eight months, and I have been able to maintain that weight loss now for five years. Having my health transformation has created so many openings for me in terms of my own energy, my own well-being, my meditation and yoga practice. I try and share that with others to help them realize that it is possible. You can still be working and create your own routines and behaviors that can anchor you in a more balanced life. That’s what I try and do on a daily basis.
Odiva Vasell: (10:21)
Well, congratulations to you on that healthy self-weight loss journey. What brought you to that point?
Challenges Faced in the Healthcare Industry
Mugs Haugen: (10:29)
Well, wow, that’s a good question. You know, I was always a yo-yo dieter, and I tried many other types of things. Honestly, around 2017, my oldest son was getting married, and I was super excited for them. I was really happy, but I was, at that point, working in a busy ER. I was really stressed out, I was overweight, and I honestly felt awful in my own body. I was having a lot of aches and pains. So, I went out to find the perfect mother of the groom dress, if there is such a thing, and I went out to do my dress trying on, and it was like a nightmare. I couldn’t zip up a dress, and I thought, “Oh my God, I’m gonna have to go out and get another size up,” and I just fell apart. I was in the Dress Barn of Pismo Beach, California, because that’s where I live on the central coast, and I just lost it. I thought, “Oh my God, I have got to get it together. I cannot sustain how I’m feeling in my body.” I was depressed about it, not in a good headspace at all. Then, right before his wedding, I got a horrible upper respiratory infection, and I felt really sick. The day of his wedding, I was so sick. I got my hair and face done, got through the ceremony, went to the reception, and I basically walked home from the reception. It was down the street in this beautiful garden area, and I walked home. My sister actually walked me home. I could hardly make it up my stairs because I could hardly breathe, and she tucked me into bed. That was kind of my turning point. It was like, “Okay, this is serious. This is not good.” The next month, I found a food program that really spoke to me, and I’ve been doing that now for over, it’ll be six years actually next month. In May of this year, it’ll be six years. That really was the start of my own health and wellness transformation. I’m not here to tell people they need to go on a diet or lose weight to have a balanced, joyful life, absolutely not. But I do want to share how this transformation actually started for me because it started from the outside and into the inside. All transformation really is an inside job.
Odiva Vasell: (13:24)
And that’s what I like about what you said about the turning point. So that could look like a lot of different things. Like I think it’s like your awareness got shook when you thought, “I have to go to a wedding, and I’ve got to be in this beautiful mother of the groom dress,” and things like that. That shock you from the outside, and then the journey of going through the shop and shopping for clothes and crying, shopping for clothes. I can, I think we all can relate. We’ve been in that situation where we were just not going right. But you made that decision, and that decision brought about a huge turning point. So bringing that back to the work that you’re doing now, people have to get to the awareness that they need that turning point.
Mugs Haugen: (14:09)
Yes, yes, and it’s different for everyone. But I think, like you said, we all kind of been there, and we all have different things. So somebody may not be struggling with their weight, but they may be struggling with a relationship or their financial situation or all the exterior circumstances in our lives. I am a DreamBuilder coach, a Life Mastery consultant through the Brave Thinking Institute, and what I do is I help people to create a vision of a life they would love living. I take them through a process, and it is a process. It’s not magical thinking; it’s not just, you know, I do believe change your thoughts, change your life, absolutely. But it’s not all about that; it’s so much deeper than that. That’s what I really enjoy. It’s like watching the transformation because you’re right, self-awareness is key. If we can start to learn how our thoughts create our feelings and our feelings cause our actions, and our actions cause our results, then we can take a look. If I’m here now and I’m not liking it very much, then what do I need to do to change those things? It usually starts right here with how you’re talking to yourself. I was always really negative self-talk, self-deprecation, not so pleasant to myself. So I have grown leaps and bounds with my transformation and my confidence because I believe that I’m a spiritual being having a human experience. What is within me is more powerful than any circumstance, situation, or condition I may be facing.
Odiva Vasell: (16:03)
So when we talk about the things that are going on in the mind of a healthcare worker, I’m guessing that there are many times they’re saying, “The only way I can get to that point, that turning point, or where I can really start to do the things that I love and enjoy and take care of myself, is if I leave my job.” And that’s not what we want.
Mugs Haugen: (16:30)
Absolutely not, and I think, you know, there may be some people in the healthcare industry who shouldn’t be here, you know, or don’t really want to be here anymore. I think sometimes they so self-identify, “I am a nurse,” right? That can hold a lot of people back from looking at some of their life purpose or their full purpose in life and looking at, “What else could I be? What else could I do?” I agree, though, that there are ways to do the job and live in that balance, and that’s where I’m trying to help people. It’s not about transforming their careers necessarily unless that’s their choice. It’s about that work-life balance. It’s not a pipe dream; it can be done. You just need the tools, and you need to have a vision of what you want your life to look like. What are you willing to do to have that? Like you said, it’s a trade-off. You have to make some sacrifices in some areas to create something positive. So, if you’re sitting in front of the TV for two hours a night, what could you choose to do instead? Maybe you could journal, maybe you could have a gratitude list, maybe you could prep your food or plan your meals for the next day if that’s what helps you to live in a more balanced routine.
Odiva Vasell: (18:16)
Yeah, yeah. So, yeah, making those choices, creating that self-awareness, having that vision, then starting to act on it by making those choices, that’s the way to it. Having the identity of “I am more than just a nurse, I am more than just a caregiver.” That’s something that all of us can apply into our daily lives and just recognize who we are, especially as women, we are more than what we offer to the world, what we take on. That’s huge. That is great.
Mugs Haugen: (19:09)
Right. Yeah, that identity thing, you know, it’s like, “That’s what I do, it’s not who I am.” I am, you know, it’s like, but we all say, “I am a nurse.” That’s how we present ourselves. So it’s kind of like, you know, and I do the same thing, and it’s taken me a while to shift that too. Now I’m a life coach, teacher, speaker, coach. I’m looking at things a little bit differently now, so that’s good.
Odiva Vasell: (19:39)
Yes, yes. I worked as a teacher, and when I started becoming an entrepreneur and building my business, I started as, “Okay, I’m the teacher, so everybody just come to me and ask me questions about entrepreneurship.” The other thing that I was working on is teaching public speaking, and in a very short time, I started to get overwhelmed because people were coming from all sides because I had so many questions about it. I was thinking, “Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. I need to work on my business as well as help everybody else and answer all these questions.” She explained, “What kind of energy are you sending out?” I had “Odiva teacher” as my title on Zoom, and that was the energy I was sending out. Now, I am still teaching; I will always be a teacher, but in a different capacity, in something that is more aligned with me. The “me” who I am now.
Mugs Haugen: (21:14)
Right, it’s amazing, isn’t it?
Odiva Vasell: (21:16)
Yeah.
Mugs Haugen: (21:17)
I totally get that. I totally get that. So beautiful.
Odiva Vasell: (21:20)
And it’s been a journey. I also share that I am in the role of a caregiver. I said that I am in the role of a caregiver. I didn’t say I am a caregiver. For such a long time, I was saying I am a caregiver. It took me years to realize, “No, I’m a separate person. I’m Odiva, and my desires, goals, dreams, and vision are still evolving. It doesn’t have to be, ‘This is what I want when I was 24. I’m gonna graduate, and I’m gonna have this house and this, this.’ No, no, it’s still evolving, but I’m happy to be on the journey.”
Mugs Haugen: (22:12)
Right, it’s not either-or; it’s this and, right? So, this and. So, you can have all those things, you know. So, that’s wonderful that you’re following your heart and still teaching in the capacity that you want to do it in now. It’s beautiful.
Odiva Vasell: (22:33)
And this journey has brought me to you.
Mugs Haugen: (22:35)
Yes, love it. Yes.
Odiva Vasell: (22:38)
Tell me a little bit more about the kind of caregivers you’ve helped because I was thinking when I first hear the word caregiver, I’m not always thinking about the people that are paid to do this service. I always think about the people around me that kind of fall into it and we’re like all of a sudden.
Mugs Haugen: (23:02)
Well, you know, that’s the thing too. There’s such a broad spectrum. Now, nurses are my focus because those are my people. That’s my main focus. But basically, I feel like a caregiver could be a mother, a mom. We’re all caregivers on some level, right? Or people that are caring for elderly parents or a parent or a family member with dementia. All of them need so much support, and it’s a hard role, like you say. It’s a hard role to be in in your lifetime. Yet, it’s our common humanity. Many of us have that at some point in our lives, have that caregiver role upon us. So, it’s just basically to me, all of us are kind of caregivers. But, like I said, my focus is mainly nurses, healthcare professionals, PAs, MDs, that kind of thing that are in the thick of the stressful surroundings of the job that come with that because I was a cardiac nurse and an ER nurse, and that’s kind of my background.
Odiva Vasell: (24:31)
That’s what I wanted to ask you, what kind of nursing you did because there are so many levels and dimensions of it. ER?
Mugs Haugen: (24:38)
And that’s what I love about nursing too. There are so many different areas of nursing. It’s been a great profession for me. I love being a nurse, and it’s been really good for me. I also find it interesting how many of us nurses come from backgrounds of codependency. I think there have been studies about how nurses often come from that codependent role. My father was an alcoholic, my husband’s a recovering alcoholic addict, and I have many family members. It’s so interesting to me how many caregivers and nurses come from that background. Working on our past trauma and past codependencies is something we all need to take a look at because it’s how we got to the place we are today and made us who we are today.
Personal Transformation and Resilience
Odiva Vasell: (25:46)
Yeah, that diamond got compressed and came out so much stronger. I also want to acknowledge the men that are in the industry. My business primarily works with women, but I want to acknowledge the men that are stepping into this role as nurses. I follow one on Instagram, and he always talks about the black rings around his eyes. He makes jokes about it, but it’s interesting to just, as you have given us an opportunity to take that first step of looking at ourselves and saying, “It doesn’t have to be such a painful job. It’ll be hard, but I have another life separate from that that I can still work on, create, and make beautiful and show self-love.”
Mugs Haugen: (26:50)
Absolutely. I think having gratitude for the opportunity to serve others is part of why we do what we do. It’s an honor to me. I feel like it’s an honor to serve others at their most vulnerable place when they come into the emergency department or they come in for a procedure. They’re scared, they’re anxious, and to really be able to be there in those situations for them and their families is really important. That’s why I feel it’s so important to be on your best health-wise and well-being-wise for yourself so that when you are there serving others, you don’t have the black circles under your eyes, you’ve gotten enough sleep, and you’re in a good space so that you can actually be helpful to somebody. It’s funny, you were talking about the black circles under your friend’s eyes or whatever, and it’s so funny because I think so many nurses, doctors, and healthcare professionals brag about being able to live on four hours of sleep or four to six hours of sleep. Well, that’s not so good. Our bodies need more than that, and we need to replenish, regenerate our own cells, and heal our own bodies to really be able to heal others, right?
Odiva Vasell: (28:26)
And when you talk about being able to help others and being present because we have another phenomenon where some people go the opposite way and are just like, “I’ve seen enough. I’m getting cold.” We talk about doctors getting cold towards patients. There’s a lot of complaints going on because they’ve just seen so much, and they’re not really having the ability to care for themselves. So how can you provide to others if you haven’t first given to yourself? That is huge.
Mugs Haugen: (29:07)
Yeah, and you talked a little bit about the pandemic, and I think that really created a lot of self-sacrificing and putting your own body on the line every day. A lot of people have post-traumatic stress from that. A lot of them felt a lot of anger from family members, and they were taking on a lot of this outside stuff just being thrown at them. It wasn’t pretty. I think it shifted in a lot of people’s thinking in the profession. It’s kind of like, “Gosh, is this really worth it for me to continue to do this?” So, it’s been an interesting time, and I think we’re coming out of it a little bit here, and things are settling back into a more normal way. But I think going through something like that is really difficult, and to come out of that is hard. I’m not sure most people are even aware of how that’s really affected them on a deep, deep level.
Odiva Vasell: (30:31)
Well, this is the brilliant part of it is that now they have a resource such as yourself.
Mugs Haugen: (30:39)
Thank you.
Odiva Vasell: (30:40)
You’re not just talking about it from a coaching perspective. You are still in it. You have still been there. You’ve seen it, you’ve done it.
Mugs Haugen: (30:49)
Yeah.
Odiva Vasell: (30:50)
And it’s not the therapist that says, “Hey, well, how do you feel about that?” You understand firsthand what they experience, and you still love your work. As you said, it’s an honor for you to be there for people, and I am honored that you are here with us today.
Mugs Haugen: (31:16)
Thank you. Full disclosure, I’m no longer in the emergency department. I’m working at an Outpatient Surgical Center, which is a lot less stressful. It’s a wonderful position, and I’m working part-time with that and coaching full-time. It’s a really nice balance right now for me. I found a nice balance in my life, and it’s working out well. Eventually, I’m hoping to do my coaching full-time and, because I’m of a certain age, I’m hoping to transition into my coaching full-time and be able to release that position at some point. But right now, I still love the work. Like I said, there’s still that part of me that wants to continue to do nursing and be of service to others in that regard too. But it’s all good. It’s a process. It’s our life’s journey, and I’m in a good space, so I’m happy.
Odiva Vasell: (32:17)
Fantastic. So thank you so much for being with us today and sharing your beautiful smile. I always tell Mugsy how she’s glowing. She’s just the colors and everything behind her. She’s a ray of sunshine.
Mugs Haugen: (32:35)
You’re such a joy, Odiva, and it’s been a pleasure to get to know you better and just love connecting with you. So, let’s do it again.
Odiva Vasell: (32:44)
Oh, we certainly will.
[Music]
Conclusion
In this enlightening conversation, we’ve explored the lives of healthcare professionals, particularly nurses and caregivers, and discovered three crucial themes. The first is the imperative role of self-care, especially in an industry where care is continually given. We’ve also unveiled the significant challenges these professionals face, particularly in the light of recent global events. Finally, we’ve encountered stories of transformation and resilience, demonstrating that even the most dedicated healers need healing themselves. This conversation serves as a poignant reminder to appreciate the dedication, understand the struggles, and support the well-being of those who tirelessly care for us.