Have you ever watched American Idol and saw one of the contestants who looks like they can’t carry a tune, but as they open their mouth you hear this amazing voice?
Finding your true voice is empowering and allows you to find your own way. And how you present yourself in your authentic voice is how you will be seen by others. This is also the case when showing who you are while crafting your personal statement.
We all struggle at times to voice our opinions or concerns. However, finding your voice is more than just being able to speak up during uncertain times, it can actually be a catalyst that opens some amazing doors. And one door we all want to open for you is admittance to a CRNA program.
Benefits of finding your true voice
Finding your voice can have a huge impact on your life as well. Some of the benefits may:
- Encourage open-mindedness
- Empower creativity and innovation
- Stimulate personal growth
- Improve your mental and physical health
It may seem daunting at first, but I encourage you to find your authentic voice so it not only reflects on your personal statement but also in your everyday life. Next are some simple ways to find your true voice.
Ways to find your true voice
Draw on your stories
Everyone has a story to tell, even you. The way to stand out is to become more personable. One way to do this is by weaving in your stories while writing your personal statement. That’s how you will connect with those taking the time to read your statement.
Here’s the best way to do this:
- Get a spiral notebook
- Start jotting down any story you can think of into the notebook
- Then think about how each story relates to your personal essay and becoming a CRNA
From there you can choose which stories to share with the admissions committee. Now all which is left to do is get started writing and tying it all together.
Embrace You
In order to fully embrace oneself, it will require you to be vulnerable. And this will take a huge amount of courage. But the benefits will definitely be worth it. For starters, you will come across more authentically which will show the admissions committee all the qualities you possess which they are looking for.
The best way to do this is to think about all the traits you possess. If you can’t think of any good traits, think about it from another perspective. For instance, while providing anesthesia I’m often told by my patients I have a soothing voice. They thank me for calming their nerves and feeling safe prior to their surgery.
As a fellow nurse, I know how hard it is to highlight your superpowers or accomplishments. So think about what others say about you that you can draw from. Again, pull out a pen, a piece of paper and list all your positive traits or accomplishments. Then refer to it when crafting your personal statement.
Self- reflect
Self- reflection is defined as the meditation or serious thought about ones own actions and motives. Thinking back on your actions is something you will come across time and time again as a student nurse anesthetist. Especially once you are in clinicals and have to do a daily self- evaluation. Work on practicing self reflection now so you are comfortable with it later.
This allows you to express the meaning and impact becoming a CRNA will mean to you. And when you are able to articulate this in your writing, it comes across as genuine and suggests you are in it for the right reasons. Here are some questions to think about, to get you started.
- What is it about being a CRNA that makes you want to be one?
- What type of CRNA do you imagine yourself being?
- How do you plan to add to the nurse anesthesia profession?
Bottom Line
By finding and embracing your own authentic voice you will be able to win over the admissions committee on your personal statement and more importantly in your CRNA school interview. Hopefully, these tips will help you do just that so you can check off this task and get your application submitted to your best fit CRNA program.
P.S. If you’re still stumped on where to start with your personal statement, come join us at CRNA Chase Academy for more help. If your personal statement draft is complete, we also offer personal statement reviews. Here is the link.
