I Loved Podcasting In Pajamas, But My Camera Didn’t

Well. I did it.

I put on real pants and turned on the camera.

The Ritual Nurse is officially on video and honestly? It feels vulnerable and powerful at the same time. We talk about what it actually took to set up a studio without losing our minds, why sound quality still matters more than aesthetics, and why I wanted you to see the tools we’ve been talking about for a year.

In video format now you’ll get a real-time look at things like:

• The List notepad and how I actually use it on chaotic weeks
• The Med-Surg nursing brain sheets built for clarity when your brain feels like scrambled eggs
• A peek at upcoming ICU and ER layouts
• Some seasonal sticker designs that are honestly just fun

Nothing curated. Nothing staged. Just me walking you through the stuff nurses actually use when the shift is heavy and the to-do list is wild.

Then we slide into Coffee, Crystals, and Divination, but this time you can see the pull:

Sapphire showed up. Which feels right. Reflection. Order. Truth. The kind of energy you need when your brain is juggling work, school, family, and your own nervous system. Aqua aura quartz came in like, “Hey. You’re allowed to feel better.” Invigoration without chaos. Calm focus instead of survival mode. And the tarot? Five and Seven of Pentacles. Scarcity stories. Asking for help. Tending what’s already growing instead of obsessing over what isn’t.

And also… the reminder that something is already growing. Even if it doesn’t look like what you thought it would 

Video is new. Guests are coming. The dance break is staying in audio because... obviously.

If you’re tired of productivity culture pretending to be self-care, you’re in the right place.

If you’re building something bigger than bedside but still love being a nurse, you’re in the right place.

If you’re slightly feral but committed to healing anyway?

You’re absolutely in the right place.

Subscribe to this. 
Text 'ritual' to me, (775) 218-3688, and join the crew. 
Send this to the nurse who looks fine but hasn’t processed anything in three years. ;)

Transcript

Studio Setup Challenges

Keeping Audio Quality High

Guests And New Format

Audio Platforms Still Supported

Seeing Tools And Demos

Journals And Debriefing Insert

Nurse Brains And New Collections

Deeper Connection Through Video

Segments: Dance Break And Differences

Coffee Ritual And Self‑Care

Crystal Pull: Sapphire And Aqua Aura

Tarot Pull: Five And Seven Of Pentacles

How To Share Stories And Feedback

SPEAKER_00 0:10

Hi, so this is the first video podcast for the ritual nurse. Up till now, over the past year, we've been solely audio. And I've talked a bunch of times about switching to video just for, I don't know, a more personal connection, a more personal touch. I'm active on socials and different mediums like TikTok and Instagram. And a lot of times I do go live there, but with the podcast itself, I've just been kind of talking to you and not really been able to connect with you guys. So we made the decision over the winter break to go to video. And it's been kind of a journey figuring out studio space, lighting. In our multimedia studio here, we stream all the time. So lighting and video really isn't a new concept for us. But doing a more intimate podcast setting presented some really unique challenges. Some of them, of course, are just more personal opinion. I've been able to podcast to you guys in my pajamas if I felt like it. And I don't think that I want to do that when it comes to video podcasting. So there's a couple things that I have to change there. But also the setup and in a more intimate studio setting versus what we use for streaming or tabletop games or info, content, things like that, definitely kind of presented a challenge trying to figure out the right lighting, figure out the right audio. So it's taken a little bit of time, but this is kind of the first video podcast. The studio, I think the space may change. You're probably going to see different locations as we get more used to this format and get more used to the difference between having an audio-only podcast. I do want to make sure that our audio stays the same, really good quality. That was really important to me when doing the audio podcast for you guys because I don't like to listen to stuff that is annoying or it just doesn't sound good. I immediately will stop listening. And I didn't want that for you guys. I wanted you to be able to engage and really love the content. And to do that required absolutely impeccable audio. So that's another thing. I'm using a completely different microphone than I normally do. My desktop setup for audio podcasting uses a wired microphone, a much different microphone. This is a wireless microphone, and the road wireless microphones are really good, but it's a different audio sound. So the editing is going to be a little different. It's going to take a little bit of time, I think. But that's going to remain really huge focus. And having guests is going to change too. So we've had a bunch of guests on the podcast up until now. Now in the podcast space, you guys can't really see much of what's over there, but there's a whole other couch next to me on that side. And when I have guests, they'll be able to sit and chat with you guys on video just like me, and be comfortable in the in the podcast space in this same setup. So that's going to be a different change as well. Hopefully the podcast guests in the future are comfortable with being on video. But I thought that this would be a good way to connect with you guys. A lot of people that listen to audio podcasts that do have video component to them will put them on, you know, same as they do with the audio podcast while they're doing things, folding laundry, you know, doing something else, doing other tasks around the house. You can still listen to the audio. Of course, it's going to publish to all major, you know, platforms like we do now. So if you're driving, and obviously the video podcast isn't going to work for your driving, the audio podcast with the same quality, same features is going to be on Apple, Spotify, everything like that. But the video podcast kind of allows for a little bit more of a personal connection, the connection between me and you, the comment section, a way to leave comments directly on the video related to the minute and you know which like you're seeing the video, being able to timestamp it, and also being able to see what I'm talking about, especially like the tarot cards, the divination, things like that. So I think that's gonna be a really cool connection. I am looking forward to it. I'm really looking forward to having guests on the podcast and doing video. I don't know about, I don't know if there's gonna be you know much change to live stream. When I do live stream, it's because I'm doing a specific event or craft or thing that I'm showing you guys usually on TikTok. I don't usually go live on Instagram, but usually on TikTok, this setup would work just as well for that. So I may decide to kind of combine the two, have fun with it. Who knows? But I wanted to be able to show you guys some of the tools and things that I've been talking about that if you haven't been to the website or maybe Instagram really isn't your thing, you haven't really been able to see much of. On TikTok, I've kind of posted snippets of me crafting stickers for you guys and making sticker packs and things like that. But things like the list, the actual notepad version of the list, not the digital version. I don't think unless you've been to the website or again been on Instagram back when they were released, you guys probably wouldn't have seen them. But these are the actual notebook versions. These are the two different mermaid ones that we have of the list itself. The organization and stress tool that we have, one of my favorite Boho Rainbow ones is this teal kind of sea foam color. And yeah, so it'll be really cool to show you guys these, to show you guys these in action, how to use them, how to set them up. And when I'm talking to you on the podcast, I've not really ever gone into it because you aren't looking at what I'm doing. And it's really kind of hard when you're driving and listening to a podcast to see what someone or in your mind's eye to see what someone's talking about when they're telling you about the different sections of a tool to fill them out and how to use them. And now, whether you're listening to the podcast or watching it for the first time, you have access to be able to see what I'm talking about in real time versus just kind of having to make it up as you go or make it up in your mind while you're thinking about it. But this is what the list actually looks like in notepad form. So if you guys order from the website and you order the notebook version or the notepad version, then this is the size of it, the shape of it. They are really convenient. I do have these in sticker format for those people that like to journal. The next video podcast that I do with you guys, I will be showing you the journals that I've been talking about and some of the ways in which I use them for self-care, for the process of debriefing, which is really, really important. I do have a specific journal insert for all of my besties that love to journal and love stationary, traveler's notebooks, things like that. That's kind of your hobby or your jam in terms of relaxing and self-care. I do have a special journal insert for debriefing. So the debriefing yourself series is something that was announced last year. And it is a comprehensive way to walk yourself through the process of debriefing in a journaling, self-care, retrospective kind of way that honors the experience that you've been through, but allows you to debrief successfully for your own mental health and healing. So this journal insert kind of walks you through that process. It has the prompts built in. So it's really easy to pick up and sit down with it at the end of a really long day and use it. Some of the other tools that I have talked about, and again, unless you guys have been to the website and ordered anything or saw the pictures on Instagram when each of the theme packs were released, is the nursing brains. So these are the actual nursing brains that I created for these are med surge. So these are four patients at a time. I could put more on there because let's face it, we all know that you have more than four patients. But I wanted to make sure that it was readable and we, you know, you guys can use obviously more than one sheet at once. But this, these are what they actually look like. So these are the actual nurse brains. The ICU and ER ones are coming. This is part of the winter collection. The Halloween collection was absolutely adorable with pink ghosts and parchment with the black witches and cats on it. Just absolutely adorable themes. I do have some neutral themes that we came out with. And of course, once the ICU and ER ones are released, we'll have some more colored themes and things available for you guys too. I want to do a nice spring set and a boho set. This is featured on the website, but this is an actual physical representation of it, an actual physical one of the tote bags that are on some of the merch as well. But it's just doing the video podcasts, I think, is going to be a really great way to connect with you guys and for you to feel more personally connected to the voice behind the nurse that kind of really walking you through some of these really deep topics. There's a lot of emotion and a lot of feeling and a lot of depth to some of the things that we cover. And I think it'll be nice to be personally connected with me as we go through those processes. So I'm really looking forward to it. Uh, there's no way that I would do, even though this is a very brief podcast compared to the length of our other ones, but there's no way that I was gonna do an inaugural first video podcast without doing an actual coffee crystals and divination section. It's our favorite segment of the entire show. I haven't figured out yet, though, what we're gonna do about the dance break section. That might be something that's just edited into the audio version. There are gonna be some differences between the audio version and the video version, just in terms of like the break section. So when you're listening on audio, you know that that's your audio cue. My longtime listeners will know that that's their audio cue to be able to pause and either return from break, or if you have to go back to the floor, whatever it may be. You know that you can press play and you haven't skipped anything, you're not in the middle of a concept or a story or something juicy or you know, that you need to rewind and listen to. You know that the dance break means it was a safe place to stop. You can pick up right where you left off without missing anything. So in the video podcasts, not sure how to do that. I'm not sure if we're actually going to dance it out on video or if that's just gonna be an audio only feature. But the coffee crystals and divination, come on, that was a huge impetus for doing the video podcast. Of course, I had to do it. I did want to show you guys what the decks look like. I know I've posted pictures of them. These are the two main decks that I have been using for the life of the podcast so far. Now that we have video, however, I really want to show you guys some of the other ones that I have. I think I don't know. I have some absolutely gorgeous decks. I have some really fun ones. So I'm kind of I'm really excited to show you guys different ones that I have and be able to show them off on video now. But this is the crystal struck tarot from Moonstruck Crystals. Her work is absolutely exquisite. So this is the tarot version, and uh this is the crystal portal oracle from same moonstruck crystals. Absolutely stunning cards. So I'm just drinking coffee right now. That's literally what I've been surviving off of. No frills, no, no nothing special, just coffee to try and get me through my last semester of FNP and my 300 hours of clinical while working full-time. So I do want to encourage you guys to keep focusing on whatever drink it is, whatever moment it is that you carve out that the five to ten minutes a day to have that and know this is specific time that I'm carving out for myself to sit and pause, sit and think, reflection, rest, whatever it is for self-care. The reason that we make it a ritual is because when you make it a ritual, you then remember that it's not something you're doing in passing, it's something that you're doing intentionally. You're intentionally creating curated space, even if it's just five to ten minutes, where you are sitting down with your drink of choice, whatever it may be, and you are focusing on you, breathing, grounding, journaling, shadow work, relaxation, amusement, whatever it is that you need in that moment. So I have been relying heavily on coffee, regular coffee and cream, and that's it. Simple, fast, but the smell of coffee has always been something that is calming and soothing for me. So it's something that I rely on. The next podcast, if I can figure out how to make it myself, I will share it with you. I'll tell you what it is in the next podcast, regardless. But I kind of want to figure out how to make it myself so I can show it off on video that I made it myself. But you'll hear about it in the next podcast. I mean, it's another coffee drink. But there's a little bit of a twist to it. And there is a restaurant here that makes it exquisitely, and I just might order it and and have it, have that on the podcast if I can't figure out how to make it myself. So for right now, it's just coffee and cream. Let's see what our crystal portal oracle has for us. So these will be our crystals for the next two weeks. And again, take what suits you and leave the rest. This doesn't have to be aligned with any particular belief system or not aligned. These can be great journal prompts, these can be awesome shadow work, they can be for manifestation, they can be words of wisdom that you jot down and associate with something else, or they can be divination and oracle use. Whatever works for you, take that and leave the rest. That's kind of been the philosophy here the whole time. When it comes to tarot and divination, it is never meant to be prescriptive or restrictive or eliminating by any means. There's something here for everybody. So our first one is sapphire and it's reflection. And I don't know if I cover up my face, if my camera will focus on the card. That'll also be something that we have to work on. And since we're doing two weeks at a time, I usually always pull more than one. So let's see what our second crystal is gonna be. And it's gonna be aqua or a quartz. This is a big one that we keep pulling for the ritual nurse, but aqua or a quartz, these cards are just so stunning. So I don't know if I'm able to cover my face up and have it autofocus. Autofocus might not be on at the moment. So let's take a look at our invigoration and reflection as our two crystals, our crystal prescription. So you have sapphire and aqua or a quartz. I usually like to read the guidebooks of whatever artist made the book. The reason that I do that is because when they made these, they made them with intention. So yes, when it comes to tarot, while I I've been reading tarot for 20 years, and yes, I read them intuitively, I still incorporate the intention of the artist who made them when they made them. I find that it's really important. So I don't want you to be dismayed ever if you are starting to read tarot or oracle decks in thinking that there's something wrong with reading what the author or artist wrote or intended with your deck. There's no badge of honor for having a tarot deck and you know, never opening the the included book or information with it. That's literally not a thing. And if someone's trying to tell you that it is or acting like it is some kind of badge of honor, then they're just being silly. So disregard it. So the first one that we pulled was sapphire and it was reflection. So let's see what this creator had to say about sapphire and reflection. So reflection and sapphire is truth, wisdom, and spiritual enlightenment. And this card invites you to look within and reveal the wisdom that resides in you, just like a mirror. Sapphire reveals hidden truths beneath the surface, empowering you to utilize this newfound knowledge. If you're an overthinker or an overanalyzer, sapphire brings clarity and order to any scattered thoughts, reflect inwardly, and allow the energy of sapphire to clear your mind of any misconceptions and unwanted thoughts, leading you to a crystal clear vision of how to express your truth constantly. That is a phenomenal message and an absolutely stunning card. Again, I'll have to post these on socials for you guys, and then Aqua Aura Quartz or Invigorate was our next one. And I have to be careful not to confuse aura quartz and aqua aura quartz because they're both in this deck. An aqua aura and aura quartz, as far as I know. The quartz is obviously a real stone. However, quartz doesn't naturally come in an aura or an aqua aura hue, if you will. That's not a mineral component of quartz when it's formed. That means that it's been heat-treated in order to add that iridescent appearance or colored iridescent appearance to the quartz itself. Doesn't mean that the stone isn't a real quartz or you know, a naturally occurring element, but it just doesn't usually have that iridescence to it. And heat treating it with another mineral element is what causes that. So it doesn't invalidate the stone, but it isn't something that you will pull out of the earth looking like that. So aqua aura quartz, this is soothing, confidence, and auric cleansing. So the presence of aqua aura quartz signifies a powerful moment of revitalization and inner peace. As the soothing and calming energy of this crystal washes over you, this card invites you to invigorate your spirit and renew your sense of calmness. Just be still in this moment to revitalize your energy, release stress, and connect with a deeper sense of peace within. Allow the gentle energy of aqua or a quartz to cleanse your spirit, uplift your emotions, and guide you towards a renewed sense of vitality and serenity. I think these are phenomenal crystals to have for our crystal prescription for the next two weeks. And incredible messages that really kind of focus on self-reflection and seeking clarity in your thoughts and clarity in expressing them. So I think those are really good. Now we're gonna do divination. Same thing. As we continue to do this in video, a lot. Of the polls that I had had before, you know, after doing the whole story and information or whatever it is that I was sharing in that episode, so many of them were so on point that I'm super excited to experience the same thing with you guys, but this time actually on video, because there's no way with some of those that you just you couldn't have you couldn't have scripted those polls, like they were so perfect. So we're looking for divinatory guidance, meaning, manifestation for our next two weeks, just like our crystal prescription. And sometimes with the cards, they don't necessarily jump out or fall out. Well, that made a liar out of me. And sometimes it just has to do with the positioning of the card or the intuition, the feeling of the card. Again, these are so stunning. I do hope that I can figure out how to get autofocus working in this kind of setting with me being so far away. Normally, when we do autofocus, we're a little bit closer to the camera, and the camera has a feature where you're able to move something in front and it will autofocus on it. I'm not sure if that works at this distance. Again, more things that we have to figure out. However, let's look at our two cards: the five of pentacles, which is green calcite, and the seven of pentacles, which is optical calcite. Gosh, these are stunning. I don't think we've ever pulled these.

SPEAKER_01 23:46

I have both of these crystals at home, but that's the five of pentacles. And this is the seven of pentacles. And of course I put that back, didn't I? Pentacles are usually a fun thing to read.

SPEAKER_00 24:16

People like to get readings with pentacles in them if they're looking for money and good fortune. Not major arcana.

SPEAKER_01 24:27

They are part of the minor arcana.

Final Encouragement And Resources

SPEAKER_00 24:32

So our pentacles, we have the five, which is first, and this is financial. Uh, this is basically revolving around if you have anxiety regarding money or a poverty wound, a poverty mindset. Green calcite signals or signifies vitality, prosperity, and emotional healing. So times are tough, and you may be too immersed in your own self-pity at the moment to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Redirect your energy to that light, ask others for help, comfort, and support. And those things are often closer than we realize. So a lot of times with the Five of Pentacles, we it focuses on our poverty wounds, our insecurity wounds, and asks us to look around them at areas of blessing or asking for comfort, support, or needs to be met to heal those wounds, to fill those wounds. And given our crystal prescription, where we are doing a lot of self-reflection and we are also clarifying our ideas and clarifying our communication about them, this comes in perfectly in between those in self-reflection and in clarifying our communication, clarifying our needs, what needs to be met in order to address these wounds or needs that we might have. So that is the five of pentacles. And the seven has to do with perseverance, growth, and hard work. Optical calcite is signifies growth and manifestation and it amplifies positive energy. You are almost there. You've been putting in the work, and your successful roots are growing. The efforts you've been putting in are beginning to manifest in your life. Things are growing well. Be patient and keep up the good work. So I think this is the perfect tie-in to asking for what you need. You have to do a lot of self-reflection and clarifying your intent and your message and clarifying your communication and asking for what you actually need to continue to sustain all of the hard work that you're doing right now. So these are phenomenal crystal prescription and dividendary cards to pull together for our next two weeks. I invite you guys to sit with those and think about their meanings to you and share them with me. Share them on socials. You guys can click the link in the show notes to text me your stories, your questions. There will also, excuse me, be a text link or text number in the video podcast notes where you guys can text me and share with me your ideas. Of course, nothing is shared on the podcast that is not express permission is not given. And anything that you share can be either completely 100% anonymous or not. It just depends on what you feel comfortable with and what permission you give. But regardless of sharing things or not, I still would love to hear from you guys, would love to hear what you want to see in the video podcast, what you want to connect with. Would love to hear your stories, would love to hear your take on the crystal prescription or perhaps the divination. And of course, always tag me in anything you do that involves self-care and taking care of yourself. And I think that is going to be about it for the very first video podcast. I just want to encourage you to practice your self-care, to utilize a lot of the tools available to you. We have them on the website, all over the place, digital, physical, even in audio format. I have some manifestations that were recorded last year, if those would be helpful for your self care right now. But take care of yourself. And as always, I love your faces.