Michelle Scotton Franklin, PhD, FNP, PMHNP

It still suprises me when people say "you can get a PhD in nursing?" My response - absolutely like other PhDs #PhD #Nurses generate much needed knowledge. My thought - nurse scientists I know are among the top intellectuals I know in breath and depth. You should meet them!

Designed for NC primary care teams who want practical, case-informed strategies for caring for children with autism & I/DD — from diagnostics to transition to adulthood. Register once for all sessions: 🔗 NCPAL.org (yellow banner) Hope to see you there

Providers & clinical team members — join us tomorrow! The I/DD Deeper Dive: Supporting Children with Autism & I/DD in Clinic and Beyond series kicks off March 3. 🗓 Tuesdays | March 3–June 9 ⏰ 12:10–1:00 PM (virtual) 🎓 Up to 6 CEUs

Just rest. Sometimes the most important thing we can do is pause and practice stillness. What does rest look like for you today? ☕ Slow coffee? 📖 Reading? 🚶‍♀️ A quiet walk? 😴 Sleeping in? Tell me below — or drop a 🙌 if you’re giving yourself permission to rest too.

Rainy-morning reminder 🌧️ Rest is not a reward we earn after doing everything — it’s part of how we stay well, creative, and grounded. This morning I’m leaning into it: still in bed, rain tapping the windows, reading and letting my body, heart, and mind catch up. No rushing.

What’s your one word for 2026? Save this. Reflect on it. Come back to it mid-year. Words matter—especially the ones we choose to live by. #OneWord2026 #CreateWithIntention #LeadershipWithHeart #HealthIsNotOptional #StillnessAndStrategy #OptimizingHealth #CreateYourLife

If you’re curious about how this philosophy shows up in my coaching and consulting work through Optimizing Health Collaborative, drop the word CREATE in the comments and I’ll share more. And now I want to hear from you 👇

My One Aword for 2026: CREATE. Create new research. Create offerings that truly serve through my coaching and consulting work. Create deeper relationships—personally and professionally. Create space to prioritize my own health. That may sound like a lot.

Here’s to remembering. Here’s to the brave “what if we…” And here’s to 2026.

In the meantime, check out my post from yesterday for my first offering for individuals who are ready to discover (or rediscover) what they are made to create — and the contributions they are uniquely equipped to make.

Last day of 2025. A remembering. 🐬 I had always wanted to swim with and kiss a dolphin. And somehow… I forgot. Not because it didn’t matter. But because life gets full. Responsibilities pile up. Dreams get quiet. Then a friend made a simple invitation — a “what if we…”

No managing anyone else’s needs. Just space to rest, reflect, and breathe. That kind of quiet matters to me—and I’m making room for more of it. What about you? What’s one good thing you want to carry forward into 2026?

Instead of asking what needs to change, I’m asking something softer—and more powerful: What is one positive experience I want to intentionally replicate in 2026? For me, it’s taking time just for me. A slow getaway. No caretaking. No accommodating.

This week I am in Buxton, on Hatteras Island, North Carolina—a place that invites me to slow all the way down. As the year closes, I’m taking time to reflect on what’s been, thoughtfully plan for what’s ahead, and get quiet enough to hear myself again.

After 2 years of using ChatGPT, I can say that it is the technology that has revolutionized my life the most, along with the Internet. So here are 10 prompts that have transformed my day-to-day life and that could do the same for you.