I have a step-daughter-in-law and a little sister who are both Registered Nurses, or RNs. One is in the first couple years of her career and one has been a nighttime newborn ICU nurse for almost 30 years. Imagine that! Almost 30 years of being a witness to some of the toughest and most tender times in hundreds of family’s lives. Both women are amazing in their own rights and both are well-deserving of my awe and appreciation.
The term “RN”, according to USA Today, has two current meanings in our Western culture.
The first I just mentioned – “RN” stands for “registered nurse.” The abbreviation is used to identify a person who has been formally trained and meets the necessary qualifications to serve as a nurse.
“RN” can be placed after someone’s name – “Maureen Matsen, RN.”
“The second ‘rn’ is a quick, shorthand way to say the phrase ‘right now.’ It is often used in conversation, such as in text messaging, direct messaging, or emailing.”
Over the years I’ve had a lot – A LOT – of conversations with people, young and not so young, who are nervous in social situations.
SO much of the time, it’s because they don’t know what to say.
They are unsure of how to answer (sometimes invasive) questions about their dating life or their job or their major or their goals or their religious journey or their college decisions or their marriage or their health or their living situation or their future plans or their business or their wayward children or their parents’ divorce or their general wellbeing.
The list goes on and on and on.
“People are going to ask me questions and I just don’t know what to say!,” they confide to me.
One of the phrases that can provide some relief from all of those questions is “Right Now.”
In slang terms, the “abbreviation, rn, can be utilized in many ways, including if you are telling someone what you’re doing. In general, the slang expresses something occurring in the present, or a sense of immediacy.”
As in “I’m on my way rn…”
AND, in real life communication terms, that expression of “Right Now” – something occurring in the present – frees us up to be honest with people. Even when we don’t know exactly what’s coming next.
For example,
“Right now I’m working at…..(a law office and it’s been really fun!)”
“Right now I’m thinking of studying….(chemistry, but I’m taking it a semester at a time.)”
“RIght now I’m not dating anyone….(and I’m really enjoying this pottery class I’m taking.)”
“Right now we are planning on…..(moving in the fall, but it’s still up in the air. Thanks for asking!)”
Putting things in Right Now (and it might change later!) terms is an invaluable tool for awkward or anxiety-provoking questions, yes.
Positive Psychology also teaches that it is one of the best ways to remind our own brains that what we’re going through in this moment is temporary and surmountable – even if it feels otherwise.
Right now things feel really hard but….(I know I can figure it out.)
Right now I’m not sure what to do and…(the best thing might be to just take the next step.)
Right now this is what I am deciding…. (and tomorrow if I get more information, I can change my mind.)
Right now I’m feeling really sad and ….(it’s ok to be sad today. It won’t last forever.)
Giving yourself permission to make this moment of your life just that – a moment! – might be just the reframe your brain needs.
I can’t wait to hear how you’re using “right now” in your favor – and if you need help with it, I have some space in my schedule rn. (See what I did there?)
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