Meet FRÉ Ambassador Chelsea Flynn, ER Nurse & Coach

@chelsea__flynn

About me: I was born in Northern California, and now, I live in LA county in Southern California. I’m a coach and an ER nurse. I believe in owning the responsibility of your life and having more intention. I see the complexity of life decisions on a daily basis and how easily you can land yourself in my ER. The crazy thing is that 90% of the injuries and illnesses that I see are preventable, so, if your habits aren’t serving you, then they need to be changed. The world, and particularly America, needs more intention and prevention.

SKINCARE

My skin challenges

There’s often a strong mindset to EXFOLIATE! Strip skin! In the past, I definitely exfoliated too much which damaged my skin and led to breakouts. I appreciate FRÉ, because it supports what my skin wants and needs, and it’s not abrasive—it's hydrating and it really protects. When I am working, I wear lots of masks and face shields, and underneath all the protective gear, I sweat, so it’s very important for me to keep my skin clean and protected.

When I am working, I wear lots of masks and face shields, and underneath all the protective gear, I sweat, so it’s very important for me to keep my skin clean and protected.

My daily routine

When I wake up, I use  PURIFY ME.  Then, I hydrate my skin with  REVIVE ME,  and lastly, I put on  PROTECT ME.  At night, I shower, and then, either exfoliate well with  DETOX ME  or use  PURIFY ME.  Next, I apply  REVIVE ME,  and on top of that, I use  I AM LOVE  or  100% Organic Argan Oil  or  RECOVER ME.  I also use  REFRESH ME  after I cleanse at night and I love it! 

My favorite FRÉ

My all time favorite FRÉ is  I AM LOVE!  I put it on at night, and when I wake up the next day, I feel reset. I get my glow back. Sometimes, my skin feels so beat up after work, and  I AM LOVE  makes such a difference.

A day in the life of an ER nurse

I’ve been nursing for 10 years. It's challenging and it pushes you. With COVID-19 things have changed. Morale is really low right now. I work at the Kaiser Permanente South Base; it’s a big medical facility with a hazmat center outside. My days are about prioritizing every minute. I triage patients, check patients in and take care of the flow of the department. There are lots of different roles to play. 

My fitness journey

Athletics has always had a significant place in  my life. When I began nursing school, it was a 180-degree change; it was all study and a huge amount of stress. When you feel overwhelmed, translating these feelings into movement can be liberating. So when I was studying, I would go running just to find an outlet to decompress. From running, I transitioned to weight lifting and CrossFit and became extremely competitive. I also was working as a nurse full-time. I was a leader and was helping people around me to employ movement in order to improve their lives, though I wasn't coaching yet. 

So when I was studying, I would go running just to find an outlet to decompress.

In the emergency room, I deal with illness; it’s not really healthcare. Healthcare is learning to take care of yourself daily. I wanted a role in the preventative side of medicine. I ended up taking part-time positions at two hospitals and simultaneously coaching at  Orangetheory.  I wanted to make a difference in the community and push people with more intention. 

Fitness tips

1. Focus on moving your body every day.  It’s all about your mindset.
2. Decision making is important when it comes to nutrition.  Your relationship with food is an essential part of your life; it cannot be based on a fad diet. 
3. Balance is huge.  I’ve worked night shifts, had zero balance and burnt my candle at both ends. Rest and balance and allowing grace in your life is essential.

Medical mission trips 

A year after I graduated college, I had the opportunity to provide medical assistance to communities that do not have access to modern healthcare. It was such an enlightening experience that it became one of my passions. First, I was in Panama and we served a tribe called the Kuna. It was a very educational and eye-opening experience. We set up a clinic at a school. The members of the tribe live in huts and we had to shake hands with their leader when we got there. We showed them basic sanitation practices, like boiling water, and dealt with lots of health issues including skin infections, which were common within the tribe. We provided antiparasitic medication and dental extractions. People were walking around with rotten teeth for years. Given enough time, even something as common as a cavity can kill you.

I think we had the most impact in Bolivia. We went to multiple sites and set up clinics that provided pap smears, screenings for children, antibiotics and medicines. We furnished people with glasses and cleaned out ear wax (which sounds trivial but can have a substantial impact on hearing). We also brought clean water to different villages. These experiences were invaluable and they made me revisit the gratitude I have for my own life, including basic amenities like running water. 

Rapid Fire:

• Favorite exercise?  Running
• What does sweat mean to you?  Life 
• What comes to mind first when you think of FRÉ?  Support—you are supporting my skin 
• What are you most excited about in life right now?  Creating. It’s a weird time right now, but there’s an opportunity to create something new.
• What’s something you’d still love to learn?  I’m a mindset and wellness junky. I never stop researching this stuff. Nothing else matters if you can’t redirect your story.
• If you were a hashtag, what would you be?  #lightitup
• What is your mantra?  Watch me succeed (or even just: watch me). I believe you always can.
• What’s the best advice that you’ve ever received in your life?  I recently read The Art Of Fear, which describes how our emotions are great learning tools if we can respect them enough. 
• What is an issue that you wish we spoke about more often?  Intention with prevention. It’s not about goal weights, it’s about responsibility and living better. 
• What does women’s empowerment mean in 2020?  We can take up space.
• What are your dreams for the FRÉ community?  Connection. This is huge and it's what I crave right now. I know a lot of people who aren’t isolating even though they should be. But finding ways to safely connect with communities is essential.