Why I Traded Scrubs for Styling:

My Pivot from Healthcare to Creative Direction

Welcome to the beginning of what I hope is a refreshingly different Substack.

I’m Shelley (cue the freshly tousled hair in the headshot below), and yes, I was once knee-deep in healthcare—white coats, clunky EHRs, and all the “I need to breathe into a paper bag” moments that came with it. Now? I’m here to infuse the world with more color, life, and creativity, one wardrobe and one living room at a time.

To be honest, this wasn’t some whimsical “follow your passion” leap. It was more of a burning necessity. After years of oscillating between patient care and health tech, I found myself on a relentless hamster wheel of fixing, managing, and absorbing the weight of everyone else’s needs. I poured so much into others that I left nothing for myself. It was the kind of deep exhaustion that makes you wonder if your calling is actually meant to punish you or to teach you some sort of a harsh-but-poignant lesson.

In an effort to break free, I took up burnout prevention—yes, a role dedicated to mitigating the very burnout that had consumed me.

But here’s the irony: guiding others to balance their lives ended up tipping me over the precipice. I was still giving and still ignoring my own needs, a skill honed in my years as a clinician. I couldn’t do it anymore; I needed a real break.

Soul-searching ensued, as it often does when you find yourself screaming, “F************CK!” into my squishy Casper pillow. When I soul search, I doodle. I write. I scribble. I highlight. Anyone else? It made me realize, “Wow, Shell, it’s been a while since you’ve done this, but look at you—just like riding a bike.” Only, the bike’s tires are flat, and the frame’s rusted from years of neglect. I’d left that creative side of myself on the sidelines for far too long.

Suddenly, I found myself craving a return to my Fine Arts roots, where I’d once escaped into canvases, thoughtfully designed sets, and curated spaces. Art and design never truly left my heart; they just grew quieter as I climbed the clinical ladder. And then, in a full-circle moment, I realized that my heart wasn’t only in healing people—it was in creating beauty, telling stories, and crafting spaces.

So, I made the pivot. I traded stethoscopes for color swatches, patient rounds for showroom visits, and prescription pads for mood boards. It’s not that I’ve abandoned helping others; I’ve simply changed how I do it. My new “prescriptions” might be the perfect pair of wide-leg trousers or a living room that feels less like a sterile waiting area and more like an eccentric Parisian retreat.

Now, here I am, blending the structured thinking of my healthcare past with the unorthodox flair of my artistic background. My goal is to make personal style and home spaces feel more like expressions of the soul, not just the status quo. And Washington State—let’s just say, it’s ready for a burst of bold, eclectic energy. I want to bring warmth, unpredictability, and a dash of fun to a region that’s often defined by misty mornings and minimalist design.

I want to make this region (and others like it) unapologetically interesting.

What can you expect here? Unconventional styling guides, tips for infusing personality into your home, and candid musings on what happens when you decide to completely reroute your life. This platform is a space for real talk on creativity, personal growth, and making brave choices—because style, like life, is about how it makes you feel, not just how it looks.

If you’re up for honest conversations, daring design choices, and a bit of laughter, hit that subscribe button—I’d love to have you along on this journey.

Xx- Shelley

P.S. I’d love for you to join me on this new adventure as I turn the clinical into the creative. Subscribe and let’s bring some color into the world together.