We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Daria. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Daria below.

Hi Daria, thanks for joining us today. Was there a moment in your career that meaningfully altered your trajectory? If so, we’d love to hear the backstory.

Interestingly enough, my defining moment didn’t come from a big, dramatic event. It came from a single comment during a clinical rotation in my last semester of nursing school.

At the time, I was fully focused on becoming an emergency room nurse. I was deep into rotations and felt confident that ER nursing was the path I’d follow after graduation. But one day, while shadowing a nurse in the ER, she told a patient something along the lines of: “You should be grateful you’re stable enough to not need us every second of your stay.” It was a simple comment, but not one that is said often enough. For that reason, it hit me hard.

It made me think — really think — about what it means to be well, and how much I’ve always prioritized preserving and advocating for my own health in my daily life. That one moment triggered a shift in perspective. I realized that my passion for fitness, holistic wellness, and healthy living wasn’t just a personal thing — it was a calling. I suddenly saw how all the things I do for myself could be channeled into helping others live healthier, fuller lives before they end up in a hospital bed.

At the time, I didn’t know how big of a moment it would become. But looking back, it was the catalyst. It gave me direction, vision, and a sense of purpose beyond traditional nursing. I’m still on the journey, but that experience has inspired me to pursue my CPT (Certified Personal Trainer) certification so I can work with clients in a more proactive and preventative way. I’m also looking into launching a nonprofit centered around accessible wellness and lifestyle education — something I hope will bridge the gap between healthcare and everyday health choices.

This shift didn’t mean abandoning my path in nursing — far from it. Nursing is still the heart of my professional identity. But now, it’s just one part of a much bigger picture. I want to advocate for people before they become patients. I want to inspire healthy habits, empower change, and make wellness more personal, practical, and sustainable.

If there’s one piece of wisdom I carry from this experience, it’s this: “Work hard in silence, and let your success be the noise.” Our daily habits either build us or break us — physically, mentally, emotionally. They shape not just who we are, but who we become. And every day, we get to choose.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Daria, and I’m an emergency nurse — a role I’m incredibly proud to hold. Nursing has been my dream for over five years now, and pursuing this career has been a true dream come to life. I’ve always known that I wanted to help others in a deep, tangible way, and being a nurse allows me to do that every day. What many people might not know is that my passion for healthcare extends beyond the hospital. I come from a background in movement — I was a dancer for 18 years and spent three years as a cycle instructor while teaching myself how to lift and train in the gym. Now, I’m actively working toward becoming a certified personal trainer (CPT), so I can bridge both the clinical and preventative sides of health.

The connection between those two worlds is what truly drives me. Seeing how powerful my own daily habits around health and fitness have been — not just physically, but mentally — has inspired me to share that with others. I believe deeply in the idea that movement and nutrition are medicine. While I love working in emergency care, my long-term goal is to work in pediatrics and help shift the paradigm around how we view health from an early age. Ideally, I want to help create a generational shift — one where healthy habits are taught young, and where chronic illness is addressed through lifestyle before it becomes treatment-bound.

That’s really the heart of my mission: empowering people — especially the next generation — to take their health into their own hands. Medications, hospital stays, and treatments are expensive. Movement is free. Small, consistent habits done daily take far less time than sitting in waiting rooms or managing long-term illness. The goal is not just to treat sickness, but to prevent it. That mindset is what sets my approach apart and what I’m building toward through both my nursing practice and future wellness initiatives.

Ultimately, I want people to know that I’m here for more than just the clinical side of care. I’m here to advocate for sustainable, empowered health — for kids, families, and anyone who’s ready to take control of their wellness story. What I’m most proud of so far is staying true to that vision, even as I build it. I’m still in the early stages of that larger mission, but I truly believe it’s where I’m meant to be.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

Discipline — hands down. While training and knowledge are essential, they only take you so far if you don’t have the consistency and drive to show up every single day, especially when you don’t feel motivated.

Working in emergency nursing, and now also stepping into the fitness and wellness space, I’ve realized that discipline is what carries you through the long shifts, the mentally draining days, and the moments when progress feels slow or invisible. In both healthcare and fitness, people often see the end result — the job title, the healthy body, the success story — but they don’t always see the hours, the habits, or the choices that happen behind the scenes, day in and day out.

For me, discipline has looked like maintaining my own health and fitness routines through nursing school, long clinical days, and now ER shifts. It’s what helped me build strength — not just physically, but mentally. And it’s also the message I try to share with others: that your habits matter more than your highs. Motivation is fleeting, but discipline keeps showing up.

In my field, where the stakes are high and the emotional toll can be intense, discipline helps you stay grounded. It builds resilience, focus, and integrity. And when you combine that with heart — the desire to help people live better lives — it becomes a powerful force for real, lasting impact.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Two books in particular have had a major impact on how I approach not only my work and future entrepreneurial goals, but also how I live day-to-day: Garden City by John Mark Comer and Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Garden City completely shifted how I view work and purpose. It frames work not just as a job or career, but as a calling — something sacred that we’re meant to steward with intention and care. As someone deeply rooted in both nursing and wellness, that idea really spoke to me. The book helped me understand that rest is just as important as productivity, and that success isn’t only about hustle — it’s about alignment, meaning, and showing up in a way that reflects who you are and what you’re created for. I’ve also been fortunate to have a strong spiritual community that reinforces these principles, keeping me grounded in a sense of mission greater than myself. That spiritual foundation gives everything I do a deeper sense of purpose — whether I’m in the ER, coaching a fitness client, or dreaming about future nonprofit work.

Atomic Habits complemented that perspective by giving me the practical tools to build a life around my values. That book made me realize that big transformations don’t come from massive, one-time changes — they come from small, consistent habits that compound over time. As someone who’s passionate about lifestyle medicine and preventative health, that message really hit home. It also helped me see how discipline — not motivation — is the real driver of long-term success. That principle shows up in every area of my life, from how I care for patients to how I take care of myself, and how I hope to lead others in the future.

Together, these books — along with the accountability and encouragement I’ve found in my faith community — have shaped the way I approach my work, my goals, and the way I want to build something that truly serves others. Whether it’s in healthcare, fitness, or future entrepreneurial ventures, I want everything I do to reflect both purpose and discipline — and to help others tap into those same truths in their own lives.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dailywithdaria/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@dailywithdaria