From Scrubs to Sparkles: My Journey from Psychiatric RN to Creating Milan’s Magic

Hey there, friends of Milan’s Magic! Today, I wanted to pull back the curtain (and maybe the hospital privacy curtain, too!) and share a bit about my journey from being a psychiatric registered nurse to launching a brand that’s all about magic, mindfulness, and, yes, a little sparkle.

For a little while, I was a psychiatric RN—yep, one of the folks on the front lines helping patients untangle their mental and emotional well-being, one complex layer at a time. People often ask if I ever saw “anything wild” on the job, and while I can’t share the juicy details (HIPAA, you know!), let’s just say my days were never dull! I became a master of creative problem-solving, learned how to talk to anyone about anything, and got very comfortable with being serenaded in the most random ways by patients and colleagues alike.

It was an incredible experience that taught me about resilience, the importance of self-care, and just how much we all need a little help to get by sometimes. The days were long, sometimes intense, but filled with moments of connection, laughter, and a deep, profound respect for human vulnerability. And, of course, a good dose of humor was always necessary to lighten up the hard stuff—ask any psych nurse!

But as fulfilling as that role was, I always felt this little spark inside of me that wasn’t entirely satisfied. I wanted to create something that would reach people beyond the hospital walls, something that could encourage self-care in everyday life, but with a little magic and mystique to make it exciting! And that’s how Milan’s Magic was born.

Now, let’s be honest, creating a business is like nursing in that no two days are the same, and sometimes things go wildly off plan. The only difference? I get to swap scrubs for cozy pajamas (or sparkly leggings if I’m feeling fancy). I wanted Milan’s Magic to be a brand that brought a bit of that psychiatric RN spirit—the care, the connection, the mental health focus—into a fun, approachable, and maybe even a little mystical form. I mean, who doesn’t want a little enchantment mixed in with their self-care?

So here I am, making candles that smell like relaxation in a jar, designing planners to help people find calm in the chaos, and even creating coloring books that offer a moment of peace in the middle of life’s busyness. Every product at Milan’s Magic is inspired by what I learned in nursing—how we all need small moments to unwind, reconnect with ourselves, and just breathe.

It’s a new kind of therapy for me, in a way. I get to reach out to people in a different setting, offering them not just products but little tools for self-care and mindfulness. My candles don’t require a prescription (well, unless it’s for the “cozy at all costs” variety!), and my planners come with zero side effects. And, unlike some things I encountered as a nurse, my voodoo doll keychains are all in good fun, no therapy needed—though they might make for the cutest stress relief.

Thanks for coming along on this journey with me, and for letting me bring a little piece of my heart—and, okay, a lot of pink and purple sparkle—into your lives. Here’s to finding magic in the everyday, one candle, planner, or coloring book page at a time!

With love and a dash of magic,

Milan