Your Health Journey Scholarship

A healthy life is so much more than someone's physical appearance or weight. It is important to be well-rounded in health with equal weight given to both physical and mental health. I grew up in a home where creativity was encouraged. I read books, painted, wrote stories, sang, acted, and so much more. I wish, however, that my parents had cultivated an appreciation for physical health. I never played a sport and thought that gyms were not worth my time. Once I started gaining weight in college and saw my mental health decline, I decided to take charge of my overall health. I stepped out of my comfort zone and took a women's weightlifting class which sparked a new passion for me. My wonderful and understanding partner has been encouraging me during the last two and a half years to be more physically active. Instead of making me feel silly for having hardly any experience in running, he has always ran right next to me at my pace and pushed me to go farther than I had ever realized I could. For the entirety of our relationship, he has always been my motivator. I recently signed up for a 5k for the first time in my life as a 22-year-old. Instead of congratulating me, my parents asked me why I would do such a thing because "Running is terrible!" I know that their intentions are never to hold me back from doing what I love, but I will learn from their little mistake and encourage my own future children to be physically active. Eating mindfully is something that I have been working on as well. It is hard in a world of convenient food in a busy life of school, work, and relationships. My partner has been a great motivator for me in this area as well as we cook at home together every day. I will say that sometimes he goes for the best taste and not always the healthiest option, but it is something we are exploring together. I have struggled with depression for many years. This may be what has impacted my overall health the most. I continue to fight back though by doing simple things like getting enough sunshine, drinking enough water, and laughing at the little things. I not only attend therapy but encourage everyone to give it a try! I currently take an anti-depressant - something I have always been against for myself personally. It is my goal to wean myself off of it now that it has been a whole year. It affects my weight and prevents me from feeling intense emotion. That works out great when I used to experience extreme sadness, but I miss feeling true and utter joy. Something that elevates my mental health is the importance I feel in my work as a researcher and as a student of speech language pathology. Knowing that my effort has even a little impact on the worthy lives of others warms my heart. While I sometimes struggle to maintain the healthiest lifestyle, I know of its true importance. I remind myself everyday that my overall health will affect every aspect of my life. I am continually working on being mindful in my physical health through weightlifting, walking, running, and eating well. And I am actively overcoming my mental health issues one day at a time through meditation, creativity, stretching, therapy, exercise, and laughing at the little things with the people I love.