How We Thrive

Physical well-being relates to having good health and the energy to get things done on a daily basis. That means: eat healthy foods, move in an intentional way, get rest and sleep, visit your doctor or other health care professional so you can be at your best physical condition to do the things you like to do.

This is a picture of Cyclebar, my friend Grace and I like to go when we are home from college. We can cycle while listening to music with an instructor. It is a really good workout, a fun way to exercise, and an excuse to get out of bed especially when there's not much to do on break. 

Social well-being is our sense of belonging and connection with others. That means: having two or three meaningful relationships is more valuable to your well-being than having 1,000 social media followers. This is a picture of me and my friends at prom, we have been friends since middle school. I have a small group of friends that I keep very close and I know we will always be there for each other throughout life. 

Emotional well-being is the ability to cope with, and learn from, life’s ups and downs and to understand that this struggle is necessary for growth. That means: don’t define who you are by your “worst day,” but rather accept that your thoughts, feelings and emotions do change day by day. Learn to recognize your emotions and reactions, and figure out how best to respond to them. This is a picture of the day I graduated from high school. It was a very emotional day because I knew I was going to miss my friends but I was also very proud of myself. This picture reminds me that high school was full of good and bad days that I had to learn from, but they helped me grow as a person and made me who I am today.

Community well-being is the ability to relate to and connect with others, contribute to the common good through service, and promote an environment of empathy, civility, and respect. That means: when we foster an inclusive community, we help ourselves, empower others, and feel more connected to something larger than ourselves. This is a picture of a hospice center for children I volunteered at for a few months (Exceptional Care for Children). I was able to do activities and play games with the kids. It was sad to see the condition the children were on but also very heartwarming to see how happy having company made them.

Purpose is finding the motivation, meaning and enjoyment in life. That means: it’s important to find something (may or may not be your chosen career) that makes you want to get out of bed each day. Finding your purpose isn’t automatic, and it can change throughout your life, but finding things you enjoy doing is a good place to start. This is a picture of me in a medical class I took during high school. We learned how to give CPR, inject shots, intubate, suture, and so much more. We did clinicals at the hospital every week and this is how I knew I wanted to be a nurse one day. 

Financial well-being is the ability to manage the money you have and understand how to spend it in a responsible way. That means: learn how to balance between saving for the future and living in the now for peace of mind. This is a picture of where I had my first job. Before working here I didn't know a lot about money or what it felt like to work for it. This job taught me how to save money and how to spend it properly.