Over the course of this semester, I have set a lot of goals, as well as achieved some regarding my health and wellness. I have also made some lifestyle changes with these goals that I am very happy with.
I initially singed up for the HLAC class to have an excuse to go rock climbing again because I hadn't made time to climb in the last year. Little did I know that by the end of the semester, I would have a new occupation, be eating a totally different way, making more time to build relationship with friends, as well as exercising regularly each week. I think that these changes really came about at the beginning of the semester when we had to do the wellness assessment. It really made me think about my lifestyle and habits.
I was in a job that was so incredibly draining emotionally for me. I was in charge of taking care of someone else's life , and it was leading to me not taking care of me.At the end of the day, all I wanted to do was lay down and not take care of my own life because my efforts for the day were already for someone else's behalf. This was not going very well for me. I was recognizing this unhealthy behavior and mindset, and how much it was affecting my life negatively in my physical health as well as my relationships with my family and friends. I was originally not going to sing up for classes, but made my first step to a healthier life mentally by signing up for this climbing class. This was going to be the first thing that I was taking the time out of my day for my own pleasure in a long while.
I made a goal before the class started to make new friends in this environment, to help create a support group to keep up with this new habit of rock climbing each week. In order to accomplish my goal, I made an effort to get to know everybody in my class, and have a meaningful conversation with them. This gave me such a boost emotionally! I hadn't made that kind of time to really talk with a new person in a while, and I remembered how fulfilling it is to create new friendships and share moments with other people. In my second class of the semester, I talked more with a girl I had introduced myself to last time, and got talking to her about what she did for work. Turns out, her field of interest was exactly what I was hoping to study! She invited me to come volunteer with the environmental non-profit she worked for, and then in a few weeks, I was being hired on as an intern! I was able to quit my draining job, start working and doing something that I love, as well as make a load of new friends in the process.
During this semester, I really got to thinking of different ways to help myself live a healthier life. I immediately thought about my diet as well as current health issues. I made it my goal to get on top of my health by making an appointment with my doctor and having some guidance as where to start my process of healing or living with this health issue. He helped me come up with a plan, and I was able to quit taking my current digestive medicine that was causing my health problems to be worse. I also made an effort to start eating a vegetarian diet, as well as eating regular meals. These things helped me have more energy, as well as helped me feel less sick so I wanted to exercise more.
Having class once a week helped me begin my new exercise habit. Starting easy by a once a week commitment helped me later on build upon that and now I exercise three times a week. I even got a membership to the climbing gym so I am able to keep this exercise habit up, and keep rock climbing even though my class is over.
All of these components of my new healthier life have helped me feel less stress about life, and have made me feel so much happier. So much has happened this semester, and I am so glad that it all started with my simple decision to start rock climbing again.
