Nearly ten years ago, my family and I endured one of the most heartbreaking, traumatic losses anyone could imagine. As my siblings and said our goodbyes, my father lost his second long battle against a rare type of cancer. At the young age of eight, I hardly understood how this dramatic life-event would affect my everyday life and alter my educational future. My mom faced medical bills, household bills, and supporting the needs of five children without anyone by her side. She would have to financially cover nearly all of my education expenses by herself. Though this sounded impossible and daunting, my mother took on all newfound responsibility, embracing the stress and finding ways to provide for and support my education. Mom wanted to continue homeschooling me despite having to find a job—and against all odds, she found a way. She began buying rental properties, maintaining multiple Airbnbs, and running her own LLC from home to provide for us. During this, mom took time out of her hectic schedule to help me complete my schoolwork. When I had questions about math or English, she would pause her work and work beside me until I understood each concept. The spirit with which she taught inspired me to work diligently and with a good disposition. She could have easily sent me to a tutor or enrolled me in public school, but mom cared for my emotional well-being over her own ease. At times when I was sad about my father or just experienced a bad day, she always understood and gave me grace in the moment. After years of schooling at home, mom realized I needed a change of pace and a bit more social structure. Mom knows when something does not work optimally for me and knows my learning style, but also values my opinion. Thus, even something financially as huge as choosing my school path has been a process we have gone through as a team. After months of saving up and carefully managing our finances, mom informed me I could attend the private school of my dreams in my final year of high school. This news came as a huge, joyous surprise to me, and I have reaped so many benefits from my mom’s sacrificial attitude surrounding my education. Though I will graduate this year, my mom will continue to support my educational aspirations and help me pay for college. However, I want to help out as much as I possibly can, working to repay her for years of sacrificing her own comfort for my well-being and success. I hope to attend a private college near my hometown and pursue a bachelor's degree in exercise science. After this, I dream of attending physical therapy school. Despite her amazing financial support, my mom cannot cover the cost of a four-year degree and PT school as well. Thus, I am working tirelessly to help cover the cost of my education and to honor my mother for her selflessness. Any outside help, such as this generous scholarship, would bring me one step closer to my dream career.

At eight years old, I walked in from a long, solo play date outside under the pecan trees into the house. Around this time in my life, the indoors mostly reminded me of declining health, talk of hospital visits, and a looming, ugly term—cancer. My father, a man I loved more than my immature mind could fathom, lost a bit more of his physical strength and well-being`` each week. Dad rested stretched out and comfortable on the couch. At this point in his treatment, dad’s eyes and smile were the only physicality that appeared somewhat normal—the rest of his body frail and pale from chemotherapy. He noticed my entry and grinned, slowly moving his hand to pat an open spot on the sofa beside him. We watched Jeopardy! and The Andy Griffith Show together, a nightly tradition he and I always took seriously. Years later, I sit in the same room and watch Jeopardy! and occasionally Andy Griffith, only these days, dad isn’t here beside me. The living room reminds me of him more than any other place in our home, a place where many tickling sessions, holiday gatherings, and dinners took place. Two matching chairs, both of which have been reupholstered several times, have been in my parents’ home long before I was even born. Every morning before church, dad settled down into one of these chairs with the Sunday paper. He sorted through the news to locate the comics or “funny papers” for me. I eagerly read and shared these comics with dad while he looked over the local news and sports sections. Our little dog Sophie always jumped up to snuggle in beside him while he read. To this day, Sophie still naps in dad’s chair and squeezes in beside whoever chooses to sit there. Whenever I sit in dad’s favorite chair, I recall late afternoons spent in the living room watching my favorite childhood TV show, Wild Krats, waiting for him to arrive home from work. Most days, dad would give me a big hug and go change for our afternoon escapades to Walmart or Bass Pro Shop. These little trips were our time to goof off together. After I settled into the passenger seat of his red truck, he would put in a music CD, usually gospel music or Christian rock. He always made a simple afternoon errand to the store fun and exciting--making me laugh at his partly fake road rage, singing awkwardly in the car, and attempting to hide from mom the fact we bought a secret sweet treat while out and about. In our family kitchen, dad would hide a “secret” stash of his sweets of choice behind some glass jars on a shelf beside the refrigerator. Necco Wafers, disks of lightly colored confection with essentially no distinct flavor beyond pure sugar, were dad’s weakness. Although our kitchen no longer has the shelf where dad kept his Necco Wafers, that area of our kitchen still brings back happy memories of sneaking a bite or two of candy with him. Alongside Necco Wafers, dad enjoyed another odd, pastel-colored confection: Jordan almonds. My mom, siblings and I jokingly picked on him for loving a candy with little to no distinct flavor and a great potential to break your jaw if you attempted to chew it. One springtime around Easter, dad came bounding in the front door with a baby-blue bag of these candied nuts, a huge smile on his face. Although reluctant, I tried one of the sugar-coated almonds for the sake of my father, who stood there grinning and eating them wholeheartedly. Sometimes, I stand in the same spot in our dining room and imagine him introducing me to his favorite candy all over again. Oftentimes, I look through old shoe boxes of family photos, many featuring my dad and me in our home. One snap shows dad snuggling me as an infant with a huge, proud grin. Others document one of dad’s birthday celebrations, showing four-year-old me eagerly handing him gifts to unwrap. A later photo shows dad, bald from chemotherapy, standing beside two of his smiling coworkers. Both had completely shaved their heads in dad’s honor. Several pictures taken in our family garage show me at dad’s side, “helping” him complete home projects. These captured memories, alongside countless others experienced in my home, never fail to comfort and remind me of the impact my father continues to have on my life. After losing Dad, I focus on the positives in even my darkest, most horrible moments, because he did so during his.

Great attorney, president, and activist Nelson Mandela urged others not to “judge” him by his “success” but “by how many times [he] fell down and got back up again.” After researching Mandela’s life and other leaders, renowned athletes, and CEOs, I discovered a common trait among them all: resilience. Michael Phelps continued swimming in an Olympic race with water in his goggles. Robert Herjavec escaped communism in Yugoslavia to begin a new life in America. J.K. Rowling continued publishing book after book until she became a globally-recognized author. Inspired by the way many of these people have thrived and remained steady through oppression, defeat, and poverty, I have taken responsibility for how I react to life’s inevitable difficulties. Resilience means much more to me than simply “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties” or “toughness.” Resilience is a character trait, a personality type, and the hallmark of an intelligent, adaptable human being. It is something earned by enduring even life’s toughest battles and looking back on them with gratitude. Hardships have only increased my mental, emotional, and physical capacities in life. For years I never stopped to realize this, but recently, I have come to an understanding and appreciation of how certain life events shaped me into who I am today. My father’s death from cancer, watching family member struggle with addiction, periods of extreme anxiety and loneliness—all of it made me uniquely marked. Not in the sense that I am defective, but in the sense that those experiences have added beautiful brushstrokes to the blank canvas of my life story. After stepping back and admiring difficulties from a new perspective, I have learned to embrace my strength and analyze how I can help others through my experiences. This is why I am pursuing a college degree. This is why I keep learning and educating others when I can. When my friend lost her father to a stroke, I looked back on my grief during my father’s death to better understand her emotions. From this, I could better understand and empathize with her feelings and help comfort her. When someone close to me mentions their depression or loneliness, I step back and remember what tactics help me overcome dark feelings so I might share and help them through a rough patch of life. Overall, empathy, understanding, and common ground are all direct products of a resilient person—a person I hope to continue being throughout my future career in the health and fitness field. Mindset is a huge aspect of health, and something I plan on tying into my business and personal life. Hopefully, by pursuing obtaining a college degree, my future clients will see a spirit of resilience in me and be inspired to live courageously, look back on difficulties with gratitude, and allow themselves to see their strength.

Great attorney, president, and activist Nelson Mandela urged others not to “judge” him by his “success” but “by how many times [he] fell down and got back up again.” After researching Mandela’s life and other leaders, renowned athletes, and CEOs, I discovered a common trait among them all: resilience. Michael Phelps continued swimming in an Olympic race with water in his goggles. Robert Herjavec escaped communism in Yugoslavia to begin a new life in America. J.K. Rowling continued publishing book after book until she became a globally-recognized author. Inspired by the way many of these people have thrived and remained steady through oppression, defeat, and poverty, I have taken responsibility for how I react to life’s inevitable difficulties. Resilience means much more to me than simply “the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties” or “toughness.” Resilience is a character trait, a personality type, the hallmark of an intelligent, adaptable human being. It is something earned by enduring even life’s toughest battles and looking back on them with gratitude. Hardships have only increased my mental, emotional, and physical capacities in life. For years I never stopped to realize this, but recently, I have come to an understanding and appreciation of how certain life events shaped me into who I am today. My father’s death from cancer, watching family member struggle with addiction, periods of extreme anxiety and loneliness—all of it made me uniquely marked. Not in the sense that I am defective, but in the sense that those experiences have added beautiful brushstrokes to the blank canvas of my life story. After stepping back and admiring difficulties from a new perspective, I have learned to embrace my strength and analyze how I can help others through my experiences. When my friend lost her father to a stroke, I looked back on my grief during my father’s death to better understand her emotions. From this, I could better understand and empathize with her feelings and help comfort her. When someone close to me mentions their depression or loneliness, I step back and remember what tactics help me overcome dark feelings so I might share and help them through a rough patch of life. Overall, empathy, understanding, and common ground are all direct products of a resilient person—a person I hope to continue being throughout my future career in the health and fitness field. Mindset is a huge aspect of health, and something I plan on tying into my business and personal life. Hopefully, my future clients will see a spirit of resilience in me and be inspired to live courageously, look back on difficulties with gratitude, and allow themselves to see their strengths.

Throughout my high school experience and beyond, I take great responsibility for the way I communicate with those around me and the way I carry myself. Even the simplest actions, words, and gestures affect not only how others view me, but the way I view myself and my abilities. Over the past few years, connecting with people through my various jobs, at school, and even at gatherings with family and friends has greatly impacted my demeanor in social situations and has allowed me to grow as an induvial. By attending college, I hope to travel further down this path of personal development by creating meaningful connections with other students, capitalizing on my academic and social strengths. In the summer months before my junior year of high school, I felt a strong desire to find a job and learn about the working world. Although it felt odd initially, writing a resume and putting in many, many applications was a rewarding process in the end. Several businesses offered me a job position, and I ended up starting at a local frozen custard shop a few days later. Almost a year and a half later, I have worked several jobs, some simultaneously, and experienced various working and social environments. Dealing with difficult customers, interesting coworkers, and various bosses granted me perspective on how intense, varied, and stressful the world can be. Experiencing extreme busyness, forced multitasking, and expanding my social bandwidth at work caused new, positive qualities to emerge in myself on the job and beyond. Foremost, the way I view school assignments changed greatly. I have always held myself to high standards academically, but mostly I would approach school with a sour “get it done as fast as possible” mindset. Over the past year, I have learned to look at even the most difficult, time-consuming assignments with increased patience, confidence, and without excessive internal or verbal complaints. Of course, sometimes I fail at maintaining this mindset, but translating qualities and attitudes I practice at my job to my school life has tremendously aided my academic performance. By attending college, I hope to continue my goal of pushing myself and growing further academically and socially. I will persist in my effort to view school, even the most difficult aspects of learning, as a blessing rather than a task. Foremost, connecting with classmates and finding common ground, common interests, and balancing each other’s strengths and weaknesses is something I look forward to pursuing during my college career.

Throughout my childhood, I have been immersed in the world of health and fitness. My mother worked as a personal trainer for years, my father regularly lifted weights, and my siblings engaged in sports and attend the gym regularly. Alongside physical activity, my family continually prioritizes home cooking, consuming whole, nourishing food. As I mature, I have grown to love and appreciate living the healthy lifestyle my parents and siblings have modeled. As a senior in high school, movement and nutrition are my passion, things that have been instilled in me my entire life—-things I actively work toward learning more about every single day. Ultimately, learning as much as possible about health, fitness, and food in order to improve the lives of others is my goal in life—important to me no matter how hectic school becomes. Over the past few years, I have continually educated myself on health and fitness through the things I choose to read, watch, and listen to outside of school. Even as a freshman in high school, I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of health, finding articles online outlining “The Best Anti-Oxidant-Rich Foods” or “How to Increase Muscle Mass for Metabolic Health.” Similarly, I have continually listened to podcasts and watched videos from world-renowned health and fitness experts such as Sal DeStefano, Max Lugavere, and Dr. Andrew Huberman. Through the wisdom of others, I have gleaned knowledge which I hope to expand upon in my future career. Experts in the field inspire me to keep learning and to pursue my own podcast, website, or YouTube channel in the future. Most important to me is practicing what I preach: taking knowledge to heart and using it for the benefit of my own health and wellbeing, even while actively in school. At fifteen years old, I completed my first extended water-only fast. For 4 days, I measured my blood glucose, ketones, and heart rate and documented any changes over the course of the fast. Today, I fast occasionally and focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods for the sake of my mental and physical performance. I love exercising, especially weightlifting, so maintaining my body with adequate micro and macronutrients is highly important. No matter the benefits health and fitness bring to me, my end goal in learning more about these things, even into my college and business careers, remains to help those struggling with their health. In college, I hope to pursue a degree in Health Sciences. Such knowledge, the wealth of things I have already learned, and my passion and love for people will take me places. If I have an opportunity to learn and grow, I will take it—not solely for my own success, but in hopes I will impact others as a result.

Throughout my childhood, I have been immersed in the world of health and fitness. My mother worked as a personal trainer for years, my father regularly lifted weights, and my siblings engaged in sports and attend the gym regularly. Alongside physical activity, my family continually prioritizes home cooking, consuming whole, nourishing food. As I mature, I have grown to love and appreciate living the healthy lifestyle my parents and siblings have modeled. As a senior in high school, movement and nutrition are my passion, things that have been instilled in me my entire life—-things I actively work toward learning more about every single day. Ultimately, learning as much as possible about health, fitness, and food in order to improve the lives of others is my goal in life—important to me no matter how hectic school becomes. Over the past few years, I have continually educated myself on health and fitness through the things I choose to read, watch, and listen to outside of school. Even as a freshman in high school, I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of health, finding articles online outlining “The Best Anti-Oxidant-Rich Foods” or “How to Increase Muscle Mass for Metabolic Health.” Similarly, I have continually listened to podcasts and watched videos from world-renowned health and fitness experts such as Sal DeStefano, Max Lugavere, and Dr. Andrew Huberman. Through the wisdom of others, I have gleaned knowledge which I hope to expand upon in my future career. Experts in the field inspire me to keep learning and to pursue my own podcast, website, or YouTube channel in the future. Most important to me is practicing what I preach: taking knowledge to heart and using it for the benefit of my own health and wellbeing, even while actively in school. At fifteen years old, I completed my first extended water-only fast. For 4 days, I measured my blood glucose, ketones, and heart rate and documented any changes over the course of the fast. Today, I fast occasionally and focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods for the sake of my mental and physical performance. I love exercising, especially weightlifting, so maintaining my body with adequate micro and macronutrients is highly important. No matter the benefits health and fitness bring to me, my end goal in learning more about these things, even into my college and business careers, remains to help those struggling with their health. In college, I hope to pursue a degree in Health Sciences. Such knowledge, the wealth of things I have already learned, and my passion and love for people will take me places. If I have an opportunity to learn and grow, I will take it—not solely for my own success, but in hopes I will impact others as a result.

Throughout my childhood, I have been immersed in the world of health and fitness. My mother worked as a personal trainer for years, my father regularly lifted weights, and my siblings engaged in sports and attend the gym regularly. Alongside physical activity, my family continually prioritizes home cooking, consuming whole, nourishing food. As I mature, I have grown to love and appreciate living the healthy lifestyle my parents and siblings have modeled. As a senior in high school, movement and nutrition are my passion, things that have been instilled in me my entire life—-things I actively work toward learning more about every single day. Ultimately, learning as much as possible about health, fitness, and food in order to improve the lives of others is my goal in life—important to me no matter how hectic school becomes. Over the past few years, I have continually educated myself on health and fitness through the things I choose to read, watch, and listen to outside of school. Even as a freshman in high school, I enjoyed immersing myself in the world of health, finding articles online outlining “The Best Anti-Oxidant-Rich Foods” or “How to Increase Muscle Mass for Metabolic Health.” Similarly, I have continually listened to podcasts and watched videos from world-renowned health and fitness experts such as Sal DeStefano, Max Lugavere, and Dr. Andrew Huberman. Through the wisdom of others, I have gleaned knowledge that I hope to expand upon in my future career. Experts in the field inspire me to keep learning and to pursue my own podcast, website, or YouTube channel in the future. Most important to me is practicing what I preach: taking knowledge to heart and using it for the benefit of my own health and wellbeing, even while actively in school. At fifteen years old, I completed my first extended water-only fast. For 4 days, I measured my blood glucose, ketones, and heart rate and documented any changes over the course of the fast. Today, I fast occasionally and focus on eating whole, nutrient-dense foods for the sake of my mental and physical performance. I love exercising, especially weightlifting, so maintaining my body with adequate micro and macronutrients is highly important. No matter the benefits health and fitness bring to me, my end goal in learning more about these things, even into my college and business careers, remains to help those struggling with their health. In college, I hope to pursue a degree in Health Sciences. Such knowledge, the wealth of things I have already learned, and my passion and love for people will take me places. If I have an opportunity to learn and grow, I will take it—not solely for my own success, but in hopes I will impact others as a result.

Over the past two years, I have altered the way I start my day-both mentally and physically. I believe that to maintain balance and clarity in my everyday life, I must start my mornings in an organized manner beneficial for my health and the day ahead. During my freshman year of high school, I would wake up with nearly no set purpose for my morning, a mistake that directly affected how the rest of my day played out. Around seven-thirty, I would finally drag myself out of bed after lying there for a few moments with little motivation to move. After making my way to the kitchen, I would pick around on whatever random food I discovered and bargain with myself on whether to start school or procrastinate in some way. School was a burden. Time was wasted and my mind wandered aimlessly. Some might relate to my former morning struggles, but this cycle can be broken by focusing on a few key habits every day. As soon as I wake up around five or six am, I make my bed. This is non-negotiable. Something as simple as pulling a blanket up and arranging pillows might sound mundane and trivial, but it is the first act of organization I engage in for the day and gives me an instant feeling of accomplishment. Navy SEAL William H. McRaven notes making your bed “demonstrate[s] discipline…show[s] attention to detail, and at the end of the day it…remind[s] [you] that [you have] done something well, something to be proud of, no matter how small the task.” His sentiments certainly ring true for me. Next, I wash my face and brush my teeth and hair. Again, these habits might sound insignificant at first, but when I fail to do them, I notice adverse effects. My motivation lowers and I feel sleepier without freshening up before the day begins. In early high school, I would skip this step and immediately guzzle down coffee on an empty stomach. Not only would this make me feel lightheaded and dizzy, but it slowly harms digestion and hydration. Now, before consuming any caffeine, I drink at least 8 ounces of water. Working out is a key part of my morning routine as well. Listening to an educational podcast or music while engaging in physical activity boosts my mood for the rest of the day. Although I usually choose to lift weights, any type of movement seems to improve my cognition and keeps me energized throughout school and work. I usually go on a walk outside after getting home from the gym. Sunlight is proven to regulate the body’s sleep-wake cycle, so I aim for at least twenty minutes a day. It’s important to me to have something for breakfast that will help me recover from my workout and will keep me going through school or work that day. Usually, I aim for at least thirty grams of protein with fat and carbs to keep my blood sugar stable. Although everyone is different, I also recommend developing a vitamin routine. When I was younger, I would take my vitamins maybe once or twice a week randomly when I remembered. Now I make a point to take all of them before I eat and have noticed a huge difference in my physical and mental health. Simply put, I focused on one or two small habits every day until they became effortless and required almost no mental effort. I focus on what I can manage and not what I can’t. I focus on slow improvement over immediate change.