It’s worthwhile to make the distinction of being and living. In an unbalanced lifestyle one simply exists, whereas a balanced lifestyle enables one to truly enjoy life to the fullest. Existing is the easiest thing I have ever done. It requires no effort. At times I become so immersed in being that I forget to live. We all need a gentle reminder sometimes, that what matters the most is what we surround ourselves with and through what methods we utilize our surroundings to improve our wellbeing and make the most of what we have. Truth be told, in our society there are various systemic inequities in health. There are different levels of economic stability, healthcare, social environments, and food accessibilities that some individuals may or may not have access to. In the United States fast food consumerism is widely accepted and propagated and thus lead to a collective health decline within Americans. Despite this, individuals can have the option to personally pursue means to improve their own individual health. Making the choice to improve one’s chemical, physical, and emotional wellbeing comes with its own set of merits. A healthy lifestyle promotes longevity, mental gratification, and overall increases the quality of your life. Take sleeping for example. Having sufficient sleep boosts your mental, emotional, and even immune function! It is important to understand what your body communicates and prioritize your own well-being in a balanced manner. To reiterate, balance is imperative. It can be easy to become fixated on certain aspects of health, especially the physical kind, and consequently forget to nurture our mental health. For example, prioritizing the concept of beauty over physical wellbeing, something I have personally done. This is something I struggled with the most, and from those experiences consequently increased in my understanding. There was a time I felt so full that I could barely stand myself sometimes. I was tired. Tired of having expectations. Tired of having to eat, to sleep, to talk, and to smile. I started to believe that by continuing on such a road I would eventually achieve that which was the ideology of beauty, yet for some reason I remained mentally unwell. After some time I could understand the wrongness of such thoughts. Little by little: this became the endless mantra that kept me going. With every failure I made, I forced myself to believe I could change, learning and growing along the way. One step at a time. Gradually, I found myself adapting and wanting to improve for my own well-being. I stopped seeking outside validation and started to take care of myself. It took effort and time, yet every action made a difference, regardless of how small it appeared to be. Having sufficient dedication to improve myself greatly benefited me personally, as well as all those who I interacted with. This became one of the most significant changes I undertook within myself and from then on, I started to prioritize a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Just like I did, at some point we all fight battles. It can be challenging, but when we are struggling, we should make the most of it, remain headstrong and look forward to our victories. It is important to understand our own physiologies, so that we can grow and thrive in the best conditions. Exercising, avoiding unhealthy habits, nutrition, and self-care are equally important. Knowing this and exerting it throughout our lives are completely different things. We should strive to individually improve our own choices, so that we can pursue health, wellness, and physically and mentally healthy lives.

When I was young my family immigrated to the United States, during this time we struggled to get by. My parents worked endlessly, thus my sister and I barely saw them. After school we would come to an empty house, and more often than not we would forget our keys and climb through the window to get inside. While there were many freezing nights, what I recall most vividly is the warmth my parents brought when they arrived home. Tired as they were they would smile and play with us, help us with our homework, and take us to the park, all while struggling against sleep and exhaustion. When I was older and visited my hometown, I further gained a firsthand experience to the hardships and underrepresentation my people experienced. They struggled to establish trade, received little to none economical help, had limited resources and deficient health care accessibility. From this firsthand experience bloomed my determination to provide change and protect the rights of those who lack the resources to do so. Promoting awareness of the circumstances of my people is crucial so that their rights can be guaranteed. From this I sought to further my education, determined to one day provide change and protect the rights of those who lacked the resources to do so. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I hope to promote programs encouraging financial health equity and establish my own practice so that I may provide accessible quality health care to those who seek it. I strongly believe that by pursuing a career in health care I will be able to obtain a secure position that enables me to help my community. As a Doctor of Chiropractic, I would be able to create opportunities for action, leaving open a wide range of possibilities. In my journey, I aim to take initiatives so that in the future I can establish resources to provide for people in need, whether they be economically disadvantaged, have health related issues, or lack access to healthcare. My parent's leadership planted a desire to be someone who embodies kindness and sincerity, someone with the capability of providing aid to those underrepresented and lacking in resources. I am constantly striving to learn and grow as an individual, following their example and nurture a hardworking, responsible, and driven personality Health care establishes an initiative to lead. I do my best to take care of others, to respect and demonstrate personal, moral, and academic excellence. I aim to be someone who embodies kindness and sincerity, someone with the capability of providing aid, as such, it is imperative to wield thoughts of kindness, so that I can influence others to act upon similar thoughts. The smallest thoughts tend to make the biggest difference. Thoughts become ideas, ideas become actions, and actions drive change. My behavior reflects such values and by doing so, I hope I can encourage others to walk a similar path and change millions of people’s lives in the process. Through my journey in the pursuit of personal, moral, and academical growth, I have learned that my success and knowledge is never truly mine, but ours. I am responsible for my own advancement, yet in compassion and love for all individuals I have learned that by serving others, I enrich not only myself, but them as well. The health care field demonstrates the perfect essence of service towards others, a trait I hold in high regard. My ultimate goal is not to succeed independently, but to triumph collectively.