A healthy mind is an essential part of a healthy body. We know that our mental health has a great deal of impact on the way that we feel, think, and behave as well as our overall wellbeing. The ability to live a healthy life means being free from illness as well as being satisfied, joyful and purpose-driven in life. In order to improve your mental health and overall well-being, it is necessary to recognize wellness, reflect on what wellness means to you, and find ways to care for your wellness. It is important for me to maintain my mental health by taking medication and attending therapy appointments on a regular basis as a way to maintain my mental health. It is in my experience that talking to an unbiased person who does not have a vested interest in deceiving you has been very helpful to me. Trusting your therapist will help you feel comfortable sharing information with them that you may not feel comfortable sharing with other people. It has been very important to me to have a safe space in which to express myself. I would describe it as an environment that gives you a feeling of total comfort. The pear tree behind my granny's house was where I used to go when I was a child to think. A secluded place in your head or in a secluded place in your life could be yours. My mental health is maintained by spending time with my family, friends, and loved ones. Additionally, I practice self-care activities such as journaling, reading, and meditation. I also take the time to listen to my body and rest when I need to. Taking small steps to take care of yourself can go a long way in improving your mental well-being. I can also express my feelings regularly by talking about them. Developing new capabilities and challenging myself is essential. Also, I set realistic, attainable goals for myself. Stress is something I try to avoid whenever possible. Depression and anxiety disorders can be caused by stress. High blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, cancer, and poor brain function can all be linked to stress. Avoiding stress is detrimental. Whenever possible, I try not to let things fool me into thinking they are serious. The majority of issues are minor and can be handled with minimal mental effort. I focus on finding solutions rather than dwelling on problems. I also make sure to take time to relax and practice self-care.

I was addicted to illegal drugs for the better part of 7 years. My complete life was consumed with the use of drugs and the means to get more drugs. It was a vicious cycle that almost cost me my life several times. I started going to Narcotics Anonymous meetings as often as I could. The meetings gave me a way to vent all of my frustrations in my life and with the world. At the meeting, I realized there was a room full of people that were just like me. Once I had thought I was all alone in this struggle. It was a surreal moment that allowed me to grow personally and spiritually. I was able to get help through a sponsor and started to make sober friends. Once I was able to cut those ties with my old life I stayed clean. Once I had some clarity I enrolled in college. I knew that I wanted to provide a life for my daughters that didn't include daily financial struggles. I knew I had to get an education and become academically accomplished. The second I was accepted into college I knew I wanted a career that would help people. I chose a career in Social Work to get my bachelor's degree at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. I am going to be a social worker that deals with addiction. I want to show people that you can change. With hard work, dedication, and determination you can do anything you set your mind to. I'd like to counsel the mothers of the addicted clients. I know my Mom took it very hard when I became addicted and challenged her parenting style. I want the mothers to know that there is nothing that they did to cause the situation. Life happens on life terms whether we like it or not. No one is at fault we just have to pick ourselves back up and try again. I believe that I will be great at my job because I have all the tools to help someone with addiction. I believe that since I will be talking from personal experience I will be more likely to be successful. I know that it is a lot more comforting to know that someone has been when you are and they were able to overcome. I am compassionate, understanding, and empathetic all of which will assist me in becoming a helpful tool to others. You can't help someone recover without recovery.

President Franklin Roosevelt said that the Millennials-Gen Z will inherit a bankrupt country and a bankrupt world. I do believe that we will inherit a bankrupt world, but what are we to do? Just lay down and die accept our fate and give up? No way, then our kids wouldn't have the ability to thrive. Isn't that the whole reason humans live is to procreate? There are many similarities between the Greatest Generation and the Millennials Gen Z. They face a world at war, accept school loans that were designed to perpetuate poverty, accept a sickened tax structure that perpetuates Greed, with a capital G, and are excited to be a part of life. They are a polite and kind generation, yet they are absent of resentment. What would resentment get us? Absolutely nothing is what it would get us. If we were so focused on being bitter we would not have time to focus on fixing the problems. That is what we are going to do strategize to make this world a better place for our children. I believe every population of people has done this, no matter the century. The Greatest Generation 2.0 we will become, and that's a fact.

Growing up, I did not come from a household that had money to spend on extravagant things. Most meals consisted of a meat source with two vegetables. I always had a meal after I came home from school but I never had steak for dinner. It's hard when you're young and you do not understand why your mother can't just go to the store and get you that Barbie. I mean it's right there, within tangible reach. Just get it, it's simple Mom. Then the infamous we don't have the money response. I heard we don't have the money more times than I'd like to admit. I wanted nice school clothes that weren't from Walmart. I wanted new, trendy, and stylish name-brand clothes like most of the other girls in my grade. I wanted to feel good in my new school clothes at the beginning of my new school year. My Mom worked at McDonald's for 13 years with minimal raises. My then stepfather worked at Tire Town so his pay wasn't much more beneficial to my new clothes fund. Sweetie was my Aunt Ruth's nickname for as long as I can remember. I didn't know her name was Ruth until I started middle school. She was my Mom's older sister by 11 years. My aunt got married later in life and never had any children. Her nieces and nephews were her only experience with children. My aunt worked at Sweeden Cream for 16 years and when that job closed down. She moved to a new kitchen job called Janes Kitchen. She worked there for 17 years before she retired. Anyway, she worked hard and did not blow her money on frivolous objects. When I started the 5th grade, a pivotal point for popularity scores for your whole life. At least that is how I felt at that young intimidated age. I was distraught by the idea of starting school with the clothes I owned. My Aunt went and maxed out her J.C. Penny's credit card to clothe my brother and me. I had stylish clothes to start my new school year with. My aunt did many things for me throughout my life that my mother could not afford to do. She was always giving us a few dollars for As that we received on report cards or candy when we came to see her at work. She was a bright light in my life. I never knew how many wonderful things my aunt did to make sure my life was comfortable. Her kindness and compassion most rubbed off on me on Sunday mornings when I got to attend church with her. Those are some of my fondest memories. She always had a smile on her face with an incredibly contagious laugh. The places she implemented herself in my life truly made me a better person. I try to live my life by her motto which was the golden rule. I treat people like I want to be treated. The more good I pour out the more good I will receive. I lost my aunt to brain cancer in November of 2019. She was my light and every day I got to spend with her was so full of sunshine.

It is my hope that I will become a confident, compassionate, and accomplished person in the future, always striving to improve my own life and have a positive impact on the lives of others in the future.

If I think of how the community affects me I instantly feel love and comfort. There is so much understanding that comes with being LGBTQ+. First off you put into this labeled category that isn't correct about you nor is it flattering to any human being. So everyone already has it in their mind that you're sexually promiscuous or that your morals are lacking by society's standards. That is where the community comes in. They help you at a meeting overcome your shyness which allows you to share. When you share you are so relieved because those things no longer hold power over you. You are freed from the statistics of society and uneducated people. I chose to be an addictions social worker. I want people to know that we do overcome because I did. I was once addicted to heroin for over 3 years. It completely consumed my life. I didn't complete one task before I had to get my fix for the day. I could not function without it. I sought out help and then I searched for more help. Eventually, I was able to beat my demons and become whole again. I was able to think for myself and make decisions that would better my life. Immediately in thinking about my life and the life I want my daughters to have. I want them to have every opportunity available to them. The best way I could do that was to make sure they had an education. I know the struggle of trying to get a job that you make enough to pay the rent. Without an education, the job market is a monster. I knew if I wanted to succeed I needed an education. I applied for FAFSA as well as ASU-Beebe and I got accepted. It was an incredibly proud moment my mother nor my father completed Junior High. I am a first generation college student. I knew instantly I needed to have a profession that helped people. I wanted to help people overcome addictions. You can't teach recovery unless you've recovered. I want to show someone that I can be done with hard work, determination, and dedication. I am living proof of that. I want that suffering mother to know that it is not her fault. I want her to know that is reflects none on her child rearing. It in no way makes her a bad mother. I'm am proud to say I am going to college to pursue my dreams which is to be a social worker that handles addiction .

In order to achieve success in life, it is imperative that we take time to help others. If we pay it forward, the next person will also do the same, and soon enough, the world will be a better place because we will be paying it forward. In some studies, it has been shown that the brain changes associated with happiness are also associated with helping others, according to some research. By volunteering, we are more likely to be physically active and to be more socially active, which may result in a greater sense of well-being for us. Helping others is a great way to connect with the community and make new friends, and it allows us to connect with our community. As well as face-to-face activities, such as volunteering at a food bank, it is also possible to reduce loneliness and isolation through social activities. Research has shown that volunteering can have a positive effect on a person's sense of purpose and identity, according to the study. It is important to realize that when you help others, you will feel rewarded, fulfilled, and empowered. I believe that when you help others, especially those who are less fortunate than yourself, you are able to put things into perspective and feel more positive about your own situation. After witnessing another perform a Huame act, people are more likely to show generosity to the one they witness. It is possible for a ripple effect to spread throughout the community, inspiring hundreds of people to take action as a result. Volunteering regularly can enhance your sense of life satisfaction, as well as your ability to manage stress and stave off disease in the long run. The reason behind this could be because volunteering relieves loneliness and enhances our social lives, which in turn reduces isolation. Helping others can help you learn self-help skills. Whether you've been through a tumultuous experience or just have a case of the blues, the "activism cure" is a great way to feel better. Self-esteem and overall wellbeing are higher in volunteers. To reap the benefits of volunteering, it is also important to stay consistent. Volunteering regularly will boost your confidence as a result. You can improve your friendships and spread positive vibes by helping others. Making a positive impact on the life of a friend can lead to long-term friendships. Changing the outlook and attitude of someone else could help you change your own. Performing acts of kindness boosts your mood and leads to more optimism and positivity, according to experts.

The Epic of Gilgamesh would be my choice of literature that I feel the world should read. Created in the Middle Babylonian Period (c. 1600- c. 1155 B.C.) it is named the earliest extant piece of World Literature. It may mark a turning point in mankind's evolution. Words were starting to be used for more than just trade and business. In Gilgamesh, we see words being used to entertain, express value, and inform. The story covers the meaning of life, dealing with death, friendship, and many other themes that are still being explored today. Gilgamesh is a demigod of superhuman strength who befriends the wild man Enkidu. Together, they embark on many journeys, most famously defeating Humbaba and the Bull of Heaven, who is sent to attack them by Ishtar after she is rejected by Gilgamesh. Enkidu dies of a disease sent as punishment from the gods. Gilgamesh becomes afraid of his death and visits the sage Utnapishtim, hoping to find immortality. After repeatedly failing the trails set before him he returns home to Uruk, realizing that immortality is beyond his reach. Death is something we avoid, but as Gilgamesh teaches death is inevitable. He turns his back on his family and friends to wander the wilderness in search of something he can never have. It shows the life a man missed out on while searching for eternal life, which is unattainable. The morals in this story were relevant 2000 years ago and are still relevant today. It teaches to be happy in the here and now because you might miss what you had all along.