Although people may not be motivated to live a long, healthy life, anyone can find a method of healthy living and achieve a long, prosperous life. People often consider exercise a good way of living healthily, and that certainly deserves merit. Exercise strengthens your body in a myriad of ways and isn't hard to include in a daily schedule. However, you shouldn't limit yourself to one method of living healthy. Many people tend to disregard their mental health when trying to live better; however, maintaining mental stability, such as reducing stresses, keeping healthy, engaging relationships and accomplishing challenges, all have profound positive effects on your body. For example, the hormone cortisol regulates and responds to stress in the body, and high levels of cortisol for extended periods of time in the body can debilitate and should be reduced by countering stresses in your life and relieving yourself. Thus, the best way that anyone can live a long, healthy, fulfilling life is taking into account both their physical and mental health and adjusting their life accordingly to best care for themself. Whether that be jumping jacks at nine or meditation at ten, combining mental and physical wellness guarantees a better, longer, healthier life.

As a child, I often required counseling and therapy after many an unfortunate situation. The social workers and therapists that gave me guidance and helped me through those times not only changed who I am as a person, but also inspired me to help others. As I aged, I realized that I want to be there for people just as my social workers were there for me: acting as safe people for one to vocalize themselves. In my high school, many of my friends often asked for advice, guidance or just a person to talk to about their issues, which demonstrated to me both that I had a passion for helping others and that many more people than we realize have dilemmas they need to talk about and solve. Those dilemmas can easily overwhelm any of us, especially on top of a typical life. Of course, I'm only a high school student, thus I don't know much about the world or how it works, nor can I give the best advice for any particular individual. However, I do know that through a proper education in the field, I can act as a better resource for more people, widening the benefits I can give to people in need. Furthermore, having a social worker of any sort to work with through your problems can act as prevention to addiction. From what I've seen around me, addiction commonly arises when people use drugs as a coping mechanism from stressful events, overwhelming environments, lack of emotional support, etc., and desire a means of temporarily relieving themselves from their reality. Childhood trauma contributes a significant amount to drug abuse and addiction, as many of those traumatized may not have an outlet for their emotions, feel uncomfortable with making themselves emotionally vulnerable to someone they don't trust, or for one or multiple of a myriad of other potential reasons. As a result, those people may turn to drugs as a form of escapism, in turn leading to addiction. By offering a place of solace with an unconditional positive regard for them, people affected by childhood trauma can find themselves more comfortable with sharing their struggles, which gives social workers an opportunity to help them past their troubles. Possibilities such as these motivate me to become a social worker: to help others through their concerns in a safe, encouraging environment, offering a service that nurtures and grows people into happier, more fulfilled individuals. That is precisely what lights my fire.