The song that I chose for this application is "Kokomo" by The Beach Boys, (hear me out). I chose this song and eleven other seemingly unrelated songs for one reason, pure bliss. I could’ve picked a truly “inspirational” song, (ex. Rachel Platten’s “Fight Song”). Instead, I wanted to be completely honest. No matter what kind of day I’m having, when I hear “Kokomo”, I must dance. Logic played no part in my playlist choices. I can’t fully explain why I chose these songs. What I can say is that for me, they spark an unbelievably happy feeling unlike any other.

Being fit has always been mandatory in my household. My parents explained that my two sisters and I had to participate in a sport throughout our middle and high school careers. I decided to try out track and field and quickly learned that running was not my strong suit. In fact, running is (this is not an exaggeration) the bane of my existence. Then came the volleyball years. I didn't mind volleyball...but I was terrible at it. I struggled with keeping the ball in the court because, as it turns out, I have an unsettling amount of natural strength. Medically speaking, I am a beast. After a fruitless pursuit of volleyball and other various activities (yoga, videos of Jillian Michaels yelling at me to do jump squats, boxing, etc.) I found weight lifting. Objectively weight lifting sounds like torture. However, there is something empowering about getting strong enough to beat your own six foot three, ex. College rugby-playing father at arm wrestling. Aside from that obvious benefit, I started weight lifting at a point in my life when I was facing some depression. I had heard from several doctors that working out would not only benefit me physically but mentally as well. As it turns out, the doctors who spent years in school practicing may have been right. I want to make it clear that working out did not cure my depression. However, I will admit that it has drastically changed how I go about my day. Nowadays, I can't wait to go work out. A sentence I never thought that I'd say is, "I CAN'T WAIT TO USE THE ELEVATED LEG PRESS!!!". In all seriousness, working out has helped me become stronger in multiple ways. I have so much more energy; I have a legitimate reason to buy squat proof leggings, I am physically fit again. I feel better. I could list how my body fat percentage has changed or how I get more steps on my walks, but the most notable benefit of working out has been my mood change. I am a much different person than I was before, and I believe that taking care of my body played a large part in that change.