Money, Money, Money

Despite my lack of recent blogging, my mind has never been far away from this topic. With the past few weeks of school being busy-busy, I found it particularly important to take my own advice and take care of myself. And, while many people around me were running around stressed and overwhelmed, I was cool, calm, and collected! I am not saying this to gloat; not at all. As I have mentioned before, it has taken me a long time to find my balance and discover how to truly take care of myself. I understand that some people thrive off stress or work better when under pressure, but your body does not. You may like those all-nighters, surviving on caffeine and candy, and swapping those gym dates for bar dates, but I can guarantee you that your body, your mechanism for getting through this life, does not.



Our bodies are not overly complex; feed them right, water them, move them around regularly, put them to bed at a reasonable hour, don't sweat the small stuff, and find a healthy way to deal with the big stuff. That's about it. So why do we keep self-sabotaging, knowing the rewards for such simple behaviours could be life-changing? If we, as university soon-to-be grads, have not perfected the act of self-care, how can we expect our students to have it down?


Now, this is a topic I will discuss with anyone who will listen, and this group of people spans from friends and family to people who I feel could help make this change. The more I discuss this with people, the more people I come across who agree with my plan for change and who also acknowledge the current void.  When I tell people about my upcoming two-week program, I get nothing but enthusiasm and intrigue as a response. Aside from giving the students the facts on how to lead a healthier life, I have also created a very practical program. This means students will get daily healthy snacks, will be engaged in activities, and will have a great deal of information to take home and share with their family. The issue: who is going to pay for it? As everyone who tries to eat healthy has discovered, healthy food is most definitely not cheap. This is a fact that has frustrated me for years. Many people cannot afford (financially) to be healthy, but none of us can afford (physically) to be unhealthy! This is one of those shake-my-head-with-confusion-and-upset moments. This fact is only perpetuating the unhealthy lifestyle so many people find themselves trapped in, but I am also now left wondering how I am going to provide healthy food for 30 students everyday for two weeks!? I will not be defeated, though -  I have a plan! Fingers crossed for me people!