Wellness Medium and Your Wellness Plan

1. What medium have you chosen? Please describe and/or attach/upload visual.

I have chosen a photograph as the medium to represent my Wellness Plan.

2. What does this medium represent to you? Why? Please describe why this is meaningful.

The photo above was taken on one my runs along the Rillito River in Tucson. For me,
running has a greater role in my life than simply being a form of aerobic exercise. It represents
my first feeling of freedom that I experienced as an 11-year-old where I could decide where I
wanted to go under my own power. For others this feeling may come with learning to ride a
bicycle or earning one’s driver’s license at 16. With this freedom came the ability to change my
environment when I felt I needed to escape a situation momentarily or clear my head to make a
better decision.
As I progressed into high school my relationship with running continued to evolve and
became almost meditative. I can recall many mornings during cross country practice when my
route would give me the opportunity to appreciate the sunrise and focus entirely on the rhythm of
my breaths and the feeling in the soles of my feet as they struck the ground. It was the time of
the day when I would paradoxically slow my thinking by increasing the speed at which my legs
carried me. I lived for my morning runs as it was the hour that was dedicated to preparing my
mind and body for the rest of the day.
Moving into my freshman year of college, running continued to be important to me as I used
it to cope with negative emotions that stemmed from living away from my family and friends for
the first time. It was my go-to activity when I was feeling stressed by school or changing
relationships that once felt stable. My relationship with running seemed to come full circle in

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that I again used it to change my physical environment when I had little control over other areas
of my life. Running continues to be the most effective coping mechanism I have against stress
and change. My favorite time to run is now in the evenings around sundown as it provides a
time for me to reflect on the day and awards me with views like the one seen in the photo.

3. Post your personal wellness commitment statement and plan to care for YOU below. Be
specific.

Understanding running as the time I use to process my thoughts and emotions helps me to
make it a priority now and, in the future, as I progress in my career. My commitment to running
through the years has stood firm and I do not expect that to change. I intend to maintain my
habit of running for both my physical and mental health.
I commit to scheduling time to run each week as I would schedule in time for work. My goal
is to run at least twice per week and more frequently if my schedule allows for it. I am in the
habit of scheduling out my goals for the following week each Sunday night and this practice will
continue as I set aside time for running. Preparing myself for running involves maintaining a
balanced diet and consuming enough water each day to allow me to run comfortably. These are
habits that I also commit to. Selecting the appropriate time for running is similarly important as
it is best to avoid physical activity during the hottest part of the day. Choosing to run during the
mornings or evenings will help me to stay well enough to enjoy the benefits I receive from
running. Lastly, I commit to enjoying the process of running and keeping it as a time for self-
reflection and gaining mental clarity.

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