Women Living Well - Spring 2005
Student Papers
On Serendip

All of the speakers which we heard over this quarter emphasized the need to have balance in everything we do in our lives. Glenn Smith very appropriately displayed the chaos of our everyday lives with his clip from Jerry Maguire. We are forced to meet deadlines, attend meetings, etc. all the time, and often it is very difficult to pay attention to ourselves. However, if we are to severely neglect one aspect of our physical or mental health, it affects our entire well-being. Therefore, it is necessary that we remain mindful and aware of our health in order to have a more positive attitude towards life.

We learned from the speakers that just exercise or just proper nutrition is not enough to have a properly well-balanced life. In order for us to attain balance, or what one defines as such, one needs to be aware of their entire body and the needs it conveys. Therefore, if we follow the direction of this course, we need to be mindful, manage time wisely, have a healthy diet, and exercise the entire body to its fullest capacity. It is a combination of all of these factors which contribute to a better overall way of life.

The status of our health is like a domino effect, everything is inter-related and in order for our bodies to work properly, everything must be in place. We must be mindful of our lives and not brood over trivial things. This then leads to less getting accomplished because we spend so much time brooding rather than being active. As Glenn Smith explained, there are only 24 hours in a day and we must utilize them wisely. One of the most important things we must remember to be mindful of everyday is our nutrition. Without proper nutrition we are not able to accomplish tasks to the best of our ability. Lastly, we must not forget to exercise our bodies, to the fullest extent, because this benefits both our minds and our bodies. Here it is clear to see how deeply all of these factors rely on one another.

Balance and well-being are individual and therefore they must be attained on an individual basis. However, we can all strive to be in better mental and physical help by utilizing the guidelines stated above. It is amazing to see how much more positive one's outlook on life can improve when they are more mindful and in better physical health. It is important to take the time to think about ourselves, rather than always answering to someone else. Additionally, if one does not put themselves as their first priority, they will not be able to serve others to their fullest capacity. Therefore, it is very important that we remain mindful and aware of our health, both physically and mentally, so that we may be more active and positive people.


| Women Living Well: Mind and Body | Center for Science In Society | Science and Culture | Serendip Home |