When describing her past fitness instructor during a murder trial, Elle Woods claims that "happy people just don't shoot their husbands". Elle and I share the belief that fitness leads to happiness. Exercise and nutrition are central to who I am because they have taught me many values, most importantly discipline, dedication, and teamwork. These have seeped into my daily life as a dedicated student, hardworking employee, and loyal friend and daughter.
To me exercise is not an issue about weight. Since a young age, I have acquired the understanding for helping others through team sports. This has taught me the significance of friendship and loyalty. Being fit has helped me create life long friendships from teammates in elementary school to at UCLA. It is a time to be social, create memories, and complain how sore your body is.
Fitness has not only created friendships, but has strengthened my family bonds. My dad started to force me to go the gym regularly with him, which I saw as a way for him to torture me for his entertainment. Little did he or I know that I started to enjoy working out for the health benefits, but also for the time I got to spend with him. It became the foundation that really established the relationship I have with him today.
Though I would argue, it is a perfect way to start the day off right and helps me keep the giant smile on my face that I wear everyday. Like Elle Woods’ wise words, endorphins help people stay happy. By being happy myself, I spread it to my friends, family, classmates, and strangers. And it is so rewarding to know your contribution in making others happy. Staying fit gives me the esteem and confidence to be a role model and set an example for others.
Keeping healthy has taught me how to achieve my goals and maintain my values. By helping myself first, I am truly able to help others. Thus able to pursue a profession Elle Woods never thought possible – law. Through law I can continue to make people happy through more practical means by fighting for their justice and rights. What exercise has taught me is that to make others happy you have to be happy yourself.
Why do you do what you do? Being fit helps me help others.
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