My perception of health has varied greatly over the years.
As a child, I knew health only to be whether or not I was physically ill. Middle school taught me the importance of physical fitness through sports, and in high school I learned that my faith needed to be nurtured, developing my comprehension of spiritual health. College stirred up a whole new understanding of mental health. All the while, I was trying to figure out how to balance these dimensions of health.
When I developed endometriosis my sophomore year — a painful yet common condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus — I began a new journey of understanding what health looked like in my own life. It became difficult to take care of my body while managing school, work, a social life and all my other responsibilities.
I found support in the various communities I am involved in on campus, through working out and being in nature, visiting the ocean, reading, attending Vintage Malibu church and most of all, keeping a positive attitude and surrounding myself with those who can lighten my mood when I can’t on my own.
A couple surgeries and a lot of trial and error later, I, as a senior, have finally figured out how to deal with this condition. I have learned how to not only exist, but to thrive.
Health is not linear. It can be a winding road filled with constant change as humans travel through different stages of life. However, learning tips and tools to manage stress and improve health is crucial.
When it came time to choose a theme for this magazine, the choice was clear. Maintaining health is an inescapable reality for everyone. My hope in sharing these stories with you all is that you can see how students and community members take care of themselves, and hopefully use that information to better understand and manage your own health.
Curating a healthy lifestyle is uniquely individual. This isn’t going to look the same for everyone. It can vary based on preferences, religion and other factors.
My Christian faith and spirituality has been a guiding light throughout college. I have always been comforted in knowing that my life is in the hands of God, and I am not alone, in the good and the bad. So I explored the spectrum of spiritual health at Pepperdine and another student looked at how worship positively impacts spiritual health.
This magazine is filled with other powerful stories of overcoming illness, injury and other challenges, finding a “home away from home” in various identity groups across campus, finding healing in the ocean and learning how to navigate misinformation on social media for maximum wellbeing.
Many of these stories encapsulate holistic health and offer insight on how to thrive in an ever-changing world. This includes profiles of students, local businesses, how to curate a “Rule of Life” and the benefits of horses for therapy.
I hope you enjoy, learn, laugh and find peace from reading these stories. Although health can be individual, it is most powerful when shared in community. You are never alone.
Be well,
Kylie
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Contact Kylie Kowalski via email: kylie.kowalski@pepperdine.edu
