my life's purpose

CCF (Camp California Fitness) changed my life. Both when I was a camper there in 2005 and everything and I learned, and when I went back as a counselor in 2006 to help others. My life was changed and I helped to change others lives. There is nothing more rewarding or fulfilling. The closing of that camp is one of the most devastating things that I have experienced. I cannot imagine that program not existing and helping so many people each year. I think of all the girls it helped over the 5 summers that it was open, and throughout the year during the follow up program. It shared truth and information about living a well rounded and balanced healthy lifestyle in mind, body and spirit, and how to keep that throughout life. It was more than a weight loss camp. It was a healthy lifestyle camp for all aspects of one's life.
There is not one person who was not helped in at least one way, learned at least one new thing, and took away one thing that would better there life in some way. And for others, it helped them in countless ways and changed their entire life. Many campers returned as counselors. And even after camp closed, girls all remain friends with each other, as they continue to grow and keep a healthy and fit lifestyle, and remain a support system for each other. So many true friendships, bonds, best friends and lifetime friendships emerged and came from those summers at camp. Some of my best friends even today are people I met at camp, and they remain a positive, supportive, encouraging presence, friend, and influence in my life, and I know they are rocks that will stay for life.
I know I want to help people on a daily basis. More than just volunteering, I am happy that my career is going into Health Services Management now. While I have some ideas of where I could and would work for the first few years (non-profit in health and/or fitness, good for-profit in health and/or fitness, hospital in children's ward or children's hospital, company in health and/or fitness), I eventually want to have my own company, to start a camp like CCF, to share the same teachings and values, starting with children and moving to adults. The best is to start when they are young, so that they carry it with them throughout life, although many adults need help too. CCF was an all girls environment, which helped them to be comfortable and share openly, especially it being an overnight sleep away camp. So if I had a similar camp, I would keep it all girls, but if it was more of a day camp or after school program, I might make it co-ed for both boys and girls. Also I would like to have an adult fitness program also - maybe going to different companies to share about living a healthy lifestyle in mind, body, and spirit.

CCF was so well rounded. We ate healthy meals and snacks and still enjoyed treats and yummy food. We played different sports every morning, enjoyed afternoon activities from art to nutrition class to cooking class to exercise science where we gained knowledge about food, our bodies, and enjoyed expressing our talents and ourselves in different ways. And enjoyed evening activities like group games, movie night, group dance performances, and so much more.
I remember the counselors and friends who changed my life - many of whom are some of my best friends today. And I remember the girls who I helped when I was a counselor. You know you have done something big and forever changing when you see a girl grow up - even within the summer at camp - and then years after - and they hug you, crying when they are leaving on the last day, and telling you that you changed their life and how much they realize now and want to live a healthier lifestyle - whether they were overweight before or had an eating disorder and now ate properly.
This is the kind of difference that I want to - and have to - make in people's lives during this lifetime of mine, however long it may be. I want to help to change the world, and the most important thing is health. It is #1. Without it, we have nothing. Healthy lifestyle includes fitness, food, healthy and balanced in all aspects, in mind, body and spirit. I want to share this knowledge with the world, and helping one person at a time is how I will contribute to changing the world.
If I do this, and I can and will, this is how I feel that I will fulfill my life's purpose and my purpose for being here and this never ending feeling of wanting to help others and give to others. This is my life's purpose. And I have gained experience from CCF camp and knowledge through my MBA in Health Services Management and also experienced my own personal struggles and issues and self-destructive behavior with food and other things over the years. Having overcome that and moved past that with help and support from family and friends, going to a therapist, and my CCF experience, I now want to share the message of a healthy, balanced, fit and well rounded lifestyle with people of all walk of life - all ages, races, religions, backgrounds, genders, everything.
If I can do this in a small or big way on a daily basis, this will fulfill my life's purpose. In every single moment :-)

Whether I work for a small or big fitness and/or health company, or help to start a new company in fitness and/or health, or have my own company, or partner with someone to have my own company in fitness and/or health, but even if I work for a company, this is the kind of job, work and career I want to do and have, and help people on a daily basis in small and big ways, and this is how I want to give back and help to change the world, and share and spread knowledge and help others in a selfless and giving way. At least this will be my job on a daily basis - whether I work part-time or full time - it will be my job. Then I can volunteer in addition if I want to also, even a couple times a month. But work will be all the time - or at least most of the time - or a lot of the time.
This is my life's purpose :-)