By Salome Wilfred, SA2020 Trinity Mellon Fellow in Health & Fitness

The best advice I’ve ever received from someone was the importance of balance: balance with a healthy distribution of family, social activity, work and fitness activities. As a current Psychology Major at Trinity University and a Crossfit addict, it doesn’t take a brain surgeon to realize my passion is Health & Fitness in hopes of one day helping others achieve both mental and physical health.

As someone who can always find enough time to work out, but never seem to find the time to make it to First Friday or to vote in every election, I have come to realize that even though I’m following my passion, I’m not the most balanced of people.

Coming from a family where diabetes and high blood pressure are a constant fear for all family members, health hasn’t been as prominent as you’d think. When my grandfather passed away because of high blood pressure and diabetes, I decided it was time to take action.

Ever since then my life has been occupied with sports and making sure to get my daily serving from all food groups.  Once I heard about SA2020 and the Health and Fitness goals I couldn’t have been more excited. Finally, I was blessed with the opportunity to help others recognize how beneficial health and fitness can be for them. Ironically, this was the exact time I realized how important balance was and how much I lacked it.

SA2020 has come to be my example of what balance is. For too long I was so focused on making San Antonio the healthiest and most active city, and I failed to realize that being the healthiest and most active alone does not make San Antonio a world-class city. With all the exposure I’ve recently had to all the initiatives such as Arts and Culture, Family Well-Being, or Neighborhoods I’ve finally come to realize the extreme importance they each have for San Antonio and its residents to truly flourish, and how each depends on the others. The success of SA2020 and likelihood San Antonio will become a world class city entails the complete success of each and every initiative equally.

What drives me to get involved in SA2020 is not only assisting in making San Antonio the greatest city in the world, but finally involving myself in something that is balanced.  I continue to be involved because I don’t only hope to see Health and Fitness succeed but I want to be part of the success of every other initiative in helping San Antonio become a well balanced, world-class city!