My Story
My husband, Keith, and
I- Aragam Bay, Sri Lanka
This site is long overdue! Ever since I can remember, I've had a passion for health and a strong natural desire to want to balance my life.
As a kid, after seeing several close ones go through serious health conditions, such as cancer, I felt it was significant to make fitness a daily habit. Even in middle school and high school, I enjoyed working out hard at the gym and playing on the basketball and track team. The feeling of physical activity gave me the strength and energy I needed to get through any difficult obstacle.
Saving money was also something I saw that was necessary because of the competitive society that I was raised in. Therefore, during high-school and college, I enjoyed working, however, I seemed to save almost all of what I made. At that time, I did not understand that my savings should help balance my quality of life.
I strived to have balance in health, yet did not see clearly all the elements that should be included in health.
However, in college I met Keith (my husband) who really guided me in the direction I had always been searching for. He was someone who had a wonderful sense of how to balance life and was motivated to push himself to achieve wonders! He pushed himself in college academically, receiving the Bone Scholarship award and graduating with the highest honors. Yet, what amazed me was that he had such a social life that I wouldn't be able to count the number of close friends of his. He also ran 11 marathons, an ultramarathon and practiced amateur boxing. On top of this, he worked several side jobs to pay himself through college and volunteered for Big Brother, Big Sister and other organizations. When he first met me, he had big plans to travel overseas and since he was a kid had studied animals and the natural wonders of the world. This man obviously had balance and a kind of life that was healthy. He showed me that everything is possible and even the word 'impossible' says 'I'm possible'.
After college, we began living our dream- traveling and teaching around the world. We started teaching in Jeju, South Korea, lived there for three years, during which we got married, and now just moved to Hong Kong. We are both teaching at international schools and Keith is getting his Masters at the University of Hong Kong.
Therefore, it wasn't until college and until I lived overseas that I really started to research and explore more on nutrition, fitness, as well as exactly how to find and continue having complete balance in life. It's funny to me now that I always thought you had to workout for hours at the gym to feel healthy. I didn't see the need of the 8 components of balance, and realize now that I was giving most of my time to only my physical health, while giving very little time to other necessary areas of wellness in my life. Again, I feel blessed to have met Keith, who first introduced me to the 8 components of wellness and advised me to use them as a ways of organizing this health website. I also feel fortunate to have the experience of living and traveling overseas, where I have been able to broaden my horizon on health.
For the past few years, I have practiced yoga, been active with numerous types of exercises, including training and running the full marathon, hiking, pilates, playing beach v-ball, ultimate frisbee, swimming and Bodyrock workouts. I also have begun eating a 85% vegan diet (I sometimes eat fish, cheese and milk) while traveling the world. From traveling, we have had the opportunity to experience new cultures, learn to appreciate the simple things in life, have new perspective, and try new things every chance we get.
I feel proud of my balance and health, yet I feel there is always room for improvement. I plan on soon continuing my yoga teaching certificate, taking a personal training course and nutritionalist course, and studying for a Masters in Education specializing in Promoting Wellness at HKU (next year). I hope to use these to continue my professional development and knowledge on health.
I would love to have a community to share this passion, experience and resources with.
I hope you will join me in a healthy community by using the Wheel of Absolute Health as a guide and motivator.
Hugs,
Tina