I am CJ Dean from Madison, Wisconsin. I graduated from Madison East High School, and I got my undergraduate degree here at the University of Dubuque in Sports Marketing and Management and I am currently pursuing a graduate student at UD. I have always been a multi-sport athlete, but I am fortunate enough to play football at the collegiate level. I have found that staying active and competing in sports has been therapeutic for me. This is the case for many of us, our sport or passion has gotten us to where we are today. I want to remind you that too much of anything can be detrimental to your overall health. Coming from someone who has struggled with mental health, I cannot stress the importance of it. Just as we keep up on our hygiene or physical health, we need to keep up with our brain health. It can be more difficult to make yourself look good if you do not feel good. Managing your health lies in the daily decisions we make. With the world we live in today it can be difficult to consistently practice good habits, I strongly encourage everyone to stay active, eat healthy, make your bed every day, reach out to family, surround yourself with likeminded people and do one good deed a day. Things like this will help improve your mental health, and this will impact your physical health. I have learned that if I ignore my mental health, I can often feel overwhelmed, anxious, unmotivated, and depressed. It is my commitment to my daily routines and focus on my passions that helps me address my emotional and physical health.
