Abby Welther, a sophomore at Drury University, is capable of juggling a myriad of responsibilities while holding herself accountable in many aspects of her life. Not only is she an outside hitter for the Drury Women’s Volleyball team, she is also juggling a strenuous biology major, while staying on top of her health. This is a feat not many can attest to, and until recently, not even Welther.

Welther’s journey to find balance in her life was motivated by her desire to become healthier.

“A lot of people think that health is just how you eat, but to me, it’s more than that,” Welther says.

Her life has always been busy. From a young age, she was encouraged to pursue sports and to obtain an adequate education by her supportive family. Always being on the go started to take its toll on Welther when the demands of school and sports began to pile up.

“I knew something was lacking because I was always running on empty. I never had time to eat a good, nutritious meal and I never had time to myself to relax and rest,” Welther says.

She noticed that the stressful schedule she was pursuing was causing her health to decline. It was time to make some changes.

“I told myself, ‘I only have one body– a body that does so much for me. It’s time I start doing something for it. It’s time I start treating my body right.’”

From then on, Welther made it a habit to start: sleeping at least eight hours a night, drinking 5 bottles of water a day, prepping all of her meals to ensure an appropriate amount of nutrition in each one, setting time aside for studying, and devoting time for herself to have some fun free-time in order to nourish her relationships.

At first, it was definitely an adjustment as she changed the entirety of her lifestyle, but as time goes on, Welther has become accustomed to her devotion.

“It’s become so much easier now that it is a routine I’ve practiced religiously,” Welther says. “My friends tell me that I come across much happier, and personally, I feel healthier than I’ve ever been. I believe the two go hand-in-hand.”

Reba Thompsen, one of Welther’s close teammates, attests to the strides Welther has made on her journey to a healthier lifestyle.

“Abby shows up to practice with a lot of energy and positivity.”

Thompsen was Welther’s roommate when they were both Freshman at Drury.

“Our friendship is one-of-a-kind. Abby makes me a better person and that is because of the awesome person she is to begin with.”

Caden Reinheimer, also a sophomore at Drury University, is another supportive friend .

“Abby is a very active girl. She’s told me about how she loves to water ski and play volleyball and I think it’s awesome that someone can be so talented and live life as healthy and happily as she does.”

Welther’s favorite quote is by Paulo Coelho and says, “Whatever you decide to do in life, make sure it makes you happy.”

Welther enjoys this quote because everyone has a journey and it should be everyone’s goal to make the most of that journey.

“Take the strides needed to achieve your goals. Work hard to be happy. It’s so worth it,” Welther says.

Her journey began because she woke up on day and decided she wanted  to change and make herself better. From there, she was determined to change her life for the better.

“At the end of the day, when you reach your impressive goals you’ve pushed yourself to reach, you discover a part of yourself you might not have known existed. That’s what living is all about.”