Truda (Henderson) Nathan '91 recognizes that the term “self-care” can mean many different topics—from relaxation techniques to learning something new to pushing oneself to become better. In Truda’s case, it means physical conditioning and stepping up to help others learn from her experiences. 

This busy mother of three and grandmother of one has stayed an active St. Ursula Academy alumna. Recently, though, she took on the important task of being the Health and Wellness Advisor for the SUA Black Alumnae group on Facebook. More than 50 Black alumnae have participated in her “walk/jog/run/exercise” challenges. Many have gone on to meet—socially distanced, of course—to get active together. Some ladies are mother-daughter duos and others are neighbors of alumnae. Thanks to Truda, these Arrow alumnae are now more physically active than ever, which is essential during recent months of quarantine when many have added “pandemic pounds.”

“I feel that self-care is extremely important because it’s a time to put oneself first. Sometimes we need to take time to relax our mind, thoughts, and body so we won't become over-stressed by the everyday cares of life. If we do not take care of ourselves, then we can't help others who need us to assist them,” Truda said.

Truda adds that simply smiling at a stranger or encouraging a friend might be all it takes to change someone’s day. “If we don’t take time to relax, we could miss that opportunity to help someone else.”

One way that Truda practices self-care is by running at least five days a week. She said it relaxes her and allows her to free her mind, especially when she runs on nature trails. “I joined Black Girls Run (BGR) three years ago. I originally joined for free exercise to assist in my weight loss process. But as I ran more frequently and met more women, I realized that we were more of a sisterhood that helped and encouraged each other, even just in terms of accomplishing the miles one at a time—either by running, doing interval run/walks, or just walking.”

“Running has also allowed me to support funding for great causes, including domestic violence, Historic Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) scholarships, the Civil Rights Museum Foundation, racism awareness, #RunWithMaud, Selma-To-Montgomery (virtual because of COVID-19), Right Moves For Youth, Sickle Cell Anemia awareness, and The National African-American Male Wellness Initiative, just to name a few.”

Truda’s self-care philosophy is simple, yet poignant: “At the end of the day, I believe it doesn’t matter how many miles or the pace you run or walk. If you keep moving, you’re doing something good for your physical and mental health.”