Page 56 - San Diego Woman Magazine our POWER WOMEN
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Power Women


                         Photo by Wayland Lim































        “Health and Wellness in Retirement”






            FTER 26 YEARS OF TEACHING AT  parks (Yosemite, Sequoia, Bryce Canyon,   retirement, and Karen feeling settled in her
        ASan Diego City College, Karen is still   Zion, and Grand Canyon). This coming   retirement after downsizing to Carlsbad.
        involved in positively impacting others.   year will take her on a Panama Cruise   Turning 64, Karen has a new zest for life
        She has taken a long journey to develop   with a group of 50 people and a Baltic Seas   and making the best of each day getting
        a healthy mind and body. Having been   cruise with a friend who lectures on luxury   out of bed without pain and grateful for all
        diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis in   cruise lines. She is grateful to have the   that has come her way. She is learning to
        2003 at one point, Karen was having prob-  mobility to travel without pain.  play the piano to challenge her mind, keeps
        lems sleeping, combing her hair, brushing   Karen’s latest passion is starting a   busy socially and soon hopes to write her
        her teeth and climbing stairs. The stress of   second career as an event coordinator.   memoir with the title “Hollow Bamboo:
        having her first child at 44 years of age also   She has had years of experience as Past   Yellow on the Outside.” Being a teacher by
        threw her body for a loop; she took a tail-  President of the California chapter of the   heart, Karen is excited to share her journey
        spin into postpartum depression for years.  College Reading and Learning Association  and continue making a difference in other
           Now in retirement since 2017, she   (CRLA)and was the on-site chair for the   people’s lives through bringing eastern
        keeps busy with yoga, tai chi, working out   national CRLA conference in San Diego   practices to our hectic American lifestyle.
        at the Ecke YMCA and walking her two   with 800 participants. At City College,   Everyone from high school students to
        shih tzus twice a day. She has been very   she was the World Cultures Co-Director   senior citizens can benefit from the goals of
        involved with the San Diego Women’s   for many years organizing events such as   Karen’s workshops:
        Association and held many roles from   Chopra Day and bringing in renowned   •  Reduce Stress
        past president to chair of the scholarship   speakers in science, film directors, authors,   •  Lose weight and eat healthier
        and philanthropy committees and most   and motivational speakers. Karen recently   •  Increase focus and balance
        recently silent auction chair for the annual   held a day-long workshop “Health and   •  Improve deeper more restorative sleep
        Chinese New Year fundraising dinner that   Wellness: Eastern Practice in a Western   •  Renew energy
        attracts 350 attendees from the San Diego   World” bringing seven seasoned practi-  •  Motivate yourself to create positive
        community. Last year, the SDCWA organi-  tioners to a day-long event on March 2,   change
        zation offered 12 college scholarships and   2019, at the California Institute for Human
        six philanthropy groups in San Diego.  Science (CIHS) in Encinitas.         For more information and to learn
           She is just starting her travels this past   Life is good with her 20-year-old   more about future Health and
        year and went to Boston, MA, Newport,   daughter graduating from Loyola Mary-  Wellness Workshops email Karen at
        RI, Monterey, CA and trips to the national   mount University in May, husband near   kjlim12212@gmail.com


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