Walking Toward Your Dreams: How AYA Can Help

“This application continues to keep me and my family motivated to get our daily steps in, all while connecting with our culture.”

These words from Jamie J., a Chickasaw citizen from California, capture the transformative power of combining cultural connection with physical wellness. Like many who discover the AYA walking app, Jamie was determined to know more about her culture. After completing several walking partner journeys, she achieved that goal while building healthy habits that benefit her entire family.

Where Your Journey Begins

Every dream starts with a single step. Whether your goal is to deepen your cultural connections like Jamie, get your life more organized, or find ways to improve your health, the path forward does not have to feel overwhelming. In fact, it can become an engaging daily adventure.

The stories of transformation through AYA speak to its unique approach. Anna D. found that the app "has been very integral in reaching wellness goals and keeping me connected with the Chickasaw Nation culture and stories." For Steven V., "the app is a lot of fun and contributes to my walking...as well as a great learning tool for our culture."  

These experiences highlight what makes AYA different – it is not just another step-counting app. It is a bridge connecting physical wellness with cultural discovery, making each step meaningful in multiple ways.

Your Tools for Success

AYA provides multiple pathways to achieve your goals, understanding that motivation comes in different forms for different people. Key features to support your journey include:

• Starting a journey with a walking partner
• Tracking day-by-day step numbers
• Creating and/or joining groups
• Taking part in group challenges
• Tracking your rank on the leaderboard
• Setting a personal step goal

Each of these tools serves a purpose in your wellness journey, working together to create an experience that goes beyond simple step counting. They form a comprehensive support system that keeps you engaged, motivated and connected to Chickasaw culture with every step.

The Power of Walking Partners

At the heart of AYA's mission are the walking partners, who were there from the app's very beginning. When you start a journey with a walking partner, you make two important choices. First, you step onto a real-life historical trail designed to enhance both walking and learning. Second, you commit to completing that journey from start to finish, as each character has unique stories to share.

AYA's walking partners interweave rich storytelling to create meaningful, multilayered experiences – this is the magic of AYA. Consider the Chickasaw White House in Emet, Oklahoma – a single location that comes alive differently through each partner's perspective.

• When walking with Douglas Johnston, you learn how this historic house served as a vital hub for Chickasaw political discussions.
• Take the same path with Te Ata, and you experience more personal memories as she recalls visiting the home of her uncle – who was none other than Douglas Johnston – during her childhood.
• The five Homeland Journey characters – Akanowa, Hikatubby, Solomon, Mah Wah Ta and Eliza – add yet another layer, sharing unique insights about the site's significance in Chickasaw history.

Walking Partners: Your Guides Through Culture and Health

The AYA walking partners exemplify what it means to set a goal and achieve it. Imagine meeting them for the first time, being greeted with a warm "chokma!" They invite you on a walking journey, and suddenly you find yourself transported through time to paths both ancient and new. As you walk together, you discover places rich with history and meaning – perhaps a sacred site, a flowing river or a gathering place of generations past.

These locations hold stories waiting to be shared, and your walking partner guides you through each one. Every step brings you closer to these moments of discovery, creating a natural connection between physical activity and cultural learning. This is how AYA uniquely combines wellness with heritage – each step honors both your health goals and cultural understanding.

Motivation Enhanced by Additional AYA Features

Walking offers numerous health benefits from reducing sugar cravings to lowering cancer risks, easing joint pain and boosting immune function. While walking partners provide cultural motivation, AYA understands that many people are also inspired by numbers and achievements.

The AYA app tracks:

1. Your journey completion percentage
2. Steps taken on your character journey path
3. Daily step totals

Beyond individual tracking, AYA fosters community connection. Create your own group with a custom name and picture or join existing ones. Groups can challenge each other to friendly walk-offs, with group leaders setting challenge parameters and time frames. This feature especially appeals to those motivated by friendly competition and shared progress.

AYA's motto, "you never walk alone," applies both to your walking partner and the broader community. The leaderboard feature shows your standing among friends through achievement levels:

• Mouse: 1,000-1,500 steps
• Fox: 1,500-2,800 steps
• Bobcat: 2,800-4,000 steps
• Wolf: 4,000-5,800 steps
• Horse: 5,800-7,400 steps
• Black Bear: 7,400-10,000 steps
• Grizzly Bear: 10,000-15,000 steps
• Hawk: 15,000-25,000 steps
• Eagle: 25,000+ steps

The leaderboard updates daily, showing your previous day's achievement level and providing ongoing motivation for improvement.

For those preferring individual goals, the "Personal Step Challenge," feature lets you set custom targets. Choose your daily step goal – from 5,000 or 20,000 steps or more – and determine your time frame, from one week to four weeks or more. Track your progress daily, including completion rates and goal achievements.

Begin Your Journey with AYA

Whether returning to AYA or discovering it for the first time, remember that everything moves at your pace. A walking partner can help you commit to long-term goals, while the Personal Step Challenge offers concrete daily targets. Join group challenges for team spirit or use the leaderboard for friendly competition.

Goal setting and maintenance become easier with the right tools and support. With AYA, pursuing your health dreams transforms from a chore into an engaging adventure, connecting you with both wellness and heritage.

Anowa chipisala'cho (until we meet again),

- The AYA Walk Team