The Freedom of Exercise

It’s been a rough month over here. Hell, it’s been a rough year and a half 🙈. After struggling with my mental health through the pandemic, moving, and having the kids at home full-time, we all got Covid. Although the lingering physical effects of our illness took weeks to shake off, it has been hard to relinquish the devastating effects of a three week quarantine on my already fragile mental health.

I knew I had to crawl out of this depressive hole to feel better, but I had no energy to do it. I started by talking to my therapist via zoom to vent and process my frustrations. Then I scheduled a few zooms with friends to just chit chat and find some joy again. Then I dragged myself back to the gym.

That first day was hard, and I basically went to shower. I needed some space for myself. I packed my clothes in a bag and my kids in the car. I dropped those girls off at kids care, walked for fifteen minutes, and then took a shower where no one could bug me. I was well and truly alone for the first time in three weeks.

And it gave me life.

I’ve gone back every day since, moving my body in ways that feel good, but I’m really going to be alone and shower without interruption. My mental health has improved so much from an hour and a half at the gym. It reminded me that as much as exercise is good for physical health, it might be ever better for our mental health.

I know that not everyone can go to a gym right now because of lockdowns or other Covid related reasons, but if you’re struggling with your kids going bonkers in your house, maybe your husband can watch them for thirty minutes while you walk outside. Maybe you can put a movie on for them, while you do some yoga. Even just stretching can be helpful.

Moving my body helps settle my mind. If you’re having a hard time, consider leaning into the freedom of exercise. It pieced together my fractured mental health. I wonder what it could do for you ❤️.