Find Your Own Kind of Exercise

You hear it all the time, exercise is good for you. You hear it more often if you have depression. They tell you to exercise because it helps fight depression and improve your mood. For years I have wonder how so many people recommend it for depression but it never seemed to improve my mood or help. I felt the same on days I exercised as on the days I did not.

I would go to the gym and run the treadmill, lift weights, and ride the stationary bike. I hated going to the gym I always thought it was a chore. Which did not improve my mood at all. It was not fun for me it made me depressed while I was there and after I left. Now don’t get me wrong for some people they love going to the gym. It helps them a lot it just wasn't for me.

I tried walking as well and although I enjoy walking outside in the sun and nature, when I go out for walks I have to bring my dog. Walking my dog for any amount of time is stressful for me. walking him ups my anxiety levels and my stress levels. He is not the best on walks. He will bark at everything he sees. In the end, I still walk him but that is more for his mental health and needs than mine.

It was about a month ago that I finally figured out I enjoy, free dancing. I put on music and just dance. I find it super fun and I enjoy it so much. I have been doing it for only a few weeks and already I can see an increase in my mood. I feel happier and more willing to do things during the day. I do not do it for that long the longest I have done it for so far is ten minutes. Even that short time of just getting up and moving seems to boost my mood. Doing it for only a short time every day doesn’t seem like that big of a task so I am more willing to do it.

There are some days where I just can not bring myself to do my exercise. That is why I have an exercise partner to help me get my daily exercise in by motivating me to do it. I found that if I get someone to exercise with me then I will be more willing to do it on both the days I want to and the days that it is harder to even get out of bed. To have someone to help motivate me and keep me on track has really helped me to enjoy exercising more.

Do not get me wrong there are those days where it is hard for me to do it, where even a minute of dancing or even walking to the kitchen seems impossible. We all have those days and that is fine. Missing a day every once in a while is not something you should beat yourself up over.

Find the exercise that you enjoy doing that does not feel like a chore, that is going to be fun for you. Have someone to hold you accountable that will also understand that there are someday that you just do not want to do it. Someone to keep you on track and you keep them on track so it doesn’t end up being a two-week break. You can do exercise and improve your mood you just have to find the exercise you enjoy doing.