Jessie had been in a funk for about two hours and just couldn’t seem to shake it. What was her deal today? After taking time to reflect, it dawned on her. She is normally super active and today she had not done much moving at all. It was time to change that and get out of her bad mood. 

Jessie decided that the rest of the day was going to be packed full of movement. She called up her friend April to see if she wanted to join her. They made plans to meet at the trails. Instead of driving her car she decided she would ride her bike there. She went to her garage, grabbed her bike and helmet and took off towards the trails. The short bike ride itself was a breath of fresh air as she felt the sun shining. Her body was already loosening up from the tension that the stress and anxiety had caused. 

Jessie and April had a fantastic time. They were able to get in two miles at a great pace. Jessie could feel her body thanking her for moving. While running they discussed other forms of exercise they could get into. Swimming, group exercise classes at their gym, and simply taking an evening walk to get their bodies moving. April told Jessie about a live band that was playing at their local park and suggested they call a few of their friends, meet up, and dance the night away. Jessie agreed, she knew that would be the perfect ending to her day of movement.

As she got home that evening and got into bed she realized that she had done it! Her day consisted of movement. She not only felt great, but her mood had lightened and her funk was gone.

Jessie now makes it a priority to get at least 20-30 minutes of movement in a day because she loves the way she feels afterward, both physically and mentally. 

Being active can play a huge role in your mental health as it can help lower your stress and anxiety levels as well as reducing the feelings of depression. Just like Jessie got into that funk, we too hit those walls where we have no energy and no desire to do anything. Getting active and moving around will help take those feelings away and give you a sense of empowerment! So lace up your shoes and get to moving!

For more information on the benefits of exercise and physical activity, take a look at this article titled Real-Life Benefits of Exercise and Physical Activity.