I see you, and I hear you, and I know you are facing the worst days in your life right now, and I know it wasn’t how you planned to live this chapter. You expected joy, peace, being free, and sitting with your friends, boasting about your successes. I get it; I do.
You feel so disappointed by life itself. When you have suffered enough, you have gone through so much, expecting this phase to be different. You expected this to be the winning side, rewards waiting for you, people congratulating you. Everything finally makes sense, and then, poof, here you are, facing your worst fears yet, while you are so tired and unprepared, so you just surrender.
You let go, you let the pain control you, you let others live your dreams, and you feel so tired of everything. I get it, it sucks, and I’m sorry.
But today I have finally found a solution for you, one that I trust can get you back and give you back your best self while at the same time reward you with a life better than the one you wished for. Not going to lie to you, I have no idea why life happens the way it does. What I know is that you shouldn’t let it destroy you, because you didn’t come this far to just surrender; you came to win.
Right?
So, let’s win; let this chapter start roughly but end dreamily. Let these problems be the ladder to where you wish to be.
Here is the post written solely for those of us who have been struggling with our mental health, either because of family issues, money, abuse, attachment issues, or anything that makes us question our worth. This post is written for everyone who thinks they can’t have a good life.
Why we suffer with mental health
Mental health is what we as normal humans call peace of mind; it’s when you can live your life without holding yourself back or allowing any of your past problems to stand in your way of living and experiencing your life.
Why do we even suffer from mental health issues, though? It’s because we haven’t been taught how to feel or handle our emotions the way that they should be experienced. We are only taught to label them as ‘bad’ or ‘good.’
If you’re happy, then it’s ‘good’; if you’re sad, then it’s ‘bad,’ right?
Well… the truth is life doesn’t work that way; there is no good and bad feelings, they are all just feelings, and each one should be experienced to its fullest: the pain after betrayal, the rejection, the shame, the stress, happiness, which I don’t think I have to tell you to embrace since it’s the only feeling that you take fully from the airport 😊
Just kidding, but I’m serious. We have been taught to romanticize joy and abandon other feelings. I’m not going to lie to you; no one likes pain or sadness, but they are part of life, and if not felt fully, that’s when, my dear, mental health problems show up.
You see, when you go through a terrifying experience (let’s say your best friend just left you or betrayed you), and instead of being honest with yourself and accepting that this situation have pained you so much, you listen to those stupid advices online that tell you to ‘be strong and not let it affect you’ and that ‘you never cared.’ Whatever you try to numb these feelings, this pain, by filling up your calendar with all the things that will keep you busy so that you won’t have to face the truth (that you are hurt), which is completely normal, and we all go through it. This feeling doesn’t go away; it becomes a part of your identity.
To be more specific, it sticks itself into you either physically or mentally, or even emotionally; a part of you or all of you will hold it till you sit down and let yourself admit that this situation hurt you, and you allow yourself to feel it all.
This, my dear, is how your mental health is triggered, by not creating a safe space for all emotions to be heard. After a while you will notice that you cannot relax, you are always expecting the worst out of others, you cannot trust people, you find it hard to connect, you isolate yourself, and eventually, you start to panic and have all these issues getting tangled together, creating, God forbid, mental illness that would take years to heal and come back to your normal, healthy, happy self.
No, instead of all this, you could have sat with that pain for a month, and you would have healed completely without having your entire life shaken and affected by that.
I know it’s not what we like to hear, but hard times are part of life, and no one, no matter what great book you’re going to read or which mentor is helping you, can protect you from experiencing pain and disappointment.
But that doesn’t mean we should give things more power than they deserve. We need to learn how to do things properly, and here is how you heal, learn, and grow as the best, happiest, healthiest, most successful, creative, and alive version of yourself.
How to heal your mental health with movement
Movement is so underrated, though I love that people are prioritizing the gym nowadays more than ever, but the truth is, movement and exercise are not just for body shaping and looking sexy; when you normalize moving your body, your entire life will change.
Movement helps reduce stress, and that happens because when you are exercising, your brain releases endorphins, which are painkillers and mood elevators. This chemical reduces your perception of pain and triggers positive feelings.
Which, as a person who is suffering from a mental health disorder,, is considered a treasure to you? Your brain has forgotten how to be happy for a very long time; it has gotten used to being drowned by pain and negative feelings. This is you reintroducing your brain to how good life can feel.
Body movement is also known to increase your breathing rate, which enhances oxygen flow to the brain, so it calms your mind and supports mental clarity.
What kind of body movements are best for your mental health
That depends on your personal preferences. Your body knows what is best for you, so my advice is for you to choose the one that excites you the most.
Exercising should be fun and exciting, so I personally would suggest you choose something that you actually love and enjoy.
Here are my personal favorites you can start with:
Running
The easiest and least expensive, you can do this anywhere, and anyone can do it. Running is one of the best exercises that have been known to improve your mental health while also helping reduce stress.
I have always loved running, and it has always felt magical to me. The feeling you get when you can just move your body without worrying about anything in the world while you watch the world move around you is heaven; it helps a lot with basically everything.
It is known to build resilience against depression, boost mood, and reduce stress. If you wish to start exercising right now, this is where I suggest you start.
Swimming
This one is quite expensive but life-changing. As a person with mental health disorders, I have noticed that the ocean always has a way of soothing me and making my body relax.
So water has always been something that calls to me. When I decided to take movement seriously, as my therapist suggested, I immediately chose swimming, knowing how much I would enjoy it.
And I was right. Even though it had cost me A LOT, it was worth every penny.
The thing about swimming is it gives you a safe space away from everything; it’s a luxury that every human craves, and maybe that is why it’s quite expensive, but the ability to just be in the pool thinking about nothing but water and keeping your body floating is the best practice for your body and mind.
It is no surprise that the best doctors have been suggesting this sport for decades, yet no one seemed to be listening or caring. Maybe because most of us find it pretty expensive, but how much are you willing to pay to heal?
If you are looking for a shortcut, then this is it. You should see my therapist’s face when I took this seriously. The feeling you get when you are done swimming is heaven; that is the only way I can describe it.
Away from social media, away from problems, and just focusing on your breath is all you need to clear your mind, grow stronger, stop seeing yourself as the problem, and detach from pain.
Can’t speak about the importance of this sport enough; if you can afford it, then I support you giving it a shot—it’s addicting.
Playing padel
This one has nothing to do with the body, though it does require you to move your hands and legs, but that’s not the point that matters, in my opinion.
It’s the fact that you are not isolating yourself and instead you are mixing yourself up with different people that is going to help your mental health the most.
When you are going through anxiety or even depression, you may notice that you only feel comfortable being alone because, as my therapist said, ‘you wish to hide and not have others see your pain,’ so this is what I would suggest you do to prevent that from happening.
I know you think that isolating yourself until you heal will make things better, but healing requires help from others, and you cannot get that when you keep hiding in your room.
I know it’s tough, but it’s the only way you can heal and become better. No one likes medicines, but we swallow them anyway because we know what’s good for us, and dear, you never know who you will meet in these places.
It can be the opportunity you have always searched for; it can be the love of your life, the best friend you will die for. They may be the answer to all your pain; you never know. I swear, you never know.
Any sport that gives you an opportunity to play with others is good for you; push through the discomfort and allow yourself to expand and become the person you have always wanted. (cliché but true)
Hitting the gym
If you are someone who can afford to go to the gym, then I believe it is something you should consider doing because it’s something that is well known to improve your mental health while shaping your body and reducing stress. One of the best doctors who studied the brain has confirmed that our brains work best when we move our bodies, and she definitely recommended the gym as a lifestyle.
Personally, I have noticed a huge impact when I started working out in a place surrounded by others who were doing the same. I used to exercise at home for obvious reasons, but it is nothing compared to being surrounded by people and also being given coach advice that is specifically for your body. If you can afford it, then don’t hesitate.
That’s all I have to say about body movement and mental health. I hope this post was beneficial and that you will see great changes in your life by following it. If you have anything you would like to add, please do. I cannot speak about sports; I have never tried them, so if you have found any useful exercises that improved your mental health, then please let us know.
Thank you for reading this; I really appreciate it.
Other posts you may like:
How fixing your sleep will improve your mental health
Join the journey to mental health paradise. Here are simple and fun habits of people who enjoy their lives while living without worrying about their mental health.
