Exercise and Other Annoying Things That Helped My Mental Health

When my counselor talked about the benefits of exercise on mental health, I may have rolled my eyes a little.  

When my doctor and naturopath told me the same thing, I’m pretty sure I audibly sighed. 

Not because I think exercise is bad.

Obviously it’s a good thing.

But when I was feeling down and unmotivated, I felt like I couldn’t exercise. 

Further, when you are in those grey days of depression or struggling with mental health, it feels unbelievable that something so simple could help. 

When all the professionals in your life say “I told you so”

Fast forward a few months and I’m now exercising on a pretty regular basis—3-4 times a week at the gym or pool, plus walking as many steps as possible so my Fitbit doesn’t keep nagging me to stand up and move. 

And guess what? I’m feeling better.

I have more motivation, more resiliency. Every day isn’t perfect, but it’s better. 

I hadn’t quite put this together until two recent conversations: 

• My therapist was asking about my daily routine these days and I told her how I’d been going to the gym a lot more and feeling pretty good. She said, “Hmm, it is interesting that those two things have happened at the same time.” 
• My naturopath, after likewise inquiring about my daily routine, asked me to rate my mood and energy on a scale from 1-10. She then proceeded to remind me that I gave responses that were four points lower just four months ago. 

What I heard in both cases was a big ol’ “I told you so.” Gentle and with care, but very much an I-told-you-so-moment. Which, to be honest, I deserved because they were right—it has helped. 

6 other annoyingly helpful things for mental health

Even though I believe that exercising regularly has made a major impact on both my mood and energy levels, I don’t believe it’s the only thing that helped. 

Mental health is complex—I don’t need to be a mental health professional (and I’m most certainly not) to know that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. 

People are different, their mental health is different, their bodies are different, their capacity is different, and their access is different. It’s all different. That means what works for me won’t necessarily work for you. 

HOWEVER. Just like exercise, there are things we hear about all the time that are supposed to help mental health. And, in my experience, they work. 

So, here are six other things that have helped my mental health: 

1. Seeing a counselor: Apparently, bottling up or eating your emotions is not a healthy way to heal and grow as a person. It turns out that talking about it with a licensed professional does.
2. Eating healthy and drinking water: Apparently, there is a connection between your physical and mental health. It turns out that eating garbage is not supportive of overall well-being. 
3. Practicing self-compassion: Apparently, words really do have power. It turns out that speaking kindly to ourselves and being gracious about the ups and downs of life is healthier than beating yourself up. 
4. Being imperfect: Apparently, I’m not perfect. It turns out that that’s okay, and consistency over time is more impactful than being perfect. 
5. Journaling: Apparently, my brain is not the place to clearly articulate all thoughts and feelings. It turns out that I get a lot of clarity when I write out my thoughts and take time to process things on paper. 
6. Sleeping well: Apparently, I’m not my best when I stay up late scrolling on Instagram. It turns out that a good night’s sleep helps me face the day. 

If you want to roll your eyes while reading this list—I get you. I understand the impulse to fight this advice and how it feels impossible and not at all helpful. 

But if you think you can try just one thing (very much keeping #4 in mind—perfection is not the goal)… If you can experiment with one of these or any other area of self-care, you just might see some positive benefits like I did. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll keep adding more healthy habits to your routine and keep seeing more positive benefits to your mental health. 

And then maybe—just maybe—you’ll be in a position to receive a gentle and caring “I told you so.”