If you lead a sedentary lifestyle and don’t go out much, you may be feeling down as a result.
Maybe you want to avoid people, so going to the gym isn’t that appealing. Maybe there just isn’t anyone to play kickball with anymore. So what do you do with yourself?
You sit in your emotional stuff until it’s time to go back to work or feed the dog. This isn’t really living. You may find yourself going to bed very early or having low energy. When you don’t move around, you are depriving your body of the energy it needs to function properly. Getting your body moving is one of the best cures available for depression or anxiety — and it’s free.
You don’t have to be a gym rat to get your body moving. You can dance, or just get up and walk around the room picking up your clothes, or you can do some actual exercise. Cleaning out the garage, doing yard work, and walking the dog will help you feel better. It gets those endorphins circulating through your brain.
Being sedentary decreases your ability to accomplish any of your goals or be a part of your community. You were not meant to sit around all by yourself forever, but I know that can be hard to see sometimes. Making yourself be more physical will make you feel better about almost everything, and doing it to music will make it that much more enjoyable.
If you really can’t find anything fun or inspiring to do at home, that could actually be a good thing because it will force you to get out. I live in a walking destination zone, and what I mean by that is that many people drive to my area just to get some exercise and look at the lake while they do it. The days I go for a walk are always better than the days when I am feeling too lazy. I also cross paths with many people whom I mostly know only by their dog’s name, and we have a friendly chat.
An older friend of mine whose husband passed away was struggling with what to do with what was left of her life. A breast cancer survivor herself, she considered just letting life pass her by and waiting for her time. But luckily that wasn’t meant to be.
Her children sent her a cellphone and a Yorkie — more useful than flowers — and she knew that if she didn’t take the little doggy out, it would make a mess in her home, so she started walking him every day. Then she met a few people and joined the local yacht club, and now she’s there a few times a week, and at ninety years old, she can still dance the night away.
Getting your body moving has a great deal to do with overcoming your mood both directly and indirectly. So get up and out. You will make your life and the world in general a better place by giving your energy to those who need and want it. Now, put on some music and dance like nobody’s watching.
Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D. is an award-winning psychotherapist and humanitarian. He is also a columnist, the author of 8 books, and a blogger for PsychologyToday.com with over 35 million readers. He is available for in-person & video consults worldwide, reach him at Barton@BartonGoldsmith.com.
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