As someone who has had struggles with mental health over the last few years, I’ve had to come up with strategies to bring myself out of a rut. Finding a coping mechanism like the gym completely changed the way I view my mental and physical health. Keep reading to see how I’ve used the gym to change my life!
As a teenager in high school struggling with what it meant to grow up, I faced a lot of difficulties with my mental health. When my friend and I first decided to start working out to improve our performance in sports, the gym seemed like a terrifying and overwhelming place. Over time, this fear turned into a love for all things related to working out, and I quickly became obsessed. Finding this space taught me lessons that shaped the way I see my mental health overall.Â
First of all, finding the gym also meant finding a community of people who constantly want to see you do better. As I started going more regularly, I met people who shared my interests and who could help teach me the basics. I learned a lot and made friends who are not only extremely supportive but who also push me to improve all the time. This taught me that my support system needed to push me, but also help me in times when I am not feeling quite myself. Learning this became especially important in high school and college, where I have made decisions about who I want surrounding me in life.Â
Working out also turned into a positive way to relieve stress. I noticed that whenever I had a bad day or was going through something, a quick workout could clear my mind and allow me to focus on what I could control. This shift in mindset helped me deal with my stress in a healthy way, which was life-changing in an extremely stressful period of my life. I was also able to accomplish a lot more and organize my life when I wasn’t constantly overwhelmed.Â
Finally, going to the gym completely changed my self-esteem. It was never about how I looked physically, but more so how I perceived myself. Putting in hard work and physically seeing myself get stronger in various areas of the gym taught me that I am capable of doing hard things and succeeding. It taught me that I have control over certain areas of my life, and when I work hard and learn as much as possible, I can be successful in them. This completely changed my mindset as I learned to appreciate and celebrate positive aspects about myself inside and outside the gym.Â
Overall, the gym completely changed my outlook on life and my perspective on myself. It taught me a lot about hard work and how I can be strong and capable, even when life feels completely overwhelming. Even if it is not the gym, I think everyone needs a niche that will make them feel most like themselves and where they feel they truly belong.