During this pandemic, it’s easy to be a couch potato. There’s nothing wrong with a little video entertainment of course, but we have to remember to balance that with physical activity, too!
Exercise increases endorphins, can ward off depression, and once you get into the groove, can actually feel great, too!
Your mind may tell you to passively watch more TV, or that you don’t like to exercise, or remind you of that time when you lifted weights and were sore for a week. It’ll keep you on the fence, wondering what type of movement is best for you. Or what type is easiest. Or most doable.
*Empaths and Highly Sensitive Persons (HSPs) typically do better participating in low-impact exercise as opposed to high-impact exercise. The forms of exercise that are typically most aligned with our needs include walking, gentle jogging, tai chi, qi gong, yoga, and so forth, as opposed to lifting heavy weights. This doesn’t mean modest weightlifting can’t be helpful; rather, it is a reminder that if a person’s body is already filled with tension, lifting heavier weights than necessary can add to that tension.*
There are lots of free videos for the above forms of exercise on the Internet. Most don’t require any special equipment. Even if you do only 15 minutes a day, it can be helpful. 30 would be better, but … baby steps, as needed.
And of course, practice ample social distancing - even more than recommended from runners as they're breathing heavier than walkers!
Excerpt from “Empathipedia: Healing for Empaths & Highly Sensitive Persons”