It's not my favorite thing but...
Before I start rambling on about the mental benefits of exercise, I just want to make one thing clear. I am in no way an exercise or health nut. In fact, it's probably the area that I struggle with the most. I did not grow up in an active or healthy household and I was never athletic so I didn't play sports. I am naturally sedentary and it's an impulse I fight against daily.
I say all that to say, I know the struggle is real. However, the benefits are real as well. The other day I went back to the gym for the first time in months. I had signed up for Planet Fitness about a year ago and finally got myself together enough to go. My motivation was boosted by the fact that none of my pants were fitting LOL!
After I finished, I realized (like I always do) just how beneficial exercise is for my mood. I woke up that morning in a funk and was feeling irritable and anxious. However, after exercising, I was happier, more peaceful, and less reactive to events. It was an immediate benefit to my mood that I haven't been able to get from anything else.
For those of you who love to exercise, god bless you. I wish I was like that. For the rest of us, I say do it anyway, as much as you can. Like changing any habit, it'll take time, and you'll revert back to old ways before you recenter and get back in the game. I've been working on consistent exercise for about 5 years and still fall off from time to time. It's a journey but a valuable one, the benefits of exercise are too great for us to pass it up.
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