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Using Movement For Healing Instead of Punishment

Over the last couple of years, I stopped using movement and exercise as a way to punish myself and my body. Instead, I started to use movement as a way to help with healing my relationship with myself and my body,

Before, I was never working out and moving my body because it was something I enjoyed doing. It was always about how I looked and about making myself smaller. I went to the gym and worked out because I wanted to be disciplined so I could be thin. I didn’t enjoy it and all I cared about was making myself look toned.

That mindset was awful mentally. It made me resent working out and moving my body. For me, it wasn’t enjoyable. It felt more like a punishment because my body didn’t look the way I wanted it to. I was doing it for all of the wrong reasons.

Today, I’m kinder to my body. Instead of exercising because I want to look thin, I’m moving my body and just celebrating what it can do. Now, I move my body in a way that’s enjoyable to me instead of doing the things I think will make me look thin.

Hiking has become a way for me to move my body and it’s been healing. I enjoy exploring new parks to find waterfalls and wildlife, hiking up hills and mountains for a good view, and just moving my body in a way that feels good to me. It’s a lot more healing to me than forcing myself to go to the gym and do exercises I don’t even like.

I’m not saying the gym is awful, but it didn’t work for me and my mental health. It became an obsession and I became way too focused on what I looked like. It wasn’t about being healthy, it was about being thin. Using hiking as my method for movement gives me something to look forward to because I’m getting to explore new places or enjoy parks I already love.

Here’s to using movement as a way to heal instead of as a punishment ❤️

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-Kailey