The Power of Getting Up and Moving: A Small Step Toward Recovery

One of the first things that helped me on my journey to recovery was simply getting out of bed, stepping into nature, and forcing myself to go for a walk—even if it was just for 15 minutes.

If you’re struggling with depression, mornings can often feel the hardest. I know they were for me. That heavy, unshakable feeling made it even more difficult to summon the energy to get up, let alone go outside. But I knew I had to break the cycle.

Planning Ahead for the Toughest Moments

Because I expected to feel this way in the morning, I started preparing the night before. I laid out my walking clothes, set my alarm, and made a firm decision: no matter how I felt, I would get up and go outside. Removing the need to make a decision in the moment helped me follow through.

If you find mornings particularly challenging, try setting small, non-negotiable steps in place:✅ Put your shoes and clothes by your bed, ready to go.✅ Set an uplifting song as your alarm to encourage movement.✅ Write yourself a reminder on a sticky note—"Just step outside for five minutes"—to make the task feel less overwhelming.

The Healing Power of Nature

At first, my walks were filled with tears, frustration, and exhaustion. But I went anyway. I let myself cry, I let myself shout, and I let my feet keep moving.

There was something healing about the fresh air, the scent of the trees, the sound of birds singing, and even seeing dogs play freely around me. I didn't always come back feeling amazing, but I always felt a little better than before I left. And over time, that small shift made a huge difference.

Expanding My Coping Toolkit

As I continued, I started adding more tools to my recovery journey. Walking was the foundation, but I also worked on:

🍏 Improving my diet – Nourishing my body with better food choices helped regulate my mood and energy.

💪 Incorporating exercise – Even light movement made a difference in how I felt.

🎨 Exploring creative hobbies – Writing, painting, and other creative outlets provided a way to express emotions in a healthier way.

These small, intentional changes helped me move toward a place of freedom from depression. Recovery wasn’t instant, and there were tough days, but having these tools made it possible to keep going.

A Final Reminder

If you're struggling, start small. You don’t need to run a marathon or overhaul your entire life overnight. Just step outside, even for a few minutes. Take a breath. Listen to the world around you. Let movement be your first step forward.

It won’t fix everything overnight, but it might just help you feel a little better today. And sometimes, that’s enough to keep going.