The impact of a divorce reverberates throughout your life, triggering acute stress or anxiety, even if you’ve never experienced those feelings before.
When facing such a massive disruption to your life and getting used to the “new normal,” it’s common to feel these negative emotions. If gone unchecked, however, they could get in the way of healing and finding peace. This perpetual stress can then attack your confidence levels, disrupt your health, and lead to self-sabotage.
To reduce the effects of this destructive headspace, seek out positive methods of coping. As you rebuild a sense of balance, security, and well-being, exercise will be a powerful outlet for stress management; the endorphins keep you energized, focused, refreshed and levelheaded.
Funnel this anxiety and stress into these sweat-inducing activities, all of which do wonders for your health — and sanity.
Yoga and Tai Chi
Both of these practices are rooted in Eastern tradition and focus on self-paced, fluid movements combined with deep breathing techniques. The basis of yoga and tai chi is supporting a mind-body connection to restore calm in the midst of stressors or chaotic situations. The gentle, low-impact postures also activate strength and stamina without the added strain of high-intensity regimens.
Cycling
This lower-body workout is ideal for toning and promoting cardio wellness while clearing tension from your mind. Not to mention, National Geographic explains that spending time in nature is the “antidote” for an overwhelmed and over-stimulated brain and studies have confirmed this time and time again.
“Results from linear regression analyses showed a significant and negative relationship between higher green space levels and stress levels, indicating living in areas with a higher percentage of green space is associated with lower stress,” report findings from a University of Edinburgh study.
Kickboxing
When you need a constructive release for your pent-up nerves, turn to kickboxing, where you can channel frustration into a rigorous, heart-pumping workout. Kickboxing engages both the upper and lower body through controlled punches and dropkicks that make you feel empowered to crush the obstacles weighing you down. This workout also improves coordination, discipline, endurance, and stability.
Rock Climbing
To achieve the same results as meditation The Huffington Post, this form of exertion lulls you into a euphoric mindset, which can mitigate your own awareness of emotional or mental pain.
Not to mention, rock climbing ranked among the most popular U.S. hobbies in 2016, so it’s a proven social outlet, too. Sign up for a free trial at a local climbing gym and see if you enjoy the sport. If so, look to this new gym as a community, where you can connect with others while working through stress and anxiety.
Tennis
Partner sports can provide a much-needed escape from your own thoughts, allowing you to interact and connect with another person. The rhythmic, repetitive motions of tennis are soothing and create a sense of order when life begins to feel unpredictable. For your next workout, grab a friend to practice volleys, backhands, or overhead. You can even hire an instructor for your first few sessions to learn the basics so you don’t tweak a muscle or hurt yourself.
Regardless of which phase of the divorce process you’re currently facing, there’s no doubt this stressful and draining situation can take a negative toll on your wellness. That’s why self-care is essential during periods of major change. Maintain a healthy equilibrium by channeling your emotions into these invigorating and stress-relieving workouts that keep you sane in the midst of this major transition.
About the Author: Jessica Thiefels has been writing for more than ten years and is currently a full-time writer and content marketing consultant. She’s written for Reader’s Digest, AARP, Lifehack and more. Follow her on Twitter at @Jlsander07 for money-saving ideas, health tips, and more.
