By the summer of 2021, I wasn’t mentally well. Most of us weren’t, right? Global pandemics can suck it. I didn’t realize I wasn’t doing OK. Looking back, I can see the signs, but when I was in the middle of it - nope.
In the beginning, nobody understood Covid-19 or what its potential for mental and physical harm would be. The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention, at one point, predicted as many as 5 million Americans might die from it within the coming year. Due to this kind of sensationalized reporting, there was pandemonium in my town. This news caused everyone to run to the stores and buy up everything on the shelves. Hoarding was commonplace. Every staple of life was on backorder or NOT available. It seemed apocalyptic. Stores stayed like this for months. It was truly surreal and the stress of seeing this happen was traumatic.
I didn’t take the “pandemic talk” seriously at first, so I was a little late to the prep game. That meant no stockpiles of toilet paper for me. No stockpiles of rice. No stockpiles of canned fruits or vegetables. Like many who didn’t take it seriously, my stress went through the roof at the thought of trying to feed my nine person family without access to the resources we relied on weekly.
I really couldn’t imagine things getting worse. Then they closed the schools. “Holy shit,” I thought. “Now it is getting real - and worse!”
Then, they closed our business. Our tiny gym was considered “high risk”and “non-essential” because of the potential for close personal contact which increased the potential for spreading the virus. Our 10-year-old gym was a small business. It had provided our family a comfortable enough living, but there was never much excess. The thought of three months without a paycheck was insurmountable in my head. Not to mention the thought of not seeing all of our friends every day was equally unbearable. More about that later.
In the wake of the tumultuous events of 2020 and 2021, it's clear that many of us faced unprecedented challenges to our mental well-being. The global pandemic disrupted our lives in ways we never could have anticipated. Looking back, the signs of my own struggles are clearer now than they were in the midst of it all. It's a common human experience to underestimate the toll that stress and uncertainty can take on our mental health.
The pandemic introduced us to fear, scarcity, and isolation. The anxiety that arose from uncertain news and empty store shelves is not something easily forgotten. Those moments of panic, the nagging despondence, they all left their mark. But acknowledging our struggles is not a sign of weakness; it's a sign of strength. It's a reminder that we're all human, and that our mental well-being matters just as much as our physical.
As a trainer, I'm well aware of the importance of rehabilitating injured body parts. Just as we give our physical injuries time to heal, we need to do the same for our minds. Prioritizing mental health should be as normal as going to the gym for a workout. The stigma that has surrounded discussions of mental health is outdated and detrimental. Talking openly about our struggles reduces the shame and normalizes seeking help.
If you find yourself grappling with your mental health, remember that seeking assistance is a sign of courage, not weakness. Fuck the naysayers and critics; they're trapped in an old way of thinking. The world is evolving, and so should our attitudes towards mental health. It's crucial to understand that taking care of your mind is just as important as taking care of your body. Don't hesitate to reach out for support. There are professionals, friends, and resources available to guide you towards a healthier state of mind.
How to Improve Mental Health
(Without Pretending You’re 25 Again)
Let’s not overcomplicate this.You don’t need a 10-step morning routine, a silent retreat in the mountains, or a personality transplant. You need a few things done consistently… and done honestly. Start with this:
Sit still for a few minutes.
Not scrolling. Not “checking one thing.” Just sit there and breathe.
Call it meditation if you want. I don’t care what you call it.
What matters is this: can you be alone with your thoughts for five minutes without needing an escape hatch? Most people can’t. That’s the problem.Write your thoughts down.
Not for Instagram. Not for anyone else.
For you.
Because when your thoughts stay in your head, they tend to lie to you.
When you put them on paper, you can finally see what’s real… and what’s just noise.Move your body.
This one you already know.
But here’s the part people miss—movement isn’t just for your muscles.
It’s one of the most reliable ways to change your state.
Bad day? Walk. Lift. Sweat a little.
You don’t think your way out of a funk—you move your way out.Create something. Anything.
Draw. Write. Play music. Build something in the garage.
We weren’t built just to consume.
And yet that’s all most people do now—scroll, watch, repeat.
Creation is therapy. Always has been.Stop mainlining bad news.
You weren’t designed to process the world’s problems 24/7.
Constant negativity isn’t making you informed.
It’s making you anxious.
Set a boundary. The world will still be there when you check back in.Practice gratitude… even if it feels forced at first.
Yeah, I know—it sounds cheesy.
Do it anyway.
Because your brain is already wired to find what’s wrong.
Gratitude is how you train it to see what’s right.
None of this is revolutionary. That’s the point.
Mental health doesn’t usually fall apart because you’re missing some secret technique.
It falls apart because you’ve drifted away from the basics… and stayed there too long.
Come back to them.
Do them imperfectly. Do them consistently. That’s enough.
BTW, today, my mental health is stronger — not because I eliminated stress, but because I built capacity for it. I don’t avoid my stressors, I embrace them. Just like the body, the mind doesn’t improve through avoidance. It improves through intentional work, honest recovery, and time.
Mental health isn’t something you achieve. It’s something you train — for life.