Are you feeling stressed? If the answer is yes, you are not alone. Everyone feels stressed sometimes because life is stressful. So what is stress exactly? Stress is a mind-body response to a real or perceived threat, event, or change in your life, which manifests through physical sensations, thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. This event or threatening situation is known as a stressor and can be internal like negative self-talk, perfectionism, an all or nothing attitude, or external such as job responsibilities, loss, finances, major life events/transitions, or relationships. The stressor can be a one time occurrence, or it can be ongoing such as a chronic illness or the COVID-19 pandemic.

Is the pandemic making you feel disconnected, overwhelmed, and exhausted? Maybe you have less energy and less motivation to complete tasks? Physical movement activities can help you cope with pandemic stress and low motivation, by helping you become present in your body and find strength and energy to keep you moving forward.