Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Hello and welcome back to Mindset Matters. Let's get into the focus of today.
[00:00:09] Movement isn't punishment. It's permission. Permission to breathe, to reset, to release and rise. I'm Dr. Charisse Johnson, a licensed clinical mental health therapist, mindfulness practitioner, and author. And today I want to talk to you about something that goes beyond calories, step counts, or gym routines. This is about movement as medicine. So let's be real.
[00:00:38] Life can feel like an emotional roller coaster, a mental battlefield.
[00:00:45] But what if I told you that one of the most powerful ways to regulate your mind isn't just in your thoughts, it's in your body?
[00:00:55] Neuroscience shows us that movement changes your brain chemistry. In fact, just six minutes of moderate, vigorous movement can activate parts of your brain responsible for emotional regulation, decision making, and memory.
[00:01:13] You know, if you've been listening that I'm a bit of a neuroscience and research nerd. And so I got to acknowledge this incredible study that just came out.
[00:01:24] So there's a physical activity consortium called Motrapac and Stanford University, and together their recent research revealed something groundbreaking. Exercise doesn't just strengthen your body, it changes your brain and impacts over 35 neural pathways across different organs like your liver, your immune system, and even your gut.
[00:01:54] It is so powerful. So let's break this down.
[00:01:57] When you move, whether it's walking or dancing or stretching or lifting, your body reduces, releases endorphins like dopamine and serotonin. Those are neurotransmitters. And then there's a set of endorphins. All of that is happening at the same time. And these aren't just feel good chemicals. They're your brain's way of creating, creating a neurochemical shift from survival mode to resilience mode.
[00:02:29] Do you hear me?
[00:02:31] Movement.
[00:02:33] Moving your body in as little as six minutes of moderate exercise can pull you out of survival mode and help you feel more resilient to face all of the various things that are coming your way in any given day.
[00:02:52] So how do you do that? Let's talk about it. Here are three simple tools you can begin practicing today. First, tool one, a micro burst movement. Tiny doses of movement throughout your day in between 2 to 10 minutes long can boost your energy and reset your nervous system. So try jumping jacks before a meeting or stretch while your coffee brews, or walk in place during a phone call. Those are all fairly simple, fairly accessible.
[00:03:20] Tool two, mood mapping through motion. Let your body express what your words cannot.
[00:03:28] Now, it's rare that I'm at a loss for words, but it does happen. There are definitely times and seasons in my life where I just feel like there's so much happening inside of my own body emotionally that I don't have the words. But after moving, those words feel like they come. So if you're feeling anxious, try repetitive movements like walking or swimming. If you're feeling low, consider something like dancing or rebounding or bouncing on a exercise ball or rocking in a rocking chair. If you have one, you're feeling overwhelmed, shake it out.
[00:04:07] Literally. It's something that we used to do when we were children. We move away from it, but it is extremely helpful and tool three, the 20 minute reset. Use 20 intentional minutes of movement as a daily reset. Not to change how you look, but to shift how you feel. So movement invites clarity, it invites creativity, it invites calm, and it's your access point to presence. And that is what I want you to have.
[00:04:37] So let's pause here with some reflection.
[00:04:41] What emotion have you been carrying that might be released through movement?
[00:04:49] Or where in your day can you insert five minutes of intentional motion? And most importantly, what type of movement feels restorative, not restrictive? You don't have to earn your right to move. Movement is your. Your right, your return to self regulation and self respect. Because here's the truth. Your body is a messenger. Let movement be the language that reminds you you are still alive, still growing, and still capable of transformation.
[00:05:22] So here's your call to action. For the next seven days, I want you to pick just one of the tools that I've shared, the microburst, the mood mapping, or the 20 minute reset. And do it daily.
[00:05:33] Let your body speak. Let your mind listen. Because when you move, you don't just change your state, you change your story.
[00:05:43] I'm Dr. Charisse Johnson. Thank you for joining me for this episode of Mindset Matters. And I'll see you in motion.
