Exercise, the Brain, and Our Sense of Self

Physical

Jun 19

The Relationship Between Movement and Mind

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At INTERNAL, we don't just look at the physical and what can be easily seen. Here, we understand health as a relationship between the mind, body, and the way we experience ourselves holistically. Each influences the other, and taking care of one often means paying attention to the rest.

And in this guide, we’ll explore how movement is one way to understand this connection. Exercise is often approached through physical goals, its influence extending deeper beyond strength, flexibility, or endurance. The way we move can shape how we feel, how we combat stress, and how we understand our own capabilities.

The relationship between exercise and mental health is not just about feeling good after a workout. It is also about learning to listen to your body, becoming more aware of your internal experience, and developing a different relationship with yourself.

And through different modalities of how we move throughout life, such as controlled movement, breath, and focus, exercise becomes more than something we just do for our physical health, but one way to take care of our whole selves.

IN TODAY’S GUIDE, YOU’LL LEARN:

1. The connection between movement and mental well-being

2. How movement can shape your relationship with yourself

3. The importance of finding movement that aligns with your individual needs/interests

A Compatible Pairing

Physical activity influences the brain in several ways. During exercise, the body releases positive neurotransmitters involved in mood, stress, and emotional well-being. Regular movement is associated with improvements in mood and sleep, as well as reductions in symptoms of anxiety and depression.

These effects are worth considering beyond the immediate feeling that follows a workout.

We often measure exercise through what we can see. And not really understanding the less visible role movement can play. A walk can create space to process a thought, and a challenging workout can offer a different perspective on our own capabilities and how long we can push through without immediately giving up.

Exercise does not remove everything daily life throws our way, and it doesn’t need to. It can, however, offer a practical way to support mental well-being alongside the other ways we care for ourselves. The value lies not only in what movement changes, but also in what it allows us to notice and move forward with.

Mindful Movement: Pilates and Yoga

Different forms of exercise all have different effects on the body. Some prioritize speed, endurance, or measurable progress. Others place greater emphasis on control, breath, mindfulness, and attention.

Pilates and yoga offer a more considered approach to movement. Both ask you to pay attention to how you move, rather than focusing solely on completing a repetition or achieving a visual outcome.

This attention can change the experience of exercise. Instead of treating the body as something to improve from the outside, we begin to understand it through direct experience by slowing down and noticing how it responds, where it holds tension, what feels familiar, and where it needs to adjust and let go.

Pilates. Pilates emphasizes core strength, alignment, stability, and controlled movement. It asks for precision, encouraging us to pay attention to the relationship between breath, posture, and the muscles involved in each exercise.

This focus requires a degree of concentration that can bring us back to the present moment. Rather than moving automatically, we become more aware of the choices we make with our bodies and the adjustments needed along the way.

Over time, this awareness can influence how we understand physical ability. And strength becomes something we experience. Progress can be found in greater control and improved coordination.

These experiences may also shape the way we relate to ourselves. When we recognize that our bodies can remain controlled and still under pressure, our perspective can begin to shift away from appearance alone and toward capability and adaptability in how we respond to different scenarios. Pilates can be an opportunity to understand your body more clearly, work within your own capacity, and develop a more controlled relationship with movement.

Yoga. Yoga brings together physical postures, breathing techniques, and, in many practices, meditation. While it can develop strength, balance, and flexibility, its emphasis on attention and breath also creates a space for stillness and reflection.

Yoga teaches us the value in observing responses without immediately trying to change them. A posture may feel different from one day to the next. Concentration may come easily at one moment and feel difficult the next, and learning to work with these differences can encourage patience and a more accepting relationship with the body, symbolizing overall acceptance of the present moment and where you currently are in life.

Yoga offers an opportunity to slow down without requiring us to disconnect from what is happening around us. Through breath and movement, we can become more attentive to our present experience. And for some, yoga creates a sense of calm, offering a way to reconnect with themselves after periods of transition or stress. Just remember that, like with everything in life, the experience is individual, and there is no single outcome any practice has to deliver.

How Movement Shapes Our Relationship With Ourselves

The way we see ourselves is influenced by more than appearance. It is also shaped by our experiences, the expectations we place on ourselves, and the beliefs we develop about what we can do. Movement can offer a practical way to examine those beliefs.

Learning a new exercise, returning to a practice after time away, or gradually building strength requires us to encounter our current abilities. Some days, progress may feel linear, and on others, the same movement may require more effort or patience - mirroring life.

And these experiences can teach us to approach progress differently. Rather than expecting to feel the same every day, we can learn to respond to what is present and to keep going in spite of it.

There is also a difference between exercising to change the reflection in the mirror and exercising as a way of self-care maintenance. Both motivations may exist, but don’t have to carry the same weight. Over time, these experiences will contribute to a more positive self-concept by learning to recognize our capacity to learn, adapt, and continue, even when progress is gradual. This does not mean every workout needs to feel productive or every goal needs to be achieved. Consistently showing up is enough, and the thing about consistency is that the results can never be denied.

Turning Inward Through Movement

Much of daily life directs our attention outward. We respond to responsibilities, expectations, and the demands of other people. Over time, it can become difficult to distinguish what we genuinely need from what we have grown accustomed to prioritizing. Movement can bridge that gap, a point of return to the self.

During a Pilates class, a yoga practice, or even a walk without distractions, attention moves away from external demands and toward our immediate experience and needs. We become more aware of our breathing, our energy, our physical responses, and the thoughts that accompany them.

This awareness is not about searching for a particular feeling or forcing ourselves into a state of calm. It is about making room to notice what is already there. With practice, we may become better able to recognize when we need rest, when we feel capable of pushing forward, or when our usual response is no longer serving us.

At INTERNAL, we see this inward attention as an important part of understanding holistic health. The relationship we have with ourselves influences how we make decisions, respond to challenges, and navigate our everyday lives, with movement offering one way to pay closer attention to that relationship.

A More Thoughtful Approach to Movement

Exercise is often discussed in terms of outcomes: becoming stronger, improving endurance, or reaching a particular physical goal. These can be meaningful reasons to move, but they are not the only ones. Movement can also help us understand our bodies, recognize our responses to stress, and develop greater awareness of our own needs. Its effects are not always immediate or easily measured. Sometimes, they emerge through the consistency of a practice and the small observations that accumulate over time.

A more considered approach begins with paying attention and noticing how you feel before and after movement. Consider whether a practice leaves you feeling engaged, grounded, challenged, or more connected. The aim is not to turn exercise into another expectation to meet. It is to understand how movement can support the way you want to live and feel.

INTERNAL believes that caring for yourself begins with understanding yourself. Movement is one part of that process: a way to build physical capacity while paying attention to the mind and the experiences that shape our relationship with ourselves.

You do not need to approach it perfectly, and you do not need to measure its value by how much you accomplish. Begin with what feels accessible. Stay curious about what you notice and let your practice develop as your understanding of yourself does. Because sometimes, the most meaningful part of movement is not how far it takes you, but what it helps you understand about yourself along the way.

A Moment for Reflection

Turn within & ask yourself how you view movement.

How does exercise influence the way you feel about yourself, beyond physical appearance?
Have you noticed a difference in your mood or mindset when you move regularly?
What forms of movement help you feel most connected to yourself, and why?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

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