There’s a kind of stillness in early recovery that feels like drowning.

You’re clean, but your mind won’t slow down. The anxiety, the shame, the racing thoughts — they swirl around in your head like a storm with nowhere to go. You want relief, but you’re scared to sit with it. And when you don’t move, those thoughts get louder. Sometimes unbearable.

We know this because we’ve lived it.

But there’s something that changes everything: movement.

Not a full-blown workout. Not running a marathon. Just… moving. A walk. A stretch. A deep breath outside. A bike ride. One small thing. In recovery, we say: “Move a muscle, change a thought.” Because when we move, we interrupt the spiral. We create space. We release the tension, the fear, the pressure. It’s not a cure, but it’s a shift. And sometimes that shift saves lives.

That’s why we’ve started Step Into Strength — a campaign to sponsor gym and yoga memberships for people in recovery. We’ve teamed up with a local gym owner and nearby yoga studios who believe in this mission and have offered discounted rates. Your donation helps fund 3-, 6-, or 12-month memberships to Outer Banks Sports Club— all in supportive, stigma-free environments. And if someone isn’t ready or falls off, the sponsorship rolls over to someone else who is.

This isn’t just feel-good — it’s science.

Studies show that regular exercise can be as effective — or even more effective — than antidepressants for reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. According to research in JAMA Psychiatry, movement significantly reduces stress hormones, boosts mood-regulating chemicals, and supports long-term emotional regulation — key components of successful recovery.

When someone moves their body, they begin to move their life forward.

Help us give that opportunity. Sponsor a step, a stretch, a second chance. Your donation won’t just help someone stay sober — it might be the exact moment they feel strong enough to keep going.

Step Into Strength

By Purple Recovery Empowerment Project

Step Into Strength

Movement as Medicine for Mind, Body, and Recovery

Team Members