You are definitely right about the heat. I have to walk almost right when I get up at around 7 and even then I am only out for about 15 minutes. Then I go back out in the evening around 7:30 for 15-30 minutes. But the heat is a challenge. Lately I have been doing lots of bird watching while walking which helps distract me from how hot it is.
I can get that the evenings are busy with your church activities too which makes things tougher. Do you ever try to do a quick walk before you get in the car to go back home? Does the music in church help a bit? I know that singing in a choir very much helps me. That breathing together part helps calm my nervous system.
I came to 7 Cups about a decade ago now. I was really struggling with depression and suicidal ideation and a German friend suggested it. The mental health battle was still a long, hard one. I will never completely escape, but I have learned to accept that and grow from it. I now think about depression as a blessing. Yes, I know how weird that sounds. But it has made me much more compassionate and open as a person.
One thing that really started to bring me out was coming to this website every night. In the beginning, it was to get encouragement. Then I began to offer encouragement to others. That was another transformational thing. I found when I start saying kind things to others that my brain began to slowly but surely be able to say them to me.
So the battle is real, but you can get to a point where you feel better.