It was a dreary March day. I had probably eaten an entire pizza for dinner the night before and I was getting coffee, and likely a pastry, at Seven Stars when I decided to walk through the door of this gym I had been noticing across the way.
That was a huge step for me. I’ve always been afraid to even walk into a gym because I wasn’t as strong or knowledgeable as the people I associated with that sort of place. And I’m always a little nervous to try something new, fearing that I might not be good at it. To be honest, I didn’t take my physical health seriously for far too long and fell into some bad habits that have proved difficult to break: drinking too much, eating too much, not exercising enough. Just not taking care of myself.
Then a few things happened that forced me to confront those bad habits. My dad passed away unexpectedly and a few years later I became a father myself. So, I had this human I was now responsible for - and for whom I wanted to be alive and healthy as long as possible - while still coming to terms with the loss of my father. When the 2019 Novel Coronavirus slowed the world down, the stress/anxiety I was feeling and those old habits that I leaned on to cope all suddenly rushed into focus. I knew I needed a change.
So I made the decision to walk into this gym and I have felt so welcome ever since, from that first tour with Heather, to my “interview” with Sean where he made some reference to the movie Big that he eventually had to explain to me, to every interaction with every coach and member of this community.
I appreciate that I can always count on positivity. It doesn’t matter if I've been away for a while, I always get a "nice to see you" or a "welcome back" or a "we've missed you" that is genuine and non-judgmental, but at the same time says "OK, let's get back to work".
I also appreciate the fact that there are no mirrors where I can see myself trying to box, or do RDLs, or anything else for that matter. I still have my fear of not being good at things.
And I really appreciate having the opportunity to communicate what this place means to me. I’m thankful that Kerry created this space and pulled together this awesome team to help this community grow. I’m stronger, both physically and mentally, each time I leave. And it doesn’t stop once I’m outside these walls. It’s a journey that I enjoy sharing with my family (I’m now responsible for two small humans). Whenever I put my shorts on, my oldest daughter asks if I’m going to the gym. Just her asking that question gives me hope that maybe I’m creating some good habits for all of us.
But I also know that I'm a work in progress. There are still going to be days when I eat poorly and don't come to the gym. And I'm still going to compare myself to others who are stronger and fitter than I am. But I am a better me than I was 2 years ago when I first walked through the door and that's all that matters. I am grateful for the 212 team and community for being a huge part of that.
