The gym has been my anchor during many of the toughest times in my life. It’s a place where, for me, having spent many years under the bar, the challenges of lifting have taught me many of the most valuable lessons about life. Day after day, these weights stand tall, undefeated, waiting for me to face them again, and ultimately, regardless of how courageously I might enter to do battle, ultimately, I will face defeat. Oddly, in that paradox, I succeed and find new strength.
For me, the losses I have experienced over the last several years have underlined the fragile and unpredictable nature of life, a stark contrast to the welcoming predictability that awaits me in the gym. These unwavering weights that are steadfast for my return draw me in to face the challenge, but it’s the gym culture, the camaraderie, and the spirit of unity that serve to remind me that I won’t navigate these challenges alone. In the gym, every set, every repetition, is not just a physical challenge but a reminder of the human spirit’s resilience and ability to evolve. The weights are ultimately undefeated, but I realize that, just like life, it’s not always about being the last one standing.
I draw much of my personal strength from the community I have attracted and supported. This has truly been one of life’s greatest gifts. True gains aren’t in the weights we lift or our physical accomplishments but in the connections we forge and the moments we share. It’s the bonds felt with fellow iron enthusiasts and muscleheads. It’s the clients that have coached me as much or more over the years. It’s getting to share my passion for the weight room with my family. It’s all these lessons and more that await me each day that draws me back, knowing I have the support to overcome my setbacks and share the many PRs or other triumphs that bond us all together.
As time moves on, I’ve come to realize the fleeting nature of material pursuits and social pressures. These pale in comparison to the enduring value of relationships and experiences, much like the profound lessons we absorb from our time in the gym.
To the younger generation in my life, I hope over the remaining years I have, I will impart a message rooted in the positivity of gym culture – that even in the face of loss and adversity, there’s strength in unity. Just as we confront weights with determination, we must also embrace life’s risks, particularly in matters of the heart. Loss has no measure or meaning without love. Love is the single greatest thing we have to live for, to take those chances, express our emotions, and be willing to embrace vulnerability. Love, like a challenging workout, is worth every effort and uncertainty. It’s true even if you don’t yet know it.
I hope to encourage you to view life’s uncertainties as opportunities to pursue love, to learn from every experience, be it a personal best or a set to failure, all of it a heartfelt connection. Don’t wait for tomorrow to express your feelings or seize the chance for love. Tomorrow isn’t promised, just as the next workout is a chance to face the weights once more and emerge stronger.
If an exercise doesn’t feel right, move on or ask for help. In this journey of life, it’s possible that our true achievements can’t be measured by our current standards or thinking but are yet to be shaped by the next experience. Maybe the next person to enter our lives.
Lift the weights in front of you and love those closest to you.
Get to the gym! Lift weights! Go on dates!
I hope this makes sense to you, if not now sometime in the future.
To my friends and family, I love you!
EXERCISES
COMMUNITY
