Reach Out A Helping Hand

There is always something amazing that I see when I’m at the gym. And I’m sure people think that I’m something special too. Especially when I’m wearing a CamelBak and running for multiple hours on the treadmill drenched in sweat. I look a little special.

Like this weekend there was a lady that started using the treadmill next to me. I say using, because well, she was more dancing than anything else. I could tell she was a dancer by how flexible she was. She was doing these hip rotation exercises where you lift up your knee and get that full hip rotation. Then she’d do back bends where I was cringing to myself because personally, I would break if I tried to go as far as she did. Extremely flexible woman. Then again, when I can barely touch my toes, anything else is incredible.

Then I was just in the gym doing my normal 45+ minute run. Nothing special, just running on the treadmill. About halfway through, a big guy starts on the treadmill just down from me. If I had to guess, he’s probably at least 300 lbs. I mean, big guy.

Yet, here he was, beginning of February still coming to the gym. Still getting after it. Now, people can have different reactions to a guy like this. One can be mean and derogatory. Another can be neutral and not say anything, even with everyone knowing. The last and most impactful for good is to go up and say something positive to the guy.

Which is exactly what I did. After my run and before he left the treadmill I told him great job for showing up. Not the work he did today. Not how hard he went or didn’t.

No.

Great job showing up.

Great job getting yourself here. Because the hardest part is making it a habit to get to the gym. To be here and start working out.?

Now, I don’t know where that 5-minute conversation will go or what that guy thinks about it, but I know I felt good at the end of the conversation. And I hope I made a positive impact on him and that he keeps coming back to the gym. His wife was there too, which means he has a good support system in place.

My point here is that sometimes going slightly out of your way to leave someone with a positive impression that they are on the right track is all it takes for them to keep going. I know he has a long road ahead of him and he knows it too, but the fact that he’s there and getting after it is a good thing. That he’s moving in a positive direction.

There are a lot of opportunities to be that helping hand, to be the voice of encouragement, in big and small ways. You just have to be looking for them.