Kind words really help

A few weeks ago at work I saw a fellow employee in gym clothes on her way to the gym in the basement. I said, "Good for you, going to work out," as I went to the vending machines to get my daily pop tart [carb loading!] Since that day, weeks ago, nearly every time she sees me entering or leaving the gym, she reciprocates. Today she said, "I'm proud of you!" That was an encouraging thing to hear. We chatted briefly about the challenges of working out with a busy schedule and during the winter. It was nice.

Now, get your filthy mind out of the gutter. I did say this was a "she" and I am a "he." I am 100% certain that we are not flirting with each other. Shame on you for even suggesting such things. Jeez.

This unsolicited encouragement was very well received because I am really struggling. In the winter, you see, I get depressed. I'm normally a melancholy sort of guy, but winter makes it worse, and this time of year is normally when I jack up my Wellbutrin dosage and go back into therapy. However, I am exercising this year, and so I am seeing whether I can self medicate with running and beer [again, carb loading.] I digress.

All of this is to say that the forces within my skull discouraging me from engaging in life, never mind exercising and trying to make things better, are relentless and especially virulent during this time of year. And encouraging words from a stranger are a remarkably powerful tonic to the soul. [She and I work in separate departments and just know of each other, so we are kinda strangers, kinda not.] It made me feel so good, I'm thinking about passing along the joy and try to say encouraging things to other random people. Or at least continuing to say supporting words to this one person. I don't know.

See, the thing is that I never want to be accused of flirting or being a pervy, gym stalker. I would totally say these encouragements to a guy. After all I'm not talking about saying, "Damn, baby, how 'bout me gettin' up in them guts?" I'm just talking about unsolicited, neutral, Hallmark-card encouragement. "Look at you going to work out! Good job!" The thing is that I know women, especially, get gawked at and hit on at gyms, and I don't want anybody to be any more uncomfortable than they already are. [What kind of world do we live in where I have to have an internal dialog over whether or not to be nice to my fellow human beings?]

By the way, speaking of other people, I am also considering joining a training group that meets at a local running store. I'll keep you posted.

Tags: jogging, running, motivation