I’m psycho busy this week. That’s a good thing, mind. Not busy means no money to a bum without a “real job”.
Because my work is very much a feast or famine sort of deal, during one of the famine periods, I got a job at a gym. It’s less than five hours most weeks, but I did it to make absolutely sure I could afford my gym fees. Well, okay, if you’re an employee at the gym where I work, you can use the facilities for free. In fact, if you work there, they really wanna see you working out there, too. The little extra encouragement doesn’t hurt.
Because I’m so psycho busy, I almost blew off my workout today. I was in the locker room where I’d stored my gym bag almost ready to say, “Screw it” when I had this little conversation with myself.
Me: What time did you get up this morning?
Myself: 4:30. You know that. What’s your point?
Me: And you did that why?
Myself: Cause I hadda open the gym!
Me: Well, why have that job? I mean, come on, you’re a morning person and all, but that’s an evil time to get up, and you earn more writing when you get the work.
Myself: I wanted to be sure I’d have access to the gym… Oh, stop looking so damn smug. I’ll do my damn swim. Happy?
As I was swimming, I realized that in my case, I kinda earn my workouts. That gives a real different perspective to how I value them. Instead of a chore I have to do, it’s something I’ve worked to be able to do. Then I got to thinking more1. Anyone in that gym has really earned their workouts as much as I did. I mean, how do you get the money to pay for something? You earn it one way or another.
So, when you’re a gym member, give some thought to how many hours you had to work to earn the right to be there. At that point, do you want to cheat yourself out of that workout you earned?
Didn’t think so.
1That’ll happen in a pool. When you’re swimming laps, your mind wanders.