I was starting to lose my reasons for posting workout videos online. I first started recording so that I would see my form, and see how my body was changing.
I wasn’t posting the videos for the praise on Facebook. Once I started to post, I got worried that it looked like bragging.
I get really self-conscious about not looking the way that I want to.
Then I got a text from a college buddy. I hadn’t spoken with him in years. If he had said “keep going, you’ll get better” or “we’re all rooting for you”, I would have appreciated it, but it would not have struck as deep a chord as “u inspire folks you never met.”
When I was in the hospital, I was getting tremendous support from people, encouraging me to be strong. Some of the people I hadn’t even met, but they reached out to me, and every word, every text, made a difference. The world came together for me. It keeps me thinking “How can I give back?” Should I visit people in the hospital? Volunteer at a soup kitchen? I wanted to help, but hadn’t figured out the best way to do it. Then I find out I was helping in ways that I hadn’t imagined. I was inspiring. That’s more than charity. That’s bringing someone to find their inner strength to make a change in their own lives. It’s learning to believe in yourself. I never thought I could do anything like that by accident. Now I had a chance to inspire people I hadn’t even met. To think I was about to cut that off because I was concerned about my own worries. Luckily that didn’t happen. So the videos continue…
This workout consisted of step-ups, lower back rows, and some simple stretches. I didn’t account for doing pushups while being covered in ants. I didn’t stop the workout, but this was the last time I planned to use this location. The ants were there first, they can keep that.