A 365 day challenge to focus on being thankful – Week 2, Day 1

Well, I made it through last week with my posts…sort of. I started this challenge on a whim without much preparation so I am working it out as I go along. I learned a lot from last week and I am certain I will learn even more with every passing week. Aren’t we all a work in progress anyway? Moving forward I will plan for 5 posts per week and I’m toying with the idea of adding a weekly video as well. Crazy, I know. I’m not entirely sure what has a gotten into me. This time, I did think about the vlog a little bit before I put it out in the world. (A whole couple of days at least.) I haven’t committed to the vlog yet but I would appreciate your feedback. What do you think about a weekly video to go along with “The Thankful Challenge”?

I started another thankful post for today but I wanted to clean it up before posting. It was another one of my midnight musings and a bit of a mess. I think it will actually take more time to fix the other post than it will to write this entire post. Sometimes my brain just needs a fresh start. Regrouping!

**Reconnecting with Friends**

Recently I joined my old gym again. (Not a New Year’s resolution kind of thing. Although I know the timing is suspect.) I’d been a member at this gym since just after the branch opened. When a certain pandemic (that shall remain nameless) descended on us, we dropped our membership and joined the thousands of others setting up home gyms with weights, bands, and a spin bike. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the convenience of having equipment at home and the spin bike was/is pretty fantastic. It was a good way to get through the quarantine especially for my kids when the school gym was not accessible. I didn’t realize it at first because we were all so secluded, everyone was staying at home, and we were all hyper focused on staying healthy. I didn’t really expect to see anyone. As time went on though, I realized how much I really missed my friends. (However, I did selfishly love having my kids at home with me all the time.)

As we were emerging out from under the giant shadow of the pandemic and life was sort of getting back to normal, I decided to try joining a gym again. I tried a different gym because it was a little cheaper and I wasn’t sure I how much I would be able to go. It was fine for what it was but there was still something missing. I decided it was time to leave that gym and go back to the place where I knew I would fit right in.

Last week I walked in the front doors of the gym that was my home for at least 10 years before the pandemic forced me to leave. Walking in those front doors felt like home. So many of the people I knew from before were still working there and they greeted me and welcomed me in. I got to see some of my friends from the gym and each day I go to workout I see another person I knew from before. I didn’t realize how much I missed those connections until I was able to reconnect. Even though it has only been a week, I am so happy to be home.

Today I got to see some of the fabulous women from my workout group. Those happy meetings made for a wonderful start to my morning. The women I used to workout with were always such a positive group of women. Never any judgement just an incredible support system as we all moved along our fitness journeys. I hope as the days go on, I am able to reconnect with more and more of the women who helped me through some of the toughest times and cheered with me through the best of times.

I cherish those friendships and I regret losing touch when everything went haywire a few years ago. I am so thankful I now have the chance to reconnect with my friends from my gym community, my peeps.