Leaving the locker room today, red faced and exhausted, I passed by a couple just arriving. They were my age or younger, fit and attractive. The sort of folk that make me cringe in shame for how I look. And as I walked toward them, the guy raised his hand in the air for a high five. I realized I was the only one around and he intended it for me. I had a moment of shy panic before I reached him, but I gave him a high five and he told me "good job!" The girl gave me a big grin. And I managed a very sincere "thank you!" That is the second person to acknowledge me this week. The second stranger to show me support and approval. Not gonna lie. The though of random strangers being so supportive and nice made me shed a few years of gratitude. Make it a goal at the gym to congratulate or appreciate someones workout, no matter how simple it is. It's hard to be there for a lot of us, and we deserve that admiration and support. I'm going to make it a goal to struggle through my shyness and acknowledge someones effort when I'm here.