Speaker 1: 0:01

Hello and welcome back to another episode of Train for a Great Life. I'm going to tell a story today that I wrote as an email in 2019, with some added commentary at the end. Another one that I really enjoyed. I met Jenny last February. She wasn't too sure about me at first. I could tell she had some scars, though not plainly visible. She didn't trust me right away definitely not Probably something in her past. I had to really push her out of her comfort zone at first, but once we got moving she came alive. She seemed much happier after we spent a half hour together exercising, almost like she could forget about all that other stuff and just be herself. You know a Jenny, or maybe you are Jenny, but Jenny probably isn't who you think it is. Jenny is a skittish black dog in a photo I have huddled underneath a table at a coffee shop.

Speaker 1: 1:03

Last February, while in Hawaii, lacey and I decided to go to a local humane society and take a dog out for the afternoon. We went in with an open mind and we asked them to pick one for us. Give us one that needs to get out rather than one that comes right up to us with all the energy and so we got introduced to Jenny. We walked out of the building and her tail was so far between her legs it had all but disappeared. She did not want to go with us. She jumped up into our rented Jeep Wrangler, but not on our seat like our dog Harley does. Jenny laid on the floor, tucked underneath the bench seats, as far as she could get. She was a good-sized dog, but she was making herself seem as small as she could get. She was a good sized dog, but she was making herself seem as small as possible. When we got to the park it took a while to get her out. I legitimately had to pick her up and inch her over six to seven times before she got close enough to the edge that there was no choice but to jump out. It was kind of uncomfortable because I didn't want to have to force her out, but I knew that there were going to be better moments to come. We continued to walk around the park and her tail was deep between her legs. She was also very huddled low to the ground, as if she was giving me like a visual representation of her self-confidence. I don't know if it was all those years working with people and knowing the effects that exercise can have. But I just decided I'm going to take this dog for a run. And so I ran and she followed, and I kid you not, within a couple of minutes she was a different dog. She ran tall. She was no longer trying to hide. When we stopped running I could briefly see her tail wagging. It was a special moment. She didn't stay like that for the rest of the day, but there were a few moments where we could tell that we were building her trust. When we took her to a little coffee shop again and sat outdoors, all she wanted to do was hide under the table again. I have no doubt that with the right people, jenny could and would be a completely different dog.

Speaker 1: 3:02

Does any of this sound familiar? Dogs need to move, just as humans do. We're meant to move. We're happier when we move. Come, move. Now.

Speaker 1: 3:13

There's a little anecdote about a dog. But do you not find the same thing in yourself? You know you're having a bit of a shit day. Your work is piling up, unexpected bill or appliance to replace. You know, do not notice that when you work out it quiets your mind and you just get to be you. All that stuff will still be there, but maybe you come at it from a different angle. Maybe you make a plan to figure it out. Take it step by step and not get overwhelmed. If you're listening to this, my guess is that you've had many of those days where a workout has brightened your day.

Speaker 1: 3:47

The hashtag happy gym that we've used for years now came from a little survey we did with members way back in, I think, 2016 or 2017, maybe 2018, who knows. It was a simple question Are you happier after you leave the gym? And 100% of the respondents said yes. In fact, it's something that shaped how we view our gym over the years. I want you to get fit and build a big squat and get proficient at pull-ups and Olympic lifts, but not only for the sake of doing those things. I want you to build muscle and a cardiovascular system that'll support you for decades, but it's hard to keep that in the forefront of your mind.

Speaker 1: 4:28

You know, will 60 year old me really be upset that I skipped this one day, which is a slippery slope, my friend? But if you can ask yourself, will I be happier if I go to the gym today? Goodness, that is about as cut and dry as it gets. If you can do that, you're going to be more managing. When do I need a rest day versus when am I going to go to the gym? Back to Jenny, the dog, for a second. Jenny was at the local animal shelter. She didn't have the capacity to just get up and go for a run. She was in a cage most of the day. I'm not even sure dogs are sentient enough to realize that they need to run to be happier. Maybe they are, but they just do it. But us, we're complex. We know it'll make us happier, but we'll still justify working extra hours, longer hours or staying comfortable. Don't do that. We're meant to move. Our body is meant to move. Our mind is meant to move. I'll see you in the gym.