My employer offered a corporate discount, so I figured it was a good opportunity to take advantage of. The timing was right. What started as a practical decision quickly became something deeper, arriving at a pivotal moment in my life.

Years earlier, my friend Justin Robinson Brown introduced me to GoodLife Fitness, so the space was already familiar. It hadn’t stuck at the time, but now I was in a different place in my life. Going to the gym has helped, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. It gave me a place to reset, to move through what I was carrying, and to feel like I was doing something for myself.

The gym gave me structure. It gave me routine. Over time, I came to understand that progress is not about perfection or numbers. It is about consistency. That mindset has been especially helpful given my health challenges. Simply showing up and doing what I can is far better than not showing up at all.

As someone who is widowed, I won’t pretend the gym erases the ache. But it does remind me that I am still here. Still capable. Still worth the effort. Each workout pushes back against the weight of despair. Each time I leave the gym, I carry a small sense of accomplishment. That is more than I had yesterday.

And for now, that is enough.