Hearing people say, “you got this” or “no excuses” usually triggers an immediate eye roll from me. It’s involuntary; built in over years of hearing people be cheerleaders, coaches, and just plain high-energy…while I was happy to walk my path as they ran past me. Or maybe it was so many years of jumping on their bandwagon, only to fall off. I’m a little jaded, for sure.

This week, I got up for my 12th workout in my planned workout schedule (thank you), and someone said, “that sweat looks good on you!” This made me laugh. I’ve never felt that way. There are women who look amazing with the dewy, post-gym halo. The ones that exit the locker room and guys drop their weights to think, “yeah, I’d like to sweat with her.” No, no, no. I’m the one that walks out of the locker room and my gay gym pals say, “Oh honey, put some makeup on.” So when I heard her say this, it triggered the regular eye roll…but then the laughter and by some miracle, acceptance.

I have accepted that this sweat – every last little bead – is a badge of honor. It’s my body crying to git rid of all of the things I’ve put in it over the years that didn’t belong. Bring on the sweat bandwagon. No excuses. [Insert eye roll.]