Chapter 179:
Gaining some strength
The gym was such a noise: massive weights clanked, chugging treadmills, and the rhythmic thud of punching bags that swim through the air. However, Chris, as usual, was reclused at the corner of the gym. He drew away from the surrounding cacophony and focused on the manuscript. He had learned just to block everything around and find peace in the quiet corner of the gym.
He began to type again, and it wasn’t long until his mind strayed back to a conversation with Megan-one of her struggling moments. Deep-running doubts hung heavily on his mind, and he just could not help feeling a pang of worried care for her. Their fake-for-business-only relationship had turned into something a bit more invested.
He was lost in thoughts, with Megan entering the gym and her face reading enough about being weary. With her came her trainer Lisa, who was chirping into her some sort of pep talk. Chris looked up with his eyes following up with the tracing as they drew near one of the training areas close by.
Lisa’s loud voice cut through the droning of the gym, bringing Megan back into reality. “Megan, remember, it’s not just physical. It’s mental. You got to believe in yourself, especially on the hard days.”
Megan nodded, though her expression remained doubtful. “I know, Lisa. It’s hard to keep being positive when I feel like I’m not getting better.”.
A lot more curious now than he would have admitted to being, Chris set his laptop aside and walked over. “Hey, Megan. Mind if I join in?”
Megan turned her head up, surprised but appreciative. “Hey, Chris. Sure, come on over. I could use a distraction.”
Lisa moved aside and nodded encouragingly at Chris. “Just remember, Megan, the key is to keep going, even if you feel like crap. You are a lot stronger than you think.
Chris flopped onto a bench nearby as Megan began her warm-up. “So, you have been busting your butt,” he said. “And I have been noticing it. But it’s okay to have off days.”
She cast a sideward glance at him; exasperation bled out onto her face. “I mean, I know I’m working hard, but it feels like every single time I get a chance to take a step forward, there’s some huge brick wall waiting right there to stop me. And it’s frustrating as hell.”.
Chris nodded sympathetically. “I get that. Sometimes it feels like you’re giving everything you’ve got, and you’re not showing anything for it. That’s when finding that inward strength becomes necessary.”
Megan sighed, reaching to adjust her gloves. “Easy to say. I just keep thinking maybe I’m not cut out for this.”
Softer but still unyielding, Chris bent forward. “You were cut out for this, Megan. You have come a long way already. That strength’s inside you; you know it’s there, even if you don’t feel it.”
For some little while, Megan was quiet, allowing his words time to digest. “I have been trying so hard to keep positive, though sometimes doubt does creep in. It feels like no matter how hard I push, it’s never enough.”
Chris got up and went over to her. “I mean, heck, there were days, when I was writing, that I felt that way, completely lost. But I reminded myself why I started and focused on the small victories.”
Megan looked at him with inquiring eyes. “What did you do to make it through those times?
Chris just shrugged. “Honestly, it was simply the fact that I couldn’t give up and the support that I was surrounded with. Sometimes you just need someone to believe in you when you’re doubting yourself.”
Exactly, support is one thing, but speaking about self-belief, Megan, you’ve just got to believe in your training and your ability. Doubts are totally fine, but they shouldn’t drive your way.
Megan took another deep breath, inhaling all their words of support. “I think I’ve just got to find a balance, you know? Like, a sweet spot between doubts and all, but I really do believe in myself.”
He gave a smile back. “Exactly. Oh, and you know, it’s okay to demand some help if you feel like you need it. You don’t have to do this all on your own.
Lisa clapped her hands together, drawing Megan’s attention to her. “Let’s focus on today’s session. Take that frustration and turn it into your workout. Use it for fuel to push yourself further.”
Megan nodded with a determined glint in her eyes. “All right. I’ll give it my best shot.”.
Chris watched the workout unravel-that was when her movements began to smooth out and run into one another. She wasn’t there yet, but he could see that at least a little of that strength was warming up because of the pep talk. He was glad he’d had at least some very minor influence in helping her find it.
Megan reluctantly walked over to Chris and Lisa, wiping at the sweat on her brow. “Thanks for the pep talk. I do feel a bit better now. It is nice to have people who believe in me.”
Chris smiled. “Anytime. Just remember, it’s a journey. You’ll have your ups and downs, but you’ve got the strength to keep moving.”.
“And, of course, we shall be with you at every step. Just keep pushing forward, and you will see the results.”
Megan’s features relaxed, and she gave a real smile. “That means so much. I’m sure things can’t just get perfect right off, but I’m gonna keep trying.”
As Megan and Lisa began to pack, it couldn’t help but give Chris a satisfactory feeling. He had seen Megan at her worst and now turned her around to will her way through the doubts. That is what truly mattered in life: being there for others.
As Megan was about to go, she said to Chris, “Hey Chris, I just wanted to say thanks for coming today. It really means so much to be able to speak with someone.”
Chris nodded. “Glad it did. Well, if at all you need someone to talk to, or perhaps someone to make it all go away, then you know where to find me.”
This side comment restored her visible confidence, and Megan just smiled. “I’ll bear that in mind. Thanks again.”.
As she walked away with Lisa, Chris headed back into the corner of the gym. He returned to studying his manuscript but kept thinking about Megan. Surely he knew things weren’t going to get easier for her out there; maybe with support and grit, though, she would find the courage to rise above.
Chris peered into the weight room. Everyone was gunning it to the limits; everyone fighting his or her personal fight. He had known that finding strength was not just in the physical endurance but also in mental resilience besides the people who cared.
As he started tapping away again, a shot of adrenaline seemed to pump again into his elation. Helping Megan had reminded him not just in the power of believing in oneself; it had also reminded him of the power of support.