Be Kind Hold The Damn Door

The amount of weight you lifted at the gym today is not my primary concern. What truly matters to me is whether you took a moment to hold the door open for the individual following behind you.

Oh, honey, let's get one thing straight. I don't care if you can bench press a small car or squat the entire population of a small village. What I do care about is whether you possess the basic human decency to hold a door open. Yes, you heard me right. That simple act of extending your arm and preventing a door from slamming in someone's face is, in my humble opinion, a far greater measure of character than any amount of iron you can pump.

Let's face it, the gym can be a breeding ground for narcissism. It's a place where people go to admire themselves in the mirror, grunt loudly to attract attention, and generally behave as if they're the only person in the room. But guess what? There are other people there. Shocking, I know. And those other people, those poor souls who are just trying to get in a quick workout without being subjected to a full-on ego trip, deserve your consideration.

So, next time you're at the gym, I implore you to take a moment to look around. Are there people behind you? Are their arms full of towels and water bottles? Are they struggling to keep up with your overly enthusiastic power walk? If the answer to any of these questions is "yes," then for the love of all that is holy, HOLD THE DOOR OPEN.

It's not that hard, people. It requires minimal effort and zero special skills. You don't need to be a bodybuilder or a CrossFit champion to do it. You just need to be a decent human being. And trust me, that's far more impressive than any amount of weight you can lift.

Now, I know what some of you might be thinking. "But what if I'm in a hurry?" "What if I'm carrying something heavy?" "What if I'm just really, really important?" To which I say, "Excuses, excuses." There is no excuse for being rude. Period.

So, let's all make a pact, shall we? Let's vow to be more considerate of others, both in and out of the gym. Let's make an effort to hold doors open, to say "please" and "thank you," and to generally treat people with kindness and respect. Because at the end of the day, that's what truly matters.

And if you happen to lift a lot of weight while you're at it, well, that's just a bonus.