Letting go

There comes a time when you just have to be real with yourself. You have to take the rose-colored glasses off and just face facts. Just because something once worked for you doesn't mean it still does.

Sure, it was great when it started. You were excited about it. It became a big part of your life. It was good in so many ways. You felt good about it.

As time passed, things changed. Maybe it didn't offer all it once did to your life. Maybe you made some changes and things don't "mesh" like they once did. But you held on, through good times and bad, slow periods and periods of renewed interest. It was so good once! It can be again!

But you're not going back. That's clear. And to hold on to dead weight, hoping it might once again come alive for you...well, that's just sad.

So, I'm letting go. I'm giving up my gym membership. It was an amazing deal when I signed up for it. $10.80 a month for life. FOR LIFE! It's been something like 10 years - maybe more, and it's never gone up even a penny. I still pay just $10.80 a month. I'll NEVER get that again! So, I've held on to it. When I've gone through periods of not using it, I just hang on, and eventually I start using it again. For a while. But here's the thing. I can't remember the last time I stepped foot in the doors, but I vaguely remember that it wasn't even to work out. I just used the locker room to get ready to go out one evening after work.

J says he knows I haven't been once in the entire year we've dated. That's $130 right there that I've spent for NOTHING. And the dry spell is probably even longer than that. It's not that I don't exercise or work out. I do. But I do it at home. For free. And I recently discovered a place downtown with a locker room I can use for free if I'm ever in dire need. So, it doesn't make sense to keep paying for a gym I'm not going to use. Even if it is a great deal.

So, I'm cutting the cord. I'm setting it free. It's been a good run. No one can say I'm fickle. I've been steady, I've been true. But it's time to take an expense off the books that isn't actually delivering anything. Should the time ever come that I want a gym again, I may look back whistfully at this moment. But hopefully, I will look back fondly, and not with regret.

Thanks Gym. It's been good knowin' ya. Now get your meathooks outta my bank account!