Every year around this time, I see posts that shame or mock people that have just started going to the gym after making New Year’s resolutions to get healthier. People seem to feel extremely inconvenienced by the fact that “their machines” are being used by people that “aren’t going to stick to it anyway.” In reality, all of us were new to the gym at one point, using machines that others had been using for a while. It’s not a big deal! Sure, a packed gym can be frustrating if you’re in a rush, but that’s no excuse to shame people that are trying to make a positive difference in their lives. The negative words toward them can potentially discourage them from getting healthier by lowering their drive and/or motivation, or maybe even their self-esteem. If you feel strongly that they “won’t last long anyway,” then there’s no need to complain because you’ll have “your” equipment back soon! Moral of my rant, just be nice. Respect people at the gym, no matter their weight, their appearance, how they dress, their age, etc. It’s not always easy to get up and start a healthy lifestyle and it’s a beautiful thing when it happens. Just remember your first time in the gym when you weren’t entirely confident that you knew what to do. Have a beautiful day and remember to be nice!