Jill rolls out of bed early, even on the days when she doesn’t open the gym.  Fortunately, the owner finally listened to her.  Very few people work out before seven a.m. on weekdays, and even less on weekends.  She persuaded Mike to drop the requirement for two employees to unlock the doors at five, buying her two extra hours of freedom on Thursdays and Saturdays.  Besides, Dan needed the extra cash, even from the meager raise to morning manager. 

Today, Jill holds a laser-focus on building her fitness influencer presence, and this means creating loads of content.  Thursday morning is her planning session for the week ahead.  She uses a whiteboard acquired during this year’s spring cleaning at the gym.  There are also waves of neon sticky notes involved, each with the desired exercise and rep count to build her eye-catching videos.  Saturday morning is her chance to stage the equipment, clean her dining nook-turned-fitness studio, and most importantly, to practice the meditation she preaches. 

Jill typically shoots her Reels in the daylight of Sunday mornings, so the Saturday cleaning session ensures a dust-free shine on the floors and walls.  She also wants the space to appear open and airy, using perfect corner camera angles and bright sunshine to make the room appear bigger.  She is blessed to have the vaulted ceilings of the end unit apartment, and a skylight too. 

She also feels blessed to have trusted her gut and disclosed her dream with one of the morning gym rats, Alex.  Jill is by necessity all baggy sweats, makeup free, and low ponytail at the gym.  It’s hard enough to get her job done without catching the eye of every male in the place.  Her good-natured demeanor and high-energy smile are enough to pass as friendly to the clients, but the clothes help her escape the unwanted attention. 

But Alex is different.  He’s easy to talk with, and she feels heard.  He not only sees her determination, but he asks meaningful questions which continue to help Jill develop better content.  She’s even shown him a few of the Reels, allowing him in to her secret world as an aspiring fitness influencer.  Alex is probably the only person at the gym who’s seen what’s underneath the sweats.

Jill finds herself in an unusual daydream this morning. She visualizes asking Alex out on a date, but the fear of rejection and losing his friendship is too risky.  Besides, she thinks, it would only end up hurting us both.

[Part of the Morning Series; see also “Morning Routine,” “Morning Manager,” and “Morning Rest.”]