Why Do I Find Banana Peels in the Parking Lot of My Health Club?

As an Ayurvedic Health Practitioner and Health Coach, I have to walk the walk.  This means I exercise 7 days a week, and yes, I really do like it. Four days a week I swim at the health club, and sometimes the inconsiderate behavior of others really irritates me.  Maybe it's just me, but I think of health club exercisers as more conscious, upbeat people.  Therefore, my reasoning expects them to be considerate.  This means no trash in the parking lot.  Even if you did a great thing by exercising and an even better thing by eating a healthy snack after, you are not entitled to dump the banana peel.  Same goes for smoothie drinks and apple cores.  Additionally, please clean up your towels. They shouldn't be shoved in a locker or left on the floor.  Maybe cut price tags from your new exercise clothes and the hair from your brush can be thrown in the garbage too.

Now, I certainly feel right in the points I made.  I also cleared my emotions by verbalizing them.  Yet, a part of me still feels negative.  It is like a me versus them thing.  Further, when I find the inevitable trash where it shouldn't be, I will still be irritated.  My being right won't change their behavior and I end up still frustrated.  I have come up with a strategy that helped me.  I learned it from the lady who is paid to clean the locker room.  One of the club members offered their sympathy as she was picking up towels discarded by another member.  The club member said, "I hate when people just throw their towels on the floor and expect you to clean them up." The wise lady responded, "Oh, they just forget.  It's okay. I don't mind helping out."  I felt blessed to hear the exchange because she taught me a lesson.  She judged the other person favorably and she felt happier.  She would be cleaning up the towels either way, but now she felt good about it.  Some may call her naïve, but I disagree.  Because of her, I try to fulfill the vision of being a more conscious, upbeat person because I exercise.  I try to avoid feeling judgmental about the trash, and I just help out.  I remove the dirty towel or throw out the price tags and hair (washing my hands after because I am a germaphobe). 

Ayurveda teaches that everything we are exposed to impacts us on some level.  We can learn from our experiences and grow.  We can make changes to make things better for us.  Each situation is unique and requires a different strategy, but we should try to avoid the negative reaction or circumstance as best as we can.  Sometimes this transition may take time, but it is worth the investment.

Stay healthy & well,
Lisa