A junior high teammate invited me to a gym one day... I've been addicted to lifting ever since.

I love the way it makes me feel. I can take all of my stress and worry into the gym, work my ass off and leave it all there. After I'm done I feel reborn, and completely centered.

My 'Germans from Russia' ancestors had a saying that really captures it for me. I don't recall the German, but the english translation is "Hard work makes life sweet"