Your temple is a place where nothing else matters. You go to this place to escape; stress isn’t allowed here. No matter what, you’re not allowed to bring whatever is bothering you into your temple.

Life is hard for many people right now. That could be due to COVID-19, an ex-flame, a sick family member. Whatever it is, we must keep our mindset strong. Creating rules, or I guess you could say ‘principles’, has helped me from losing my mind. But it does happen.

Once I enter the gym, it all goes away. I don’t bring any negativity with me, so upon leaving the gym, I’m enlightened. It has helped me become mentally stronger as a person. I understand walking through the door and shutting out the world isn’t that simple, but that’s the general idea.

Sometimes, I think to myself, ‘I don’t want to train today, as I’m too stressed out.’ So I stay home, and all I can think about is what’s bothering me. And now, the thought of not training on top of it just adds to the stress.

Once on the mat, I’m lost in the roll. With every punch, kick, and knee to the bag, I’m transported to another world. I leave feeling recharged. Whatever has been on my mind has been deleted, or at least paused.

Let your temple be the place to escape what life has been throwing at you. Make it a habit before you walk into your gym to take a moment for yourself. Deep breath in, exhale slowly, releasing the negativity. Every breath is one step closer to becoming stronger.

Let the gym be your temple.


Tim Kline

Rome Lytton IV

Rome is a world traveler who thrives living a nomadic lifestyle. He spent the last eight years exploring southeast Asia and was promoted to black belt by Dan “Imal” Reid. If you see him on the side of the road with his thumb out, trust the good vibes.