The Stink Eye
My fitness coach (and dear friend) was leading a grueling spin workout this past weekend. I know it was grueling; I was there.
We were chatting afterwards; once I caught my breath and could stand without worrying my legs would turn to mush.
She mentioned she was receiving a lot of what she referred to as the “stink eye” during the workout.
(You’ve seen it. A rather harsh facial expression, scowl, frown, a powerful non-verbal communication of displeasure. Like when you’re in pain, or you’re smelling sour milk. Yes, that’s the stink eye.)

Interesting. I was one of the senders of the stink eye.
And I had NO IDEA!
I was concentrating intently on the workout. Trying to keep my cadence steady, my heart rate up, my posture strong, challenging myself to work harder. I was envisioning the hills we will be climbing in Penticton later this year.
I was not trying to deliver any kind of feedback. I was focused solely on me.
It got us both thinking and reflecting on the power of perception and the value in “checking in” with others before jumping to conclusions.
She could have taken those stink eyes and run with them, believing all sorts of things, mostly around a theme of “They didn’t like the workout…” or worse “Maybe I am not a good coach?”; you get the drift.
Have you been there?
A recipient of the stink eye, taking it personally?
What if you were wrong?
She was.
It was a fantastic workout, and she’s a terrific coach. (And yes, I told her so.)
And I have one more thing to concentrate on at next week’s workout.
Avoiding the stink eye.