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If you’ve used a sauna at a gym, you’ve probably seen some sort of sign requesting that you don’t pour liquid on the rocks or the heating elements. To many people, this is a no-brainer. You don’t want to pour liquid on any electrical based system. Water + electricity = bad news.

To some, despite the prominently placed sign, pouring water on electrical heating elements seems like a good idea. In fact, it isn’t just an idea. It’s something they find themselves compelled to do.

I’ve encountered several people like this at some of the gyms that I’ve gone to. In the past, I’ve found myself being rather annoyed by the person ignoring the cleverly placed sign. I’ve found myself having thoughts about what how much I bet their wife or husband is probably glad they are away from the house and at the gym.

The I find myself thinking about how judgmental I have been of them. After all, people should have the right to subject themselves to electrocution if they’d like it. I should be thanking them for winning the Darwin Awards and helping humanity move forward, right?

I really should judge them. So, I sit in silence. Well, silence minus the war raging inside my head.

The other day, I was sitting in a sauna, thinking about all the above. Then I started thinking about WordsCause. I started thinking about how I’m always talking about opportunity and finding the opportunity in every moment. That IS what WordsCause is all about. That’s the whole point of the radio show. That’s the whole point of the upcoming 3 part series about Womentrepreneurs!

It dawned on me. The opportunity finally came to me. The opportunity available was for me to speak up about my respect for the gym that I pay good money to attend. The gym that has the sauna that my monthly fees are helping to maintain. The gym with a sauna with a now shortened lifespan because someone won’t respect the sign on the wall.

Excuse me. You shouldn’t pour water on the heating elements.

What?

The sign says you shouldn’t pour water on the heating elements. That shortens the lifespan of the sauna that everyone in this sauna pays money to maintain with our monthly fees.

Someone doesn’t have to verbally call me a jerk (or other expletory) for me to know I’m not their favorite neighbor. It is all in the look. A look that showed me that I was ceasing the opportunity to stand up for myself and my community. This was further confirmed by the thank yous I received from other people in the sauna after the gentleman left.