Life Lessons Learned in Swim Class: Part 2

Yesterday, I wrote about how I've never enjoyed being in water and my desire to be able to swim confidently. I've learned that when a person is relaxed, she floats. When that person panics, she sinks. So ... staying relaxed when swimming? Very important.

Taking up swimming and working to get over my fear of drowning have been incredibly beneficial for me. I've learned that it is possible to do things I've never done before. Before now, I have never taken on the task to just swim as fast as I can for a certain period of time. I would never have thought it possible because before, I wouldn't have been able to stop thinking, "I'm going to drown. I'm going to drown. I'm going to drown."  

But - now? I'm trying to beat the guy swimming next to me. I'm pushing myself to swim in the deep end. I'm working on improving my front crawl. And I'm not thinking about drowning.  

(Well ... okay, I am still thinking about drowning. But just a little bit. And definitely not as much as before.)

I wanted to run a marathon by the time I turned 30 years old. So I did. I wanted to be able to swim. So I took a few lessons.  

I've set the bar a little higher now, but when I finish two marathons and see myself swimming in the deep end and think about these things that I would have never been able to accomplish 10 years ago, I think to myself, "My God. I can do anything."

The point is, I've proven to myself that I can do things now, at 32 years old, that I couldn't do when I was 20. Which means you can too - if you want to.

We may get older but that doesn't mean we can't improve. It doesn't mean we can't succeed at new things or learn new tricks. We just have to try.  

I'm 32. And I'm kicking ass.

© How I Met Your Mother