The mind is such a powerful muscle and so easily open to suggestion…..Whilst on the inaugural Swimming Women camp in Bali everyone was challenged to swim further than they have before. As we are all different, people took to this challenge with very differing mindsets.
When they first jumped in, for some, the task seemed enormous, almost overwhelming, with comments about tiredness, “I need a rest”, “not sure I can do this”. As they got through the first kilometre and on to the second all of a sudden that distance wasn’t so far away and maybe it was achievable!
Comments regarding fatigue switched to comments of praise towards other swimmers as they ticked over 2km, 3km. All of a sudden everyone wanted to share this achievement and swam that bit further, then further again.
The satisfaction everyone had at the end of the session, wether they had swum 2,3,4 or 5km, whether they had needed to miss some out due to injury or breathing difficulties and still got back in and kept going, was simply brilliant and a moment I won’t forget!
The mind had wanted to let them know it wasn’t possible, yet by breaking it down in to smaller chunks, sharing the challenge with others, and just getting in and getting started they all surpassed the challenge set for them and well and truly enjoy their margaritas afterwards…they were in Bali after all!
So use this little tale as a message to your own brain. What ever your goal, to swim in the ocean, to swim around the Jetty or to Rottnest or to swim your very first 25m, if you can tell your mind you can do this, come up with a plan breaking it down in to small pieces, and find some Swimming Women to share the journey with, who knows what you can achieve. Plus the Margaritas always taste better with friends.
