Swimming is Therapeutic for the Body, Mind, & Soul!

Do you have an activity that you love so much you could spend every day of your life doing it? Think about it; what would this activity be?

For me, without hesitation, this activity is swimming.

Being in the water renews my mind, body, and soul. You can probably tell from reading my writing how much swimming energizes me.

I didn’t realize how much I missed the water until I jumped back in the pool following a couple months’ absence. After an hour of treading water, doing laps, and diving in the deep water tank, I said to myself: “I have to incorporate this into my daily life!”

Maui, snorkelling, swimming, Arianna's Random Thoughts

Swimming, I realized, isn’t just something for me to do only on special occasions; I need to be in the water every single day!  I am like a seal, a frog, or a turtle; I can hop out of the water for a sun bath, or my other important activities; but, being in the water is essential to my being.

Until now, one obstacle has frequently prevented me from incorporating swimming in my daily life.

You see, I have made excuses. For example,

• I’m too busy and don’t have the time
• I’m too tired
• I’m insecure about how I look in a bathing suit
• Other things are more important

Have you let such excuses stop you from doing an activity you loved?!

Yes, excuses prevented me from getting to the pool. Once I got there, I had no problem getting in the water (that was the easy part).

You see, I was using reasons for not getting to the pool to make getting into the water seem unimportant to me.  Yet even though I was away from the water, it kept seeping into other areas of my life, prodding me to come back.

Finally, I couldn't ignore that something was missing in my daily life anymore. I felt called back to the water.

Even on holiday in Limerick, Ireland, I felt called to swim. I was so excited to find out the hotel (Radisson Blu Hotel & Spa) we were staying in for a couple nights had a pool.

Therefore, I got the courage and decided to push past the excuses and start swimming. 

I had to get back to the pool as I knew how much fun I would have when I was there.

Once I changed my attitude and shifted my focus past the excuses to the reasons I loved this activity in the first place, I got myself to the pool. For the past month, I have gone to the pool twice a week and had such a blast!

When I am swimming regularly, my body feels better; my whole life gets better! I am kinder to myself. What a difference this one tiny change has done!

I feel so alive when I am swimming!

If you are feeling stuck from following your passion or from pursuing an activity you enjoy, I encourage you to look past the obstacles, and jump in!

It’s just the journey into the water where the biggest obstacles lie. Trust me. Once you’re in the water, you’ll feel great!

What’s the activity you love but haven’t given enough attention to lately? Why not give it a chance to shine again in your life? 

Relaxing in the lake on a warm summer's evening.

I thought I would reach out and ask all you fellow swimmers for your advice. Now, it's your turn to join the conversation and share your thoughts. Why do you love swimming? What tricks do you use to get yourself in the water when you don’t feel like it?

Thank you for reading and your presence at this beach retreat. You Rock! I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts in the comment section below.

See you at the beach!

Great articles about swimming from other sources:

1. Why I love swimming? (The Guardian)
2. 37 Things Only Swimmers Know (Thought Catalog)