(EliteLikeYou) So, I learned to swim at the young age of 42! I know a shock. However, many people have been in the same predicament. When you have a fear for so long you dont realize, how easy it is to learn to swim!

I grew up in a very large city where access to pools was limited. When you did arrive at the public pool, there were so many people there, that there was no room to swim. 

I Know Awful!

On top of the obvious limitations, I discussed above, both my parents did not learn how to swim. My mother would take me to lakes at times and would never allow me to enter past my knees. She was terrified of the water and was scared I would drown. 

Fear Is Passed Down From One Generation To The Next…

Fast forward a few decades, and now I have 2 girls who love the water. I did not want my fear of swimming to control how they live their lives. My oldest daughter had swimming lessons in the local YWCA.  My youngest was a daredevil and actually learned to swim on her own!

There were many occasions when my daughters wanted me to swim with them in the deep end of the pool or at the beach and I was simply too afraid. As they got older, I felt like I was missing out on something. I was missing out on life.

How Could I Have Lived All My Life Like This?

My epiphany came when I tried to jump into the deep end of a pool thinking, I could do it. I immediately panicked. When I was out of the pool I started hyperventilating, it was an awful experience. After I calmed down I decided I did not want my children to ever see me like that again!

I Made A Decision…

I woke up one day and made up my mind. I was sick and tired of being afraid and that horrible experience was the push I needed. 

So, If you are like me, and you are still fearful of learning to swim, I would like to be your role model and show you that you can do this!!! You can achieve what you think is impossible as long as you set your mind to it!

Below Are Some Quick Tips I Think Could Help:

• Get Your Mind Right: Start internally thinking about where your fear of swimming originated from. Did you nearly drown when you were younger? Did you see someone drown? Has it been ingrained in you by family? You must deal with the fear your mind has created before your body will comply.

• Find an Adult Class: I did my research and found a local school that taught adults how to swim.  I would have felt embarrassed if a 6-year-old was swimming laps around me. So I found a helpful place where all the adults understood the struggle I was facing.

• You WILL be Afraid: This is your first time starting something new. Give yourself time to get comfortable in the water. It takes patience to get over an ingrained fear. Be loving and kind to yourself.

• Everyone’s TimeLine Is Different: Remember that you are on your own timeline. Don’t look to anyone else. This is your journey!  Don’t worry about what any else has to say, know that you WILL learn at your required time. 

• Bikini or 1 Piece: So for me, this was an issue. I had been at home due to the pandemic and I had gained some weight, and I was self-conscious. I did not want a bunch of people watching me in a bathing suit, while I learned to swim.  I bought a swimsuit that was almost like a tank top and shorts in one. If I was not worried about whether my top was going to fall off, I could focus on learning to swim. It was not pretty but it did the job. Click Here If you looking for a covered-up bathing suit like the one I used.

• Enjoy The Ride: You will look back at this struggle as a life lesson. For me, this taught me that I could do anything I set my mind to no matter how many years it had held me back.

It All Begins With YOU!

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