Tiny Observations, Big Shifts
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What changes if you stay with resistance? Lately I’ve been thinking about that moment of pause—when resistance creeps in right before something meaningful. What happens next is where it gets interesting. When you stay—not by pushing through, but by noticing what’s underneath—you start to uncover what’s really driving the resistance. And often, it’s not fear of failure. It’s fear of change. Of doing things differently. Of not being able to go back. But when you stay with it—when you meet that…
Do you leap or linger? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on thresholds—in part because I’m standing on one myself: a 50-mile swim coming up later this month. It’s the kind of challenge that asks me to show up differently—not just in the water, but in how I prepare, how I rest, how I relate to resistance. And this week, one of my swimmers asked me a question that got me thinking. He was lingering at the edge of the pool, delaying that first plunge, and he asked: “Do you ever take your time getting…
The Unspoken Conversation It starts quietly. A question you didn’t expect. Not from someone—but from the water. That subtle moment before you act—the breath before the plunge, the hesitation before the yes—can reveal more than we realize. Sometimes, it’s a whisper from something deeper, asking to be heard. The water offers one of life’s most honest mirrors. Not just your reflection, but your relationship with uncertainty, with trust, with yourself. What if your relationship with the water…
You can’t hold the water. In my last post, I wrote about how swimming isn’t just about getting to the side—it’s about giving yourself permission. To slow down. To feel. To stop performing. That permission doesn’t end in the shallow end. I don’t just teach swimming. I help people rewrite their relationship with the water—and often, with themselves. And this isn’t just about beginners. Even experienced swimmers can find themselves gripping, striving, trying to get it “right.” How do you carry…
LESSONS FROM THE WATER READ PREVIOUS ARTICLES WEBSITE SCHEDULE SUBSTACK Hi there, This week I got an urgent message from one of my swimmers. She was spiraling about the unseasonably cool temperatures that could affect her upcoming race. What if it’s colder than expected? What if I can’t handle it? I know the feeling. Before swimming the length of Loch Ness I refused to get in the water before the swim start. I was afraid that if I did, I would psych myself out about the temperature. So when…
How to Balance Big Goals and Daily Life I’ve always had trouble sticking to daily habits and streaks rub me the wrong way, so how do I manage to train for big swims, raise two growing boys, be a present partner, get a podcast out into the world, email broadcasts weekly, and coach and teach swimmers locally and virtually? It’s a work in process; it will always be a work in process. But I think I’m starting to embrace that process. When I started my podcast, Marathon Swim Stories, in 2020 one…
