Effort vs. Exchange As the seasons change—with cooler weather, darker days, and at times, water falling out of the sky—I’ve found myself on my rowing machine for movement. (Remember those Zones 4 and 5 I’m chasing to “age gracefully”?) After last week’s 550 yards, I’m reminded there are many ways to build the engine. Rowing, like cycling and running, builds cardiovascular capacity that carries over to the water—which is why I tell triathletes they’ve got it made. Their bike and run training…

I want to quit. A few years ago, a coach pointed out my tendency to give up when things got hard. It stung to hear her say it—because it’s true. Now I see it everywhere. After dinner, at the sink with three filthy skillets—the kind with cooked-on food—my feet ache, my back aches, and I just want to leave them and sink into the couch. In a moment of disagreement with my husband, I want to walk out of the room. Two tasks left at the end of a long day—I think, Do they really have to be done…

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…

What experience won’t protect you from Do you ever catch yourself thinking, “I should have this all figured out by now”? Maybe you’ve been swimming for years. You’ve mastered the strokes, conquered goals, built confidence through repetition. What could you possibly have in common with someone just learning how to float? This week, a thoughtful mom joined me for a 3 day mini swim camp with her 7-year-old daughter. Sure, mom could swim further and faster—but what struck me was her willingness…

Learn to Listen to the Water I worked with new swimmers this week—and others I’ve been guiding for years—ranging in age from 4 to 64 (give or take). Some were just learning to hear themselves hum underwater for the first time. Others were exploring how to release tension and let the water hold them. Different ages, different goals. But a common thread runs through them all. The thing that unlocks real progress isn’t found with a kickboard or pull buoy. It runs deeper than watching the clock…

How it starts… Do you swim to manage stress? Get healthy? Workout with others? Immerse yourself in nature? Connect with your body in the water? As a vehicle to meet others and travel the world? Because it’s a challenge that you don’t want to back down from? Where it can take you. For me, what started as a challenge – I was terrified of what lurked in the open water, but didn’t want that fear to define me. Grew into a love of being, literally, immersed in nature – the rhythm of the seasons,…