Lessons from the Water

When the Goal Gets in the Way Last week, I wrote about trust—how the water meets us when we show up, just as we are. How learning to trust might be the most powerful thing we can do. This week, something happened in a lesson that reminded me how easily trust slips—not from fear, but from something more subtle. I was working with a 6-year-old who had just discovered he could push off from one wall, arms in streamline, eyes on the bottom, and glide all the way across the short side of the…

Come As You Are—The Water Will Meet You For kids, trust in the water often comes more naturally—or returns quickly once they’re reminded. They play. They explore. They discover that the water holds them. They’re less likely to overthink. And quicker to just feel. Adults carry more. Expectations. Self-judgment. Past experiences. The desire to do it right. But real progress in swimming—and in life—rarely comes from control.It comes from letting go. Trust doesn’t always feel like…

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…

Hey there, June is here—and with it, a new theme inside The Water’s Edge: Marathon Mindset. Marathon Mindset isn’t just a set of thoughts—it’s the story we tell ourselves about what we can handle and who we can become when the goal is far off, the water gets rough, or we’re deep in the middle of the journey. It shows up when we’re tired, afraid, or unsure—and when we choose to keep going anyway. It’s the kind of mindset that helps us trust the process, lean into uncertainty, and stay open to…

One Thing at a Time Yesterday I got out of the pool and lingered in my bubble. If I resist the urge to pick up my phone and see what I missed, I can hold on to the bliss for just a few minutes longer. Then the wave comes… the meeting I’m supposed to be in, the emails I missed, the messages unanswered. The shift from clarity to chaos is swift and merciless. In the water, I know what to focus on. While it can be overwhelming, it’s a practice I’ve honed for 3 years now: choose one thing—just…

The Power of Noticing It was an exciting week of observations. One swimmer, visiting for a mini camp in the Endless Pool, started noticing the subtle position of her legs and how they contribute to the whole unit of her body – no small feat as humans are innately kicking and pulling machines in the water (leaving them exhausted and defeated). This new awareness gave her better control almost immediately. Another swimmer I coach remotely tuned into her weight shift from one side to the other…

Ready or Not, Ready Enough I didn’t feel ready. Not for the spring water temps. Not for the distance. Not for everything this swim would ask of me. But I went anyway. Because sometimes, waiting to feel “ready” is just another way of hiding. And I could feel myself trying to hide! The weather looked rough. It was Mother’s Day weekend. Despite months of planning, coordinating schedules, and arranging travel to get my crew here, when push came to shove, all I wanted to do was stay home and enjoy…

Am I trying to prove something? In my last note, I hinted at a swim that’s been tugging at me. It’s not just about finishing something I started—it’s about revisiting what it means to give myself permission. Despite being a lifelong swimmer, adapting to open water hasn’t come easily for me. I remember a time when I just wanted to get out of open water. I was terrified—of what was underneath, of what I couldn’t see, of the unknown. First, it was fear. Then it was performance. For a long time,…

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 happens when you let go? Most people think learning to swim is about getting to the side. Kicking and pulling with all your might until you can grab something solid. And yes, swimming is a lifesaving sport. We do need to know how to save ourselves. But in my experience, what really shifts things isn’t more effort. The harder I try to find each shape in the water, the more robotic I feel. When I give myself permission to let go and send my energy forward, I flow. The answer isn’t effort….

How do you get ready? There’s something powerful about the quiet work that comes before a big swim—the unseen, often uncelebrated process of getting ready. That’s our theme this month inside The Water’s Edge—a community for curious swimmers who believe the water holds lessons about themselves, their limits, and their potential. Investigating those edges requires more than fitness. It asks for presence, patience, and a plan. Preparation isn’t about proving anything—it’s the bridge between…

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…

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…

Stretching the Edges—Together Comfort and growth rarely live in the same neighborhood. Yet we keep looking for shortcuts between them—ways to expand without feeling that edge of discomfort that signals real change. Once I started noticing resistance in myself, I saw it everywhere: The colleague who says, “I could never speak in public.” The friend who insists they’re “not creative.” The neighbor who feels they’re “too old to learn something new.” And in the pool, when swimmers—beginners and…

The art of trusting your limits. After I sent yesterday’s email about my own hesitation to turn the shower to cold, a few people responded. One person shared they look forward to cold showers, and another said they’ve done them for so long that a shower feels incomplete without a cold burst at the end. Thank you for sharing—these responses made me feel part of something! And then someone else wrote about a different kind of moment. They had a swim practice scheduled—something they usually…

When your body says “nope”. I had one of those moments this week where my whole body said nope. I stood in front of the shower—my hand hovering over the faucet, knowing I should turn it to cold. I know the benefits: improved circulation, boosted mood, sharpened alertness, enhanced recovery, and built-up resilience. I’ve done it before. And yet… I didn’t want to. I started wondering: what’s actually happening in those moments when we resist something we know is good for us? Maybe you’ve felt…

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…

Sink or Swim: The Art of Asking for Help I spent months putting off requesting a meeting with our local small business development center. Once I finally swallowed my pride and asked for help, I was immediately met with support and guidance. Is it just me, or does everyone have trouble asking for help? My history of avoidance runs deep. In high school, I dodged guidance counselors preparing for college. Even now, walking into a building to ask for help feels daunting. Picking up the phone…

Find Refuge in the Water Last September I turned 50. I thought that I was handling “middle age” just fine – until I had to pull out the reading glasses that I reluctantly purchased – I broke down crying. But that’s just one piece of it. The swim studio project I have been pouring myself into has been dragging out, tangled in unexpected regulatory hurdles and unforeseen expenses. Every step forward seems to come with a new roadblock. And beyond my own struggles, there’s the flailing economy, a…

What’s it like for you? Do you have an easy time showing up for your training sessions? Or is it a struggle to make it happen? (🙋♀️ Yep, I’ve been there.) Showing up is half the battle, but making each stroke count—that’s the real challenge. In community, we support each other in putting our best effort forward. Yes, there are times when showing up is all we can do and it’s enough. But let’s be real—water time is precious. We need to make it matter. This isn’t about hollow conversations,…