On Wednesday I did just that. I took an adult swimming class. Terrified is a bit of an understatement as the thought of putting on swimwear is enough to bring me out in a cold sweat and get my heart going like the clappers. However, I really wanted to be able to swim properly again. For years as I child I grudging (though secretly I'm grateful Mum) went to swimming lessons every Sunday morning. I wasn't the greatest swimmer (I never made it onto the club swimming team!) but I was pretty competent. Fast-forward almost 20 years and I cannot for the life of me swim a length front crawl.
On New Years Day a group of us friends have a tradition of writing down a resolution, or something we want to achieve that year and pop it in the fire (with another group of friends we used to do a 'secret santa' kind of resolutions thing, making resolutions for each other- this ended badly one year so hasn't been done since!). I love that idea, thinking of the year ahead as your resolution singes, catches and goes up in smoke. My resolution last year, made on the 1st January 2016, sitting on massive cosy sofas , post walk around an open fire, was to swim with my face in the water. This Wednesday I did just that. Only a year late, but if I'm honest its taken me that long to work my way up to it. Putting on a swimming costume in front of others is my top most scariest thing (even more than my irrational fear of stairs and escalators).
Yep, it was scary. Yep, I was pretty terrible, but yes, I also managed a couple of lengths with my face in the water. I went again yesterday and managed six, good lengths without choking and messing up my breathing. Everyone has to start somewhere and I feel that I'm making progress. When I get in the pool again tomorrow I will be feeling that tiny bit more confident. Maybe by the end of the year I will have completed that triathlon I have always wanted to do? I'll keep you posted :-)
What I'm trying to say is that if there is something you would like to do but are worried, scared or anxious about it, just give it a go. You may surprise yourself, and even if you try it once and never want to again, then you can put it to the back of your mind without thinking 'what if'.
PS. The photo is of the gorgeous Three Cliffs Bay on the South Wales coast. Not quite warm enough for swimming!
PPS. I turned 29 on Monday. I'm vaguely thinking of a 30 things to do before I'm 30 challenge. Have any of you got any suggestions to get me started? :-)
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