Christmas Eve!

Workout:
Swam 1800 yards in 1hour, 20min.

     That's me in the green sweatpants, uggs and blue cap haha.

Today's practice was at 8:30 instead of 5:15am! And, since I didn't have work to rush off to, I was able to spend more time in the pool, completing 500 yards more (20 laps!!!) than my farthest swim to date (1300). I swam for a total of 1800 yards, without drills or a pool buoy! But, I didn't set out to swim that far. I didn't think I could swim that far.

I got into the pool without a formal workout. So, I told myself that I just needed to just swim 1,000 yards. I started counting 100s, so every 4 laps was one 100. Even on the first lap my arms felt sore. After 8 100s I decided to move the goal post. I could go for 1300. Once I completed the additional 12 laps, I pushed the goal post back a little further, aiming for 1400. When I was working on my 16th 100, Kieth (who was swimming today, along with his wife) asked how far I had gone. I said I was working on 1600 and both he and his wife seemed impressed. That motivated me to move the goal post one last time and I finished with 1800 yards.

"Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right."

~ Henry Ford

We put so many limits on ourselves, in so many different ways and in so many different areas of our lives. Getting out of our comfort zone feels...well, uncomfortable! And we are afraid to fail, so often times we just don't even try. Isn't that easier? Or, we tell ourselves we are not even capable of __________ (fill in the blank). So, again, no need to even attempt.

You know what excuse I gave myself for never wanting to do triathlons? That swimming would ruin my hair. Also, I wrote off swimming as easy, not even fully understanding all that was involved.

When we remove those boundaries, when we tell ourselves that we can do more, when we push the goal post out a little farther, then we start working toward our best self; toward Self-Actualization. We don't get there by remaining stagnant and where we feel comfortable. The good stuff isn't easy, and it's not handed to us on a platter. We have to work for it, and the harder we work for it, the more we appreciate it.

    

    Steam rising off the pool on Christmas Eve.