Out of my way

So many times in this life, we just need to get the heck out of our own way.

I've always been able to stay afloat in water, but 5 years ago I began to pursue swimming as a form of exercise. It started with a few swim classes during my first senior year of college. My experience began in the far right lane of the pool...the slow lane. Quickly I mastered the side breathing technique and began to get a little faster. As I got faster I moved farther to the left of the pool, eventually ending up in the middle.

After a couple of quarters, I stopped improving and didn't understand why I had hit a wall (figuratively...although I did literally hit the wall a couple of times and that wasn't very comfortable at all). After working with me for 2 or 3 quarters to figure out what was going on, my swim instructor finally said 'well...I don't know how to help you. I can tell that you're doing something wrong, but I can't tell what' Finally, after years of trying to fix my technique, tonight my body figured it out!

This whole time I was digging my arm as far into the water as possible, in a large round motion. It felt like the technique was getting me more power because it was very difficult...and difficulty means progress...right? RIGHT!?!!?

In hind site, this doesn't make any sense at all, because the further your arm is from your body the more power it takes to move it, therefore, less power is available to push the water past you. Tonight I started moving my arm as close to my body as possible while pushing the water back with the ball of my hand. Holy gemoly, it was like a Little Mermaid miracle. The moment I started the new technique I was faster, didn't get as tired and enjoy the experience soooo much more!

This reminds me of life. This whole time I was getting in my own way, making things more difficult than necessary. And what's more...I thought it was a sign of correct-ness because it was difficult (sigh and head shake). Once I stopped trying so hard, my body just did what it was supposed to do, and I improved my technique drastically.

I think that frequently in life we just get in the way. We get all caught up in thinking that we have the answers, that we just have to try harder and eventually things will work. In my experience (including the one tonight), it is the times that we stop trying so hard and just get out of our own way that we really see improvements and change.