Swimming and Counting

For decades I told myself I would never count swim laps but then I discovered it was a great tool if I used it gently. The first trick was to tell myself, "Do one lap and you are free to go home." Just showing up was winning!

But I discovered that when I am counting I am not thinking about other things. This was an unexpected gift. The numbers served as a mantra. I also gave myself small goals: "Do one more!" or "Do three more!" This gave me small victories. Most important was to be kind to myself so I would come back again. Remember, just one lap, and I am free to go home.