Adding Another "Brave" Chapter to My Big Story

Brave life. Brave travel.

Doing It SCARED

This summer I turned 49. You may have noticed I’ve taken a little break from writing to spend energy starting new things because “I Get To!” (see my last post for more about that).

I get to embrace the beauty of Big Story Living while right-sizing it for my current life.

I get to begin new things like becoming a travel agent.

AND I get to say, “yes” to terrifying things because something in my gut tells me there are lovely new shades, colors, and textures I have never known just waiting to be exposed on the other side of the fear. I get to be brave.

For me, this has been the most terrifying view of my 50th year thus far.

I’ve always been active. I grew up playing basketball. I used to be a runner who pounded out six miles a day. I’ve P90Xed and been yelled at by Jillian Michaels more times than I can count. And I’ve walked an incalculable amount of miles around my neighborhood and the world.

But my great active fear has always been the pool.

I learned to keep myself alive in the water as a kid, but that’s about it. I HATE putting on a bathing suit, and I do not like to look like a fool while others watch. Therefore, this particular pool view has always ushered me into panic mode.

That being said, two weeks ago I met that fear head-on. Mortified and determined, I joined an adult swim lesson class.

Yikes! WHY? This is not an “Amy” thing to do.

Well, here’s the other truth. Something deep inside of me has oddly always felt like a swimmer. I’ve known that “Amy is an athlete” for my whole life. But in the quiet moments of pondering getting older and staying fit and strong, earlier this summer I started hearing, “Amy, you’re a swimmer.”

“No, I’m not! I can be so many other things! I can be so many things to so many people and to myself.”

“True. But, Amy, you’re also a swimmer.”

Crap.

So I did it scared. I listened. I joined the class. I met the hottie, 20-something, professional swim coach who used to swim alongside Léon Marchand at UT (Geez…of course, that’s who I’d get when taking rec center lessons in Boulder, Colorado). I struggled. I sunk. I thought I would almost drown during that first 25 meters. Yes, I was mortified. I kinda still am.

But you know what?

I’m becoming.

I’m becoming a swimmer.

I am a swimmer.

Not a great one, that’s for sure. It’s HARD! And I’m getting old. :)

But I can ugly-swim 25 meters now without drowning…and 25 meters more…and 25 meters more.

My intuition was right. There is another chapter in this story…

and I’m writing it scared.

To be continued….

“Adding Another "Brave" Chapter to My Big Story - Part 2” Brave Life. Brave Travel. - COMING SOON!

Happy Travels,

Amy