Swimming in an Ocean of Stress.

Imagine swimming out to an island that seems just out of reach.

As you start swimming you have a ton of energy to fight the waves. The waves send you up and down, bobbing in the water. The current pushes you back toward the shore ever so slightly with each stroke. But as you swim you keep pushing forward and fighting the moving current. Your energy starts to fade as the waves begin to crash. You can see calm water ahead but it doesn’t seem to be getting any closer. You have to stop to catch your breath for a few seconds, treading water and looking how far you’ve come since leaving shore. There’s a glimmer of hope as you look back, seeing that you’re over halfway through. It won't be long before you’re walking the beach of the island you’ve tried so hard to get to. The closer you get the current seems to shift. It starts to pull you closer to shore, making it easier and easier.

Many times as we’re going through a stressful situation it seems like we're out in the middle of the water trying to swim. We keep getting knocked all over in the “waves” of chaos but it's only when we stop to look around do we realize how far we’ve made it...even with that split second thought of drowning. It’s moments like these that should provide a realization of humility and gratitude.

As my 7th year of being in the sports/fitness industry is coming to a close, I’ve come to realize this exhausted look around offers some piece of mind to the ongoing stress. The 8th year is shaping up to be the biggest and most stressful yet. It’s only as I tell stories to clients and coworkers from the past few years I realize how much has truly been accomplished. The concept is still hard to grasp because so much has been done/failed/accomplished/learned over the past seven years, yet there is still so much to do. An ever growing list of things I want to get done - things I want to accomplish. It seems like that island will forever be out of reach.

The island is getting closer, but we have to keep swimming. As the stress piles up we have to remember just how far we’ve come. All you see is the blue of the never ending water. It’s only when you keep going ebbs and flows of the current do you end up making it to that long awaited island. It’s a lesson on patience and perspective I continue to learn. Just keep swimming.