The Reward is the Journey

I am an outdoor swim enthusiast.  I swim year-round.  Without a wetsuit.  My second home is the water.  I spend a lot of time in its wonderful embrace, be it the English Channel or a vast outdoor (and, importantly, unheated) pool in South London. Swimming is a passion.  But why I swim is about so much more than exercise.  Fresh air and daylight are vital to my wellbeing. A holiday some time ago 'down under' was a swim fest.  Beyond my wildest dreams.  I had read about the beaches, and the pools.  But I got so much more than I bargained for.  I found lakes and reservoirs.  I found peaceful private swimming.  It was joyful.  In the extreme.   A swim is capable of curing so much.  Jet lag for starters.  Fatigue.  Heartbreak.  Disappointment.   The water has yet to let me down.  I take myself to the water.  I find my self in the water. I am a creature of habit. ...

I was reminded once again how easy it is to let go of a habit. Not because you're trying to change it, but because your routine changes. My routines are the foundations of those habits I seek to promote.  Time is precious.  And mine, like most other people's, is limited.  Which is why, if I want to do something, I have to find the time to do it in. Which is where my diary comes in.  If it's in the diary, the chances it will actually happen are far higher.  And that's due to the simple fact that, for something to appear in the diary, it means that time has been allocated. When our routines stop, no matter how briefly, significant change can result.  Which may be good.  Or, in the case of my yoga practice, less good...  I find myself feeling stiffer:  physically, and psychologically. It is time to re-start, and re-acquaint with my mat.  And the first step is to let go of any frustration associated with the fact that I ...