Day NINE // There’s therapy in the water

I discovered that swimming is not only good for me physically, but it is also a very mentally calming activity that seems to lower my stress levels. I am definitely still a wishy-washy baby who doesn’t want to get in the water during winter when it’s freezing outside and my snot can instantaneously freeze to my face, but when we finally get there and finish the first couple of laps so the temperature shock wears off, I am in a little heaven of sorts.

I’ve never been a gym person and I get easily bored an non-motivated doing any other sort of gym activity, but swimming is different. There’s therapy in the water. Your breathing becomes regulated, the water muffles all sounds around you (even the ones that only exist in your head), you zone out in the counting of the laps, and you sort of just…be.

I’ve always liked the water, even when I couldn’t swim well as a kid and I was just content to hang out in the shallow end for hours on end. There’s just something about it. Thankfully, it is my doctor’s recommended exercise of choice for me (well, that and Yoga which I can’t seem to get that mind benefit from although I sincerely wish I could) and it is something both Oscar and I enjoy doing together twice a week.

The regular lap pool was closed yesterday for cleaning, so it was off to the family pool which was empty enough for us both to just hang out, have water treading contests, and (not) enjoy being dunked by Oscar a few times.

Thank you, swimmy pool, my body and mind appreciate it.