Wow, this is so beautiful and liberating! "Breathing in is for survival. Breathing out is for releasing tension." and "Don't wait until you've finished your work. Breathe out now."
Beautiful, Louisa! Those lessons that come to us at last and change everything are so precious. You did a beautiful job here of capturing the way we can be transformed by trying something again in a new way, as a new version of ourselves. 🌊💕
"A new version of ourselves" -- I love that, Holly! Thanks for reflecting back to me what I tried to express. Indeed, I find that midlife offers that opportunity to try again things that used to frustrate us, but in our own timing and with new methods. All we need is a different mindset about learning -- we pick up new skills not in a way to please or impress others, but as a gift to ourselves and an answer to our soul's calling. Have you found yourself being transformed by something anew when picking it up as an adult?
Not at all to sound trite—I think most things. Writing, for example. Each new version of me that returns to it is able to come to the prose, to the revision process, to the initial drafting, to the working ever deeper toward the image I want to create feels transformational. :)
Hi Holly! Not trite at all! I love hearing about your mindful approach to writing and most things. Going deeper and deeper with new versions of you--that's truly tranformational and so very inspiring!
I’m not so great in water either. I prefer to be a ‘land animal.’ My biggest fear is drowning, so I stay away from swimming. I also never liked pool water, chlorine makes me itch and doesn’t wash off easily.
I’m glad you overcame your fear of being in water. It was a good idea to try it in salt water too.
Hi Seval, if my memory serves me right, you had a scary incident at the beach when you were a child, right? Yea, I wish more pools use salt water instead of chlorine, which is so irritating and bad for the skin. I've not totally overcome my fear of being in water yet. But as I gain trust in myself and the water, I will eventually overcome it. This is only the beginning.
I need to take private lessons. It does bring up panic. I can swim but I can’t close my nose so -so much water gets in. I use face masks. Snorkel masks to enjoy the pool. My fear and panic comes from being held under water by a boy as a kid swimming in the local slough. That trauma still lives with me.
You are incredibly brave to face this and to overcome the need/desire for others to do for you. Trauma does seem to lay out those patterns from yearning for needs long ago not met. I struggle with that too.
I'm so sorry to learn that you had a traumatic experience with water too. What may seem like a childish prank can leave a traumatic imprint for life. I encourage you to take private lessons. Do it as a form of self love. You deserve to feel safe and enjoy yourself in water, just as I realized that I do too. A person's neglect decades ago is not going to define me as the forever clinger to the shallow edge of water, LOL! I'm going to keep learning until I can feel at ease with swimming. Yes, the yearning speaks to our natural desires thwarted by obstacles. Instead of watiting for others to pick us up and deliver us to the safe store, it's better to learn how to reach the other shore ourselves.
I hear you. The breathing….I hold too, often in life. I expect its reaction to fear. Than just became first reaction to any unsureness I feel. It’s tough exercising, probably why I prefer outdoor yard work. I’m more relaxed doing it and breath normal.
We're similar! Perhaps it's a way to feel we're in control in a threatening or uncertain situation? Perhaps it's part of the "freeze" response? So much of it is subconscious.
I also enjoy gardening. It relaxes me, too, and I breathe more normally while enjoying fresh outdoor air.
Wow, this is so beautiful and liberating! "Breathing in is for survival. Breathing out is for releasing tension." and "Don't wait until you've finished your work. Breathe out now."
Thank you, Fenny! Let's breathe OUT... ahhhhh!!!!
Beautiful, Louisa! Those lessons that come to us at last and change everything are so precious. You did a beautiful job here of capturing the way we can be transformed by trying something again in a new way, as a new version of ourselves. 🌊💕
"A new version of ourselves" -- I love that, Holly! Thanks for reflecting back to me what I tried to express. Indeed, I find that midlife offers that opportunity to try again things that used to frustrate us, but in our own timing and with new methods. All we need is a different mindset about learning -- we pick up new skills not in a way to please or impress others, but as a gift to ourselves and an answer to our soul's calling. Have you found yourself being transformed by something anew when picking it up as an adult?
Not at all to sound trite—I think most things. Writing, for example. Each new version of me that returns to it is able to come to the prose, to the revision process, to the initial drafting, to the working ever deeper toward the image I want to create feels transformational. :)
Hi Holly! Not trite at all! I love hearing about your mindful approach to writing and most things. Going deeper and deeper with new versions of you--that's truly tranformational and so very inspiring!
I’m not so great in water either. I prefer to be a ‘land animal.’ My biggest fear is drowning, so I stay away from swimming. I also never liked pool water, chlorine makes me itch and doesn’t wash off easily.
I’m glad you overcame your fear of being in water. It was a good idea to try it in salt water too.
Hi Seval, if my memory serves me right, you had a scary incident at the beach when you were a child, right? Yea, I wish more pools use salt water instead of chlorine, which is so irritating and bad for the skin. I've not totally overcome my fear of being in water yet. But as I gain trust in myself and the water, I will eventually overcome it. This is only the beginning.
I need to take private lessons. It does bring up panic. I can swim but I can’t close my nose so -so much water gets in. I use face masks. Snorkel masks to enjoy the pool. My fear and panic comes from being held under water by a boy as a kid swimming in the local slough. That trauma still lives with me.
You are incredibly brave to face this and to overcome the need/desire for others to do for you. Trauma does seem to lay out those patterns from yearning for needs long ago not met. I struggle with that too.
I'm so sorry to learn that you had a traumatic experience with water too. What may seem like a childish prank can leave a traumatic imprint for life. I encourage you to take private lessons. Do it as a form of self love. You deserve to feel safe and enjoy yourself in water, just as I realized that I do too. A person's neglect decades ago is not going to define me as the forever clinger to the shallow edge of water, LOL! I'm going to keep learning until I can feel at ease with swimming. Yes, the yearning speaks to our natural desires thwarted by obstacles. Instead of watiting for others to pick us up and deliver us to the safe store, it's better to learn how to reach the other shore ourselves.
I hear you. The breathing….I hold too, often in life. I expect its reaction to fear. Than just became first reaction to any unsureness I feel. It’s tough exercising, probably why I prefer outdoor yard work. I’m more relaxed doing it and breath normal.
We're similar! Perhaps it's a way to feel we're in control in a threatening or uncertain situation? Perhaps it's part of the "freeze" response? So much of it is subconscious.
I also enjoy gardening. It relaxes me, too, and I breathe more normally while enjoying fresh outdoor air.