I'm training for my first Sprint Triathlon. For the race, I'll be swimming 750 meters. This morning, I swam 1.1 kilometers. And it was the first time I exclusively used the Freestyle form.
For the first 800m, I rested every 100m. I felt pretty winded each time. I don't think I'm used to the Colorado altitude yet (after a week on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina). I was also nervous about exclusively using a form that I'm not comfortable with yet.
Once I got to 800m, I knew I was beyond race requirements. Check! But I felt unsatisfied. I wanted more. And I had more in me, even though I didn't "have" to go further.
So I relaxed. I slowed my role (slow and steady wins the race, remember?). And I swam 300m Freestyle nonstop and wasn't winded by the end—tired, but not winded.
I knew I could do it. I knew that I had to take deep calm breaths every twist to help float and fuel. And I knew that being relaxed was the best way forward.
And I did something that I didn't think I could do today.
Whatever your challenges are right now with your boss, with colleagues, or most importantly with yourself, what's possible if you took a nice big deep breath, relaxed, and moved forward beyond your comfort zone?
Would you ask for a promotion or pay raise?
Would you set boundaries that better respect your time and space?
Would you stop seeing yourself as the victim of your life and focus on being the creator of your life instead?
Pause. Breathe. And go further than you "think" you can go. I'm here cheering you on!
manageup.coach/breath