HUMANS 101
Swimsuit Healing
Remembering my younger self in the pool
I started swimming this February because I wanted to do something different. Sometimes, even I get bored lifting heavy things. When that happens, I dial back strength training and bring in something new. I wanted to engage in an activity that would be hard enough to demand focus, but not so hard that it would be frustrating. I craved the sensation of forward momentum, and needed to access it without having to travel far. I was looking for something to support cardiovascular health and better sleep.
Swimming ticked all the boxes.
Swimming has the added bonus of helping me unpack my history of disordered eating. Many times when I pull on my swimsuit, old memories I had pushed down — because I felt ashamed — pop up. Rather than shoving them down again, I have lately been using this as an opportunity to examine them with a kinder, more adult perspective.
Part of my work as a trauma-informed personal trainer is to help people extend self-compassion to themselves around…
