It feels like a chore.

I struggle to build and stick with daily habits.

I resent that every app wants me to track streaks – even my meditation app! Nothing disrupts my effort it be mindful like a pop up asking if I meditated offline yesterday.

And yet, I can’t figure out how to stay engaged without tracking.

I signed up for a 30 day yoga challenge and actually completed it! When it was over, a sense of pride washed over me, also relief. I was so glad that I didn’t have to find time to do yoga the next day.

I’m not one to beat myself up. A glass half full type, I reflect on the things that get in the way and identify ways to apply myself tomorrow.

But this seeming inability to habit my way through everyday makes me feel inadequate. Like I can’t “embrace the process”.

What does that even mean?

I asked ChatGPT: what does “embrace the process” mean?

And the GPT said: “Embrace the process” means fully committing to and finding value in the journey of growth, learning, or achievement, rather than just focusing on the end result. It encourages patience, persistence, and a mindset that sees challenges and setbacks as opportunities for improvement rather than obstacles.

It went on to tell me that as a SwimMastery Coach, open water swimmer, with decades of experience working in technology who had kids later in life – that this message could resonate deeply with me.

Yet here I am at war with the words.

I absolutely find value in the journey – I love the growth and learning of each achievement. “Patience and persistence” is the mantra I recite to my kids when they struggle to stick to finishing a puzzle or solving a problem.

But I feel like I struggle with embracing the process everyday. People who do the same thing everyday for years seem like a different breed of human to me.

Yet we both get by. We’re both still here. We’re both gifted this one life to find out what we’re capable of.

And I know I’m capable of more.

It occurred to me the other day, what if everything – literally EVERYTHING – is “the process”?

What if I stop over analyzing it and just strive to my best self in every moment?

If I have jelly beans on the couch instead exercising, I’m probably not being my best self. If I scroll social media instead of building personalized sets for my swimmers, I’m probably not being the best coach. If I check my phone while my husband is telling me about his day at work, I’m probably not being the best partner. If I interrupt my kids story to tell them what I think, I’m probably not being the best mom.

What if I am embracing the process? What if each choice I make in each moment is a reflection of the person I want to be?

Oh wait. It is.

I’m exploring creative ways to incent myself to do the things that make me feel like I’m being my best self in each moment.

And somewhere, deep down, I think that I too might like to keep a streak. I just want to do it myself. Rather than have an app remind me.

We explore ideas like this, and how to lead richer, fuller lives, in the water and on land in community. I’d love to see you in there.​

You know that feeling you get when you…

…come out of an unproductive meeting.

…finally break away from scrolling social media.

…peel yourself off the couch after binge watching a few too many episodes.

…get sucked into your phone and can’t even remember why you picked it up.

​

Malaise.

Discontent.

Annoyed.

​

This is the opposite of flow. Too much of this leads to an unfulfilling hour, day, week, month, year(s)!

​

I’ll be the first to raise my hand.

I’m guilty of bringing my phone to the toilet so that my kids don’t see me scrolling social media. Sticking around for one more episode when I know that I would rather be sleeping. Checking one more time to see if that post got any likes.

​

How can we get more fulfillment – more flow?

Intention.

Focus.

Purpose.

​

Not fleeting. But through and through.

If you’re a swimmer, you might already be familiar with the satisfaction you get when you come out of the water (if not, let’s talk). Swimming facilitates flow because, for the most part, you’re free of distractions – there’s no TV, your cell phone is stashed away in your bag (I hope), and your boss and kids can’t bug you.

Flow is the theme of the month for February. Join the Monthly Welcome Call on Monday at noon Pacific!

When we know why, we are more likely to do it.

Since I hung up my competitive swim cap at 17, I’ve struggled with discipline. What was the foundation of my life, daily workouts on land and in the water, disappeared.

I was rudderless in an ocean of opportunity.

But even when swimming faded into the background, the lessons it taught stayed with me. As a youth, swimming gave me structure and a clear purpose—to train, to improve, to compete. That purpose guided my days and shaped my actions.

Without purpose I struggled to find discipline.

In fits and starts I flexed the discipline muscle and discovered that I could double down and do hard work. I learned that I was outcome driven and functioned well (enough) on little sleep. I could stay up late to cram for a test or put in long hours all weekend to meet a deadline at work.

But without a deadline or a deliverable, I was untethered.

This became clear when I started signing up for longer swims. Unlike studying for a test or turning around deliverables for a project, I couldn’t cram for a 10K or 20K swim. These longer endeavors required sustained effort and a deeper motivation. I came to realize that without a clear ‘why,’ my discipline wavered, making it harder to stay committed to the process

Its purpose that drives us forward and helps us embrace challenges.

In each phase of my life, finding purpose has been the key to rediscovering focus and harnessing the discipline that I learned as a youth.

Whether navigating the demands of work, training for a long swim, or starting a business, having a meaningful goal gave me direction. It reminded me why I was showing up every day, even when the work was hard.

Purpose gives our efforts meaning. When we know our “why,” we’re more likely to stick with it—whether in the pool or in life.

What’s your “why”? Join the conversation.

The means matters.

There are many lenses through which to view the world, why swimming?

Have you ever had a moment where you lost track of time? Whether your ideas flowed effortlessly in your writing, your perfectly coordinated movements allowed you to bound down the trail, you got lost in the notes and rhythms playing an instrument, or had a rich and thought provoking conversation with a dear friend?

That feeling—where mind and body are seamlessly synchronized—is called flow.

Flow is more than just a magical moment. It’s a powerful state of focused presence where you perform at your best, free from distractions and judgement.

While there are many ways to experience flow, water is the perfect teacher. And the beauty of swimming is that it doesn’t just help you experience flow—it teaches you how to access it, in the water and beyond.

The water demands your attention.

Your breath becomes your anchor.

And repetition fosters rhythm.

Not I.

If you’re a seasoned swimmer and you find yourself distracting yourself when you swim – processing your day or recalling the lyrics from a favorite song – I challenge you to still your mind. Focus on the sensations on your skin, the rhythm of your breath, each movement of your body.

But how?

If you’re newer to the sport, let go of the shoulds, can’ts, won’ts and don’ts.

Just be – in the water.

Float if it comes naturally or find a floaty! Tune into your breath. Experiment with filling and releasing air from your lungs. Play with exhaling through your nose or mouth. Observe how it feels the same or different in your body with each experiment.

Opportunity knocks.

Carve out time for presence in the water.

What other areas of your life can you gift this same presence?

When you explore presence on land, how it is the same or different than when you’re in the water?

​

Share your experience in our community. Make 2025 the year that you find flow in your swimming and in your life.

How it starts…

Do you swim to manage stress?

Get healthy?

Workout with others?

Immerse yourself in nature?

Connect with your body in the water?

As a vehicle to meet others and travel the world?

Because it’s a challenge that you don’t want to back down from?

Where it can take you.

For me, what started as a challenge – I was terrified of what lurked in the open water, but didn’t want that fear to define me. Grew into a love of being, literally, immersed in nature – the rhythm of the seasons, the genesis of a day. Which led to connection with people and places around the world. And fostered the connection between my mind and my body to move easily through this magical medium that is 60% of our bodies and 70% or our earth and find flow.

Swimming has grown into a rich personal journey exploring swimming as a metaphor for life.

A lens through which to practice:

Tackling big challenges.

Speaking to myself with kindness.

Persevering through tough times.

Releasing overwhelm and embracing focus.

Taking action, even when fear feels paralyzing.

Cultivating trust in myself and others.

Creating a supportive team.

Leaning on others.

Redefining “failure”.

Why the metaphor matters.

In those moments when life gets you down, you can flex that muscle that you built in the water.

Whether you’re looking to cultivate determination, conquer discomfort, own fear, build resilience, deepen connection, foster mindfulness, experience beautiful places and cultures, amplify your experience in the natural world, or explore personal limits and find flow, let the water be your teacher and connect with community on the same path.

Make it matter.

Do you make resolutions? Do they stick?

The energy of a new year- a clean slate – tempts us to resolve for the change that we’ve been meaning to make.

But resolutions rarely stick. You need a new strategy with a clear vision of where to go and why!

Make this the year that you support yourself in the progress you seek to make.

Change is HARD – let’s do it together!

What does swimming mean to you?

Do you swim for fitness?

Swim for fun?

Swim your frustrations away?

Make 2025 the year that you find meaning in the monotony. Make each swim matter and transform your life with the lessons from the water.

Our theme for January: Dive into your Why

Join the Welcome Party TODAY at noon Pacific.

The first Anything Goes Weekly Q&A is Tomorrow, January 7th at 2PM Pacific.

Join us for The Best Year Yet in Swimming (and in life)!

Join the Community

Already a member? Invite a friend!

Join us at Noon Pacific Today!

Dare to Dream

Whether you prefer salt water with sandy beaches, the lake you visit every summer, or your local pool, make 2025 the year that you dare to live your dreams.

Not just in the water, but in everything you do!

The lessons learned from the water have the capacity to transform how you approach challenges, foster resilience, and connect deeply with yourself and the world around you.

If you apply those lessons to your life, great things happen!

But it’s hard to do on your own. Join a community of swimmers committed to being intentional, in everything they do, in order to find meaning in the monotony. If you haven’t already, download the guide: Bring Meaning to the Monotony​

Our theme for January: Dive into your Why

Join the Welcome Party on January 6th at noon Pacific.

The first Anything Goes Weekly Q&A on January 7th at 1PM Pacific.

With the renewed energy of a new year, join us for The Best Year Yet in Swimming (and in life)!

Join the Community

Already a member? Invite a friend!

Everybody Should Feel Comfortable in the Water

​

Support Swimming in the Rogue Valley and Beyond…

The lease is signed, and architectural drawings are stamped – the move of the backyard Endless pool is imminent! Welcome news, I’m sure, to the handful of you who have braved the cold weather to come by for a swim – thank you for swimming with me even during these dark, cold days!

I’m thrilled for the opportunity to teach teens, kids and coach adults in a location where I can temperature control the environment to optimize learning. Additionally, the indoor location will eliminate the impact of weather and smoke so that we can teach all year and reach even more people in the Rogue Valley (and beyond)!

To my swimmers who live beyond, the studio will provide an opportunity to visit beautiful Southern Oregon to transform your swimming right before your eyes with under and over water video facilitating rapid results with a closed feedback loop.

Additionally, a high tech studio can offer swimmers the ability to tune in from anywhere in the world to witness live lessons and learn while watching the transformation in others.

And for all of this to happen, I need your help. Please consider donating any amount, pre purchasing packages, or a trial membership to the first SwimMastery Swim Studio in the United States, right here in the Rogue Valley. I would be so grateful for your support, and please spread the news and share with everyone!

Keep reading to find out additional ways that you can help…

Donate Now

Not just for kids!

Swimming is a lifelong sport! If your ankles, knees, or hips give out, you can always return to the waters embrace. Whether you’re recovering from injury, looking to improve fitness, join masters swimming, train for your first or next triathlon, or open water swim, we’ll support you in achieving your goals in a comfortable learning environment. Pre purchase a five or ten pack of 60 minute coaching sessions for adults. This is your chance to discover unbridled confidence in the water so that you can swim whenever you want, as far as you want in any body of water, anywhere in the world. Your pre purchase supports the move of the pool and avoids potential future price increases!

Purchase a Package

Priority access to kids lessons

Small group lessons (max 4 kids) will be offered in 4 week session blocks throughout the year, with 2 lessons a week on either Mon/Wed or Tues/Thurs. Get priority access to book lessons before availability is published to the general public with a $75 donation!

Get Priority Access

Pre Purchase Private Lessons

If you prefer private lessons for your kiddo, or would like one on one instruction to facilitate progress, you can pre purchase 30 minute private lessons in five or ten packs to help support the move of the pool and avoid potential future price increases.

Pre Purchase Private Lessons

Become a Member

As a swim studio member, an adult gets exclusive access to private swims, small group instruction and a one on one coaching session each month. Each private swim in the Endless Pool enables you to focus solely on your body in the water with no walls or lane mates to worry about, with the mirror on the bottom providing immediate feedback, you’re sure to have big break throughs. Purchase a trial membership for 1, 2 or 3 months!

Become a Member

Other Options

Do you live outside the Rogue Valley and you’re looking to pre purchase services like a personal mini swim camp or looking for lunch and learn lessons online? Let me know what you’re interested in!

Email Me

Thank you all for your interest in swimming and lessons over the years! Whether getting your kids water safe, or leaning into the gift of adult learning, it is because of your curiosity in your connection with the water that I find myself taking this leap, and it is only with your generous support and spreading the word that we can redefine swimming and what’s possible in the water in the Rogue Valley and beyond.

With gratitude,

​