When a person swims, they use their whole body. This year I set a goal to learn how to swim. I was over 35 and didn’t know how to swim. My two oldest children knew more than I did. So here I was a walking stereotype not knowing how to swim because of fear! I had people around me that I trusted dearly to teach me, like my husband and my father, but didn’t take the time to learn because of fear. I didn’t go too deep when we went to the beach, I only waded in the 3ft section of the pool. It was crippling. I am tired of being a grown woman wading on my husband’s back as he swam because I was afraid. It had to stop.

I used to tend to plan and dream. I was writing dreams down, however, they were never coming to fruition. I told myself I’d start at 25. I told myself I’d start after my first child. I told myself I’d start at 30. Finally, at 35 something clicked. Research shows that the human mind changes every 7 years. We become more ambivalent when we turn 7 years old. At 14, we declare ourselves officially a veteran at being a teenager. At 21, we declare ourselves fully an adult ready to grasp the world and every night club by the horns. At 28, we realize that life is not a game, that a milestone is around the corner and we’d better stop playing.

However, at 35, there was a freedom for me that came with peace. The peace that surrounded me was by far the greatest feeling. I put my words into action and my hands to work!

Some people say it isn’t how you start but it is how you finish; so, don’t get so caught up in how you start. Yes, you can finish strong, but you won’t finish strong if you slack off and stop in the middle! I had to swim! That word is meaningful to me in so many ways. Many people don’t know that I registered for my first graduate course in the Fall of 2015. I finished my last academic course in June 2020. That’s 5 years for a 2.5-year program. I finished with a 3.2 GPA. By the end of that program, I developed a business, wrote and published a book, and created a podcast. Were there times I had to cry? HECK YEAH!! Were there times I wanted to quit? HECK YEAH! BUT, I did not quit. I kept swimming.

Ask yourself these questions:
*What are some things that cause you not to swim?
*What is your perception of fear?
*What is the reality of fear?
*If you could do one thing at this point in your life if fear was not present what would it be?

I want you to swim in the bluest of seas. I want you to swim right beside me. I want you to swim and not look back. As I sit here with a smile on my face, I want each of you to swim as graceful as you are, with the most beautiful and elegant strokes that you could ever imagine. Imagine your- self-being an Olympic synchronized swimmer in all your glory: swimming and smiling and focused. Swimming takes power. It takes inner strength both mentally and physically. Every muscle is engaged and every movement is precise. Swimming takes coordination. One part of the body moves when the other part is moving as well. One part of the body keeps the rhythm and timing while the other keeps the movement going. If you quit and don’t complete a stroke, you’ll never get to the finish line. Keep swimming!!

About The Author
Tichina has completed her Masters of Science Degree in Clinical Mental
Health Counseling and will become a licensed professional counselor. With the
urge to continue her passion for helping other females rise, she became an author
of her debut literary piece Girl Determined, an e-book/workbook encompassing
behavioral techniques and mindfulness coloring for the reader. Tichina
will be beginning a new chapter as she starts her journey in obtaining her PhD in
Philosophy with a concentration in Advancement in Human Behavior in Winter
2022.