Stories are the best.  Join me to hear Jodi’s story of growing up loving the water, but never really learning to swim.  She has spent this year like many people repurposing her time while being on furlough.  It was about this time last year she made some real plans for 2020 that were to include preparing for a swim vacation.  The vacation didn’t happen but the swimming transformation sure did! 

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Student Swim Journey with Jodi appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Do you love your hairdresser? It feels so frivolous to me to say it, but I do. She sings a little song between Thanksgiving and New Year about holiday hair and the great joy of giving people a fresh look for parties and special events.

There may be fewer parties and events this year, but that is no reason not to celebrate. What brings you joy? Or perhaps a better way to put it is what do you bring joy to?

For many bringing joy is not easy during our short winter days. Do not forget I am here and can help.

For my swimmers, today’s video is about putting on a swim cap. While you will likely not feel as great as my hairdresser will make you feel it is super useful for your swimming look. Nothing says a swimmer quite like wearing a cap.

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Holiday Hair: Putting on a Swim Cap appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Have you ever wiggled into a pair of nylons or tight jeans?  It is not a feeling of grace and beauty but may be worthwhile for some other purpose.  

I am past the days of uncomfortable clothing.  As I embrace my natural hair color and find sexy from the inside more than in a pair of Jordache Jeans (do you know what that is??), this wiggle in and out of clothing is more of a memory than a daily reality.  

However, there is one article that I will still gratefully wiggle in and out of for it’s a warm tight fit.  A wetsuit.  

I don’t like being cold!!  If you have swum in my toasty pool you will know that.  In today’s video, I give you some tips on how to get in and out of one with relative ease.  There are a few does and don’ts.  Super helpful for winter swimming or outdoor swimming any season.  

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Getting In and Out of a Wetsuit appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Do you have a moment where you can remember exactly where you were and how it felt because of something extraordinary that happened?  Like where were you when you first learned about the 9-11 terror attack?  My mom used to use, “Where were you when Martin Luther King was shot”.  Every generation has its own moment.  We also have our own personnel ones.

Thanksgiving weekend is one of those for me.  I remember the exact place I sat at my dining room table with a swirling mess of kids and kid stuff around me when my husband handed me the phone.  The bright sun was coming in our large windows as the pit of my stomach fell knowing there was something bad on the other end of the phone.  My mom had had a stroke.  Within hours I was on a plane leaving the kayos of my young mom life to go back to my own childhood home unsure of what my role would now be. 

What I cannot remember is if this event happened on Thanksgiving weekend or if I just associate it with Thanksgiving because in my time being with my mom in the hospital we talked about Thanksgiving being her favorite holiday.   This little previously unknown fact is one of many I have acquired while getting to know my mom as an adult and not just an egocentric child.  Mom’s favorite day is the one to stop and be grateful.  To feel grateful for the bounty of gifts that come in many different forms.

This day of gratitude now holds an extra special place in my heart just like each and every one of my students over the last 21 years.  I am forever changed by our time together and forever grateful for the time we got to be in relation to grow and love.  

Today’s video is a repeat, but well worth it.  It is a student story.  His story is a gift, an inspiration and an open heart.  

Enjoy this gift.  May your Thanksgiving be full of warm heart gratitude.  My heart is full just thinking of you now and I so appreciate you and look forward to the next time we meet in person.  

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Grateful for Swimmers appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Now is the best time to learn to swim as an adult ever!  Seriously.  

Have you been a part of a conversation looking at the benefits of 2020…despite all the wild changes?  One of my benefits has been walking through my neighborhood with attention.  There is a small forest trail behind my house.  When I first had to shut down the business I walked.  Walked in the barren twiggy trees.  But we were headed into spring with crocus poking up their purple heads.  I’ve seen the season change with the attention I never really gave before.  Without the bubble covering the pool, it is our beautiful Japanese maple with its brilliant red lacy leaves that I get to enjoy.  Becky’s class got to be visited by our resident owl.

So why is learning to swim as an adult also a benefit and perfect fit for this year?  Look to what your concerns are about being in the pool – embarrassment, being slow, kids everywhere, intimidated to ask questions.  What else?  

In today’s video, I share some answers to these questions and why this is the very best time.

However, the truth is the very best time is when you decide.  If you are still deciding what is getting in your way?  Check out the free mini lookie to see how your story is stopping you from deciding.

Watch Below:

Jump-In Membership

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Jump-In Membership. Our Jump-In program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Now is the Best Time to Learn to Swim as an Adult appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Watch Episode 17 Below: 

Healing Fear in Warm Water

If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.

Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the 5 Circles Teaching Method. The Miracle Swimming system uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.

The post Episode 17: Maria’s Swim Journey appeared first on Orca Swim School.

Interview with 85-year-old Charlotte Ruff | Orca Swim School Student

Have you ever thought… “Oh, I give up! I’ll never learn to swim.” Or “I’m no longer a kid. I can quit trying.”

Maybe you moved from a warm state (California) to a cloudy state (Washington) and thought it no longer necessary to get in a pool.

Well, eighty-six-year-old Charlotte Ruff had similar thoughts, but just recently completed her beginning series swim lessons and is ready for more. Please check out our interview with her about her swim journey and experience her contagious joy (video below.)

Taking Inspiration

When you are 86 years old what would you like to be doing?  If you want some inspiration come to check out today’s episode which features Charlotte who said I still want to achieve my life dream of how to swim.  

One of the questions we ask our students at the beginning of the course is what benefits do you get by being afraid or not knowing how to swim.  It can seem like an odd question because at first glance there seem to be no benefits. We just see what we have been missing.  

86-year-old Charlotte is a great inspiration to the benefit of not learning in the past because she has this amazing opportunity for growth.  To be able to fully live life no matter what.  

My greatest inspiration was my 102-year-old grandfather.  Not because he simply lived such a long life, but because each time I talked to him he had grown as a person.  He kept living life as his body continued to live.  

Now don’t get me wrong here I am not saying wait for 10, 20, 30 or 40 more years without being free in the water.  But look at how you want to live your life. Do you want to live in fear, missing out and regret or do you want to be an inspiration to yourself and others?  

Let Charlotte be your inspiration.  No matter what your story or circumstances it is only your thoughts that stop you.  

We are so grateful for the open hearts and minds of our beautiful swimmers.  It is our deepest privilege to work with each and every one.  

Thank you, Charlotte for sharing your joy with us. Congratulations on never giving up! 

Watch Episode 9 Below: 

The post Episode 9: Never Give Up… Lessons from an 85-Year-Old Swim Student appeared first on Orca Swim School.

What would make the best ever winter getaway trip?

Long days on a warm sunny beach.  Strip off your raincoat, your hats, and scarfs and finally stand up straight to embrace the sun!  

When I think of something as dreamy and enticing as a winter getaway there is a song that springs up in my head…

“It’s my party and I’ll cry if I want to.  Cry if I want to.”

What does this have to do with a winter getaway?  Sometimes the expectations that build-up prior to an event could be dashed when you are actually living it.  

In this episode, I share 10 tips for snorkeling to ensure you actually enjoy the party on your tropical vacation.  This is a preview into the full snorkeling course we will release later this year.

We want to help you reach your wildest dreams.  No one wants to learn something new so it becomes a plodding, boring thing on a checklist.  We learn so we can expand to new opportunities and discoveries.  

So where do you dream of escaping the winter blues?  Come be inspired!

Watch Episode 8 Below: 

The post Episode 8: Tips for a Tropical Vacation appeared first on Orca Swim School.

During our initial consultation, Diane expressed her interest in registering with Orca Swim School and wanting to start swim lessons.  Her goal was to learn how to be comfortable in the water, float, and move in the water without touching the ground.  These may seem like simple goals, however for those with a fear of the water these goals are significant!  As we spoke that day, Diane informed me that she has previously taken a swim class, but still felt uncomfortable in the water.  She noted, “I took a college swim class as a P.E. elective and was able to float at the time. However, now I basically don’t feel comfortable in the water and fear not touching the ground.”

Registering for Class

After our initial consultation, Diane registered for our Beginner Class (this past Fall) even after the fact that she found out she was pregnant.  Throughout the course of a few weeks, she graduated and moved on to take our Next Step and Practice Swims.  During this time she gained her confidence while in the water and before the baby was born, decided to take a trip to Hawaii.  For one of the first times in her life, she enjoyed the water unlike she ever could have before.

Baby Lessons

Realizing her goal of being comfortable in the water and after the baby was born, Diane took another trip with her family where at 3 months old she introduced her son to the water.  In a Facebook post to the Orca Swim School Group, she stated “while it was crazy challenging traveling with a baby, I had such a great time splashing in the water (something I never did before Orca Swim School). This little guy was a bit more skeptical of the sand, the sun, and the water but we have time to work on that”!

From Fear or Discomfort to Freedom and Joy

The post Being Comfortable in the Water – Diane’s Swim Journey appeared first on Orca Swim School.

“I thought these swim lessons would teach me to ‘drown calmly.’ ”  This is what Noressa told me at our holiday celebration for teachers and spotters.  Spotters are student graduates that come back and volunteer to help with beginning classes.  Noressa is one of our spotters.

Noressa’s Story

Her story, however, starts back when she was a child and her mother told the very excited little Noressa, “Today I will teach you how to swim.”  Noressa was excited but unaware that her mom would teach her in the manner she had been taught: sink or swim. Her mom grew up around water in the Philippines and you either learned to survive or … well, I’m not sure of the rest of that sentence.  For Noressa and her two sisters, it was to be afraid.

When one of Noressa’s friends, Margaret, became a teacher with Orca Swim School, she began to talk about this new way to learn to swim.  Margaret had taught and participated in swimming throughout her youth and young adulthood. After many years away she wanted this fulfilling part of her life back again and learned a new way to teach adults who are beginning or afraid. After many conversations, Margaret persuaded Noressa to try swimming one more time.

Noressa was resigned to the fact that she would never learn to swim.  She was told that skinny people like her don’t float and therefore can’t swim.  She was very nervous coming to the first night of class. Noressa expected that Margaret, a kind and trustworthy friend, would maybe teach her to drown calmly or correctly, but would not likely teach her how to swim.

“Then Margaret started throwing toys to the bottom and everyone was diving down to get them.  I peeked under because it looked like so much fun.”

Grounding Principle of Doing What is Fun

As a self-proclaimed goal-oriented person, Noressa diligently did the steps of the class.  It was not until the games came out that the light really clicked on. Margaret had continued to make the ground-rule invitation to only do what was fun. Because when students have fun, we find that learning will always happen.  The game is where she set her goals aside and said, “I just want to play.” She did so and suddenly understood the grounding principle of doing what is fun.

Noressa explains, “Once I understood how much fun the water is and how much learning happens when playing, everything else opened up.  When working on the back float or bobbing, I learned to stop or change the subject when I was pushing. Later I was curious again about those subjects and could learn more.”

Realizing Her Goal

The goal then changed from learning to “drown calmly” to learning to swim in the ocean.  She got to realize this goal in Hawaii. She used the system she learned in the beginning class to figure out the fun in the ocean.  “It was so amazing under there with all the fish!”

Noressa’s next fun goals are swimming across Lake Washington with a Children’s Hospital fundraising Park to Park lake swim, and her dream vacation to the Philippines and the small islands where “The Beach” with Leonardo DiCaprio was shot.  

Listen to the conversation with Cori and Noressa about her swim journey… CLICK HERE.

The post Noressa’s Swim Journey appeared first on Orca Swim School.