2022 – Lessons learned – Reflections

I have learned a lot about myself in waters and through out the year of 2022. For example here are some of my more notable to me lessons learned:

• In the American River on Oct 23 2022, I found I could chase down a broken and moving buoy against the current – yup.
  • I shared a swim with a troubled friend that made decisions for himself (Suicide).
• I have learned the importance of breathing and letting it go, my 2 major objectives while swimming
• I can still sneeze, and cough while swimming without missing a stroke or a breath cycle – did this in the American River at IM California.
• I have relearned the agency that exists between stimulus and my response is mine or the other person experiencing the stimulus to reaction
• I have learned how to acknowledge more and avoid less.
• I have learned that “unrealistic expectations are just future resentments” – Thanks Coach Robbie – co-founder of C26 triathlon
• I have learned my role is to provide or ask for more context, not to convince another outside of myself.
• I have learned being a fool is part of the process in becoming wise.
• I have relearned that absolutes of others aren’t for me.
• I learned that a pandemic really only brought out of obscurity problems that the world in whole and in part doesn’t want to face nor move forward any time soon as we return to the romanticism of trying to return to 20 years ago, instead of with empathy and courage, stepping into the future creating new and novel solutions to our opportunities and problems.
• I have been reminded that worldviews and progress takes consistent, often unsexy discipline to yield growth and change – not just for me, but for those courageous enough to try.
• Just after the new year, but injuries still suck.