A friend convinced me recently to join her in a morning workout for swimmers. The “Masters Swim Team” meets daily with coaches at each session to give swimming tips. They claim to accept swimmers of all levels. I decided to put them to the test.
I took swim lessons as a kid—enough to learn how to tread water, side stroke, and not drown. I have never felt comfortable in the water, however, and have had some anxiety about it. Wanting to change that, my friend’s invitation—while fear inducing—was also intriguing.
At my first workout, the coach told me to get in the water and swim the length of the pool. After watching me never put my head under and do a sort of side stroke/doggy paddle swim, she quickly intervened. “Let’s start with 20 bobs,” she told me. I felt like my three year old daughter whose swimming lessons started the same way—submerging my whole body under water, bobbing up for a quick breath and then going under again.
At my third lesson, the coach told me, “I’m so glad to see you here again! Most people would have quit by now!” Yes, that’s how completely inept and awkward I was.
Now, about two months later with regular attendance, I can do a freestyle stroke (with my head in the water!) for 100 meters without stopping. I still feel plenty awkward, but I also find deep satisfaction at having accomplished something hard. Here are some lessons I have learned along the way.
Sometimes it’s good to feel like a fish out of water.
Creative fulfillment and artistic progress require stepping outside of our comfort zone and, forgive the cliché, thinking outside of the box. Singer Sylvia McNair (p. 34) has never been one to stay in the box. After a 10-year international opera career, she began branching out to new genres. Her lengthy career since has been one of singing the music she loves, culminating in a new album of Great American Songbook classics.
Breaking a desired skill down to the “wax on/wax off” level can lead to real learning and progress.
Diving into the water and swimming a few laps was inconceivable to me a few months ago. But beginning with the bob and then learning and executing simple drills, I slowly gained the skills and comfort level in the water to really swim. In Claudia Friedlander’s column this month (p. 16), she discusses how to break down our vocal study into small, purposeful exercises that will not only help us achieve our goals but also offer better measurements of our progress.
Having the right gear can make all the difference.
Two things really helped my swimming: goggles and fins. Singers also need various types of gear. Rachel Antman, in discussing the very real risk of hearing loss for singers, suggests two things you may not have thought of: (1) earplugs and (2) headphones instead of earbuds. Read more suggestions to avoid damage to your very important ears on p. 38.
Facing our fears is liberating and empowering.
Fear can freeze us in our tracks and stop forward motion. In Angela Myles Beeching’s article, “Your Five Next Career Moves” (p. 42), step five is to actually do what you have laid out in steps 1 through 4. What keeps Beeching’s clients from following through on their plans? “Fear of failure, fear of looking bad in front of our peers, fear of disappointing ourselves or loved ones . . . ” When we can move forward in spite of those fears, we will, like Beeching’s client Lauren, “boost [our] overall confidence . . . , look and act more optimistically, [stand] taller,” and be “more at ease with [ourselves].”
It’s OK to get water up your nose. It doesn’t mean you are drowning.
When we challenge ourselves to do new things, there can be a lot of awkward and painful moments. We will feel uncomfortable. That doesn’t mean we should stop. That doesn’t mean we are doing something wrong. It just means we’re doing something different and new. If we can push through and endure the discomfort, progress is waiting just around the corner.
Read, enjoy, and do some hard thing this month! You will likely find yourself surprisingly resilient. Now, back to the pool and the practice room.
