For the past 4 and a half years, I’ve been going to swimming lessons, with my son, every Saturday morning. This morning was special because he advanced to his new class.
I remember his first swimming lesson. He was 6 months old, and even though I was in the water with him, holding him, he cried the entire class. Although his skills and confidence have grown over the years, there are times when he’s still scared.
Even as adults, we still get scared when we take on a new course or qualification or learn something new. Our minds race with thoughts such as, “Can I do this? Will I fail? Am I smart enough? Will this be worth it?” These thoughts undermine our confidence and fill us with doubt and fear.
When I started my Cert IV in Training and Assessment I was excited but I also had these seeds of doubt. A friend of mine who has 6 degrees and was getting a PhD told me had enrolled in the course a few years ago. He found the course so hard that he didn’t finish. If Dr. Multiple Degrees couldn’t finish the course, what chance did I have?! Also, the course was paid for by my workplace, if I couldn’t finish this course, they were out a couple of thousand dollars.
However, I did finish and whenever he starts getting scared, my son goes in the water and finishes his lesson. Whenever he overcomes a fear or learns a new lesson, the smile on his face, the thumbs up he gives, and the excitement in his voice when he cries out “I did it!” is worth all the tears.
All he needs to do this are 3 things:
- A safe and supportive environment. His swimming teachers are fantastic. They are kind and patient and never get frustrated. They keep going even when he backs away. No matter what exercise they are doing, they always have him. They are keeping him safe despite what his fear is telling him. I’m also by the pool, watching him during his lessons, waiting for him to look up at me to say “Look what I did” as I greet him with a supportive smile and a thumbs up.
- Persistence. My son has always been a late developer. It was a week before his first birthday before he started crawling. His speech delay has resulted in his words coming a lot later and don’t get me started on the hassles we’ve had with toilet training. Even though he is slow to learn these new skills, he eventually gets them. All he needs is persistence, that’s why every time he gets out of the pool, not wanting to go back in, I pick him up and put him back in to continue. I’m happy to say that in 4 and a half years, we have not quit a swimming lesson early.
- The courage to jump in. Ultimately, the thing he needs the most is the courage to jump in the water. Sometimes the scariest part is just before you start but once he’s in the water, he has fun. He builds up the momentum to keep going.
This is the same for all of us. These are the 3 things I try to cultivate in my training sessions to help you in case you might be having doubts. In the end, I want you to succeed.
If you’re feeling a bit scared, overwhelmed, or doubtful about your next learning journey, get in touch.