Different Strokes

I've decided to participate in the Cleveland Triathlon (sprint distance) on August 7th and that means I've taken up swimming again after a 37-year hiatus. Twice a week, I head to the local pool and complete as many laps as I can before sinking. I swear the seniors doing laps with me starred in Cocoon! Their stamina puts me to shame.

It always amazes me how many muscles go unused in my body, even when I think I've been exercising them all. It's not until I do something new that I learn differently. And that's the point about constantly doing something new or challenging. The brain and body thrive on novelty. With each stroke, I imagine new synapses firing off in my brain, keeping me more alive and alert through out the day. It's the reason I'm excited for my weekly workouts, even though my arms ache and I'm in the slow lane.

A value-added benefit of learning something new is that it may cause waves for someone else. This morning, I was doing my laps and an elderly man stopped me. "Why are you here?" he asked. Confused, I told him I was exercising. "But, why are you here now?" he pressed. Soon, I understood I was in "his" lane. He wanted to know my future schedule and why it was I just showed up ...during the open swim time! I had a chance to practice my conflict resolution skills and he got the chance to learn a bit more flexibility.

Here's my challenge for you: Learn to do something new. You'll feel more energized and have something interesting to talk about when someone asks, what's new?