What I learned when I escaped from Alcatraz
It was April 2022, I was having dinner with friends when one of them said to me: “Let’s swim ‘Escape from Alcatraz’ next Summer”. “Yes!” I answered. Why wouldn’t I want to jump off the prison island into 60 degree water and swim 1.5 miles with hundreds of swimmers back to shore?
I woke up the next day thinking: “There is no way I can do it. It terrifies me. I’m clearly not strong enough. I don’t swim well enough. And what about the sharks!”… And the list went on. I had to find a way to back out of this crazy idea.
But part of me also thought: “If I could swim Alcatraz, I could do anything.”
Meaning I could rebuild my life after my divorce, take the risks needed to relaunch my career, be the best mom I could for my girls.
Fast forward a year later, and I swam my first Alcatraz a month ago.
This is what I learned about myself and what I intend on using moving forward:
Fear is a lot worse in my head than in reality: I always (always) feel anxious when I get to the Bay for a swim… but once in the water, the fear evaporates: I focus on my breath, on my swim, on not bumping into another swimmer (or a sea lion lol!).
Fear is part of the journey - so I just embrace it like I embrace excitement.
The Power of Now: I anticipated that I wouldn’t sleep the night before and freak out until the race was over. But I set an intention to stay present to each moment that would bring me to the other side of the race: this is the time to sleep, this is the time to put my wetsuit on, this is the time to jump from the boat… And, I enjoyed each step of the way.
When things get harder…I can rely on my training, strength, and determination to push through it.
Feeling inadequate doesn’t mean I can’t do it!
I’m now inspired to help women accomplish that dream that has been in the back of their mind for some time, but seems out of reach—whether it’s better taking care of themselves, starting a new passion, or taking on a physical challenge.
I don’t mean it’s easy—but it’s possible. Because we owe it to ourselves, our family, our colleagues, and our community to bring our best self forward and create an environment where we can pursue meaningful life experiences.
Are you secretly inspired to do something bigger than you ever imagined yourself doing? Schedule a free session with me and let’s have a conversation about it.