How do you approach the following situations: Professional development you find difficult, boring, or unnecessary? Difficult relationships? How can self-talk assist in improving difficult relationships with others?

The way we talk to ourselves about obstacles and frame situations in our heads can make a difference in how we choose to handle those situations. Whether you tackle an obstacle with a growth mindset or avoid it or rationalize it away with a fixed mindset, has a great deal to do with how you’ve established the situation in your own head.

So, the question becomes, how can you shut down fixed-mindset self-talk and replace it with growth-mindset self-talk? Often, using your growth mindset just means changing your self-talk. Instead of writing others off, you seek to find ways to help them. Instead of giving up, you figure out another way to attack the problem. Instead of letting jealousy or feelings of inadequacy take center stage, you focus on how you can improve.

The first thing to do is to recognize your fixed mindset voice. Are you a blamer? An avoider? A rationalizer? Or all three? Once you do that, you can identify your triggers and start to deal with them, moving from the fixed mindset to the growth mindset.

The following are strategies for addressing triggers and maximizing self-talk to create positive relationships.

1. As mentioned above, know your triggers. If you identify triggers ahead of time, you can prepare ahead of time with strategies to head them off.
2. When your self-talk turns to the fixed mindset (I can’t do this!) add the word “yet” to the end of it. “I can’t do this, yet,” is a way to rephrase a fixed – mindset message into a growth – mindset message quickly and effectively, as the “yet” implies there exists a path to understanding and growth if you’re willing to put in the work.

As you approach relationships with others, engage the following self-talk strategies before interactions in order to facilitate growth.

• Intentionally Look for the Good
• Find Something You Have in Common
• Three Positives for Every Negative

Our self-talk can also be our harshest critic. Make efforts to make sure your self-talk is positive and kind. Instead of berating yourself for negative interactions with someone, speak to yourself as you would someone else who has failed in some way or made a mistake — with love and compassion.

Being critical of ourselves isn’t necessarily a bad thing. We should reflect on our interpersonal skills with a critical eye, but we should do it in a way that is helpful, not in a way that attacks our value and self-worth.

*Developed from In Other Words: Phrases for Growth Mindset: A Teacher’s Guide to Empowering Clients through Effective Praise and Feedback (Growth Mindset for Teachers) by Annie Brock, and Heather Hundley.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Growth Mindset: How to approach Self-Talk appeared first on One with the Water.

Definition of a Growth Mindset

In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment. – Carol Dweck

In any given situation, how we choose to operate, whether from the lens of the growth mindset or the fixed mindset, makes all the difference in our ability to grow and change as individuals.

Dweck identified five key situations in which a person’s mindset has a significant influence on the outcome.

1. Challenges: A difficult task one might encounter.
2. Obstacles: Something that prevents progress in pursuit of a goal or achievement.
3. Effort: The work put forth in the process of completion of a task, challenge, or goal.
4. Criticism: A critical judgment from another.
5. The success of others. Achievement or success achieved by another person; particularly coveted success.

Attributes of a Growth Mindset Oriented Person

Learning to utilize the growth mindset in these five situations will result in outcomes that focus on genuine learning and growth, regardless of the presence of obstacles or the possibility of failure. When you properly apply the growth mindset, you begin to manifest the following attributes of a growth-mindset-oriented, driven, and ultimately successful individual.

• Flexible: Understanding of others’ needs, able to adjust expectations when attending to those needs.
• High expectations: Has high expectations of everyone. Models those expectations through body language, verbal communication, positive reinforcement, and constructive feedback.
• Communicative: Offers lots of process-oriented feedback to peers and subordinates.
• Strong relationships: Demonstrates caring and concern for others.
• Process-oriented: Understands that learning is less about the outcome and more about the process. Praises and critiques the process, not the person.
• Values mistakes: Normalizes mistakes and values them as learning opportunities.
• Empathetic: Makes an effort to view challenges and struggles from others’ perspectives.

Over the coming months, we will dive deeper into this process as we learn what it truly means to be growth-oriented. Stay tuned!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Growth Mindset: A Review appeared first on One with the Water.

I’ve seen a lot of memes over the last two months lamenting what it will be like to put on regular pants once quarantine is over – and if that will even be possible! But quarantine doesn’t have to be an excuse to make unhealthy choices and gain weight. And obsessing over body image isn’t a healthy mental choice either. So, like the Chicken and the Egg, which came first?

Is it a positive body image mindset or living a healthy lifestyle? Why can’t we have both? People show significant improvement in social well-being and mental health when they live a healthy lifestyle. By facing your fears through a meditative exercise like swimming, you can learn to create a positive mindset that will help you truly want to live a healthy lifestyle. 

Healthy Lifestyle

What happens to our health physically, emotionally, and spiritually when we’re 50+ pounds overweight? The tricky part is that once our bodies are carrying extra weight, it becomes exponentially harder to lose it. We lose the ability to process calories correctly, and the weight comes off slower. Plus, according to research gathered by Harvard Health Publications, being moderately overweight more than doubles the risk of over FIFTY different health conditions, including depression.  

It’s frustrating that the ones who benefit most from our unhealthy lifestyles are the corporations pushing unhealthy products in the name of convenience and low-cost while our bodies slowly fail. Or maybe worse, dietary, nutritional, and workout fads that are confusing, expensive, and difficult to maintain, ending in failure and defeat. Crossfit is a prime example of a workout that, on the surface, looks exciting and promises great results with a challenging, competitive atmosphere. Unfortunately, the unpopular truth is that besides beginner athletes being more prone to injury in this atmosphere, the variable, intense, and constantly changing workouts prevent proper recovery and muscle strength gains. 

How can our lives improve by losing weight?

One with the Water Clients reported the most significant positive impacts in the following categories:

Quality of Life 55%

Social Well-Being 47%

Mental Health 47%

Physical Health 50%

Swimming Abilities 85%

Confidence/Self-Worth 61%

Leadership Skills 40%

Positive Body Image

So, where does a positive body image fit into all this? After all, what’s wrong with loving ourselves the way we are. And the answer is nothing; we encourage self-care and positive body image. The secret is using a growth mindset to increase our positive body image and reap the benefits of creating healthy lifestyle changes. According to the same Harvard publication (“Lose Weight and Keep it Off”), even a modest 5-10% weight loss can significantly reduce your health risks. 

Using a growth mindset, people can conquer their fear and kick their unhealthy habits, improve their mental health and physical health, and create an increased quality of life. We can love our bodies and want to care for them better. 

At One with the Water, we coach using the growth mindset and a proven meditative exercise (swimming) to create lasting, positive change for our clients. When our clients believe the effort is worth it and will produce results, the hard work follows.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Making Healthy Lifestyle Choices in Quarantine appeared first on One with the Water.

I’m pivoting back here to a discussion we’ve had several times surrounding New Year’s resolutions because the same principles apply when we address how we are challenging ourselves to grow during this time of isolation.

What is a Growth Mindset?

First, in case you are new here, just a quick primer on the growth mindset. Simply put, people with a growth mindset learn to love challenges, are intrigued by mistakes, and intentionally seek out new challenges. They have learned that their circumstances matter less than who they are.

“In a growth mindset, people believe that their most basic abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work—brains and talent are just the starting point. This view creates a love of learning and a resilience that is essential for great accomplishment.” – Carol Dweck.

So how does that apply here? We must start by remembering that while we have no control over the current situation with regard to Covid-19, we are in control of our actions and reaction to our environment and the circumstances in which we find ourselves. We’ve talked about ways to stay physically healthy here and here, but whatever you are attempting to navigate, the following five principles will help you do so with a positive growth mindset, which in turn contributes to an emotionally and mentally healthier you in the long term.

Five principles of maintaining a Growth Mindset in quarantine.

1. Set small goals. Choose something that can be achieved in only 30 days or less. People say that if you can do something for 30 days, it will become a habit. For the quarantine, I am working one week at a time. Setting new routines with children, accomplishing new ways of schooling and balancing work. All may need adjusting at different times, but five days at a time doesn’t feel overwhelming, especially when there is no set end date in sight.
2. Make the goals measurable and incremental. Whether you are setting a physical goal or a self-improvement goal, make sure you set markers to celebrate. A lot of people say they want to lose weight. If you want it to stay off, then set the goal at 1 pound per week. That’s the healthy way to do it.
3. On that note, Track your wins. Celebrate your success, make a note of your failure, and adjust accordingly. Applying a growth mindset works here, just like everywhere else.
4. In that vein, don’t be discouraged by failure. Individuals with a growth mindset see mistakes as temporary setbacks, something to be overcome. Reflect on what you can learn and apply that learning when attacking your goals. Quarantine is a marathon, not a sprint.
5. Surround yourself with support. This looks wildly different now, but find an accountability partner, a coach, a mentor, a friend. Sometimes a little motivation from an outside source can go a long way in helping you to achieve your goals. The internet has provided a myriad of ways to connect, from online meetings to social media groups, or even just a quick text. Connection is more important now than ever before.

One quick note to finish as you face your week with a positive mindset. First, don’t get sidetracked by others’ goals. Focus on what you can achieve, physically and mentally. If making time to shower and setting aside 20 minutes a day to walk is all you can reasonably achieve, then we are here to celebrate you. If you are a marathon runner and you’ve kept up your training, way to go! If you are learning a new instrument, we can’t wait to hear it. The only person you are competing against here is yourself.

*Note: While we are fierce advocates for swimming and exercise as having significant positive mental health benefits, neither the growth mindset or exercise alone is a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you are experiencing the signs and symptoms of depression, please reach out to a mental health professional. No one should suffer in silence.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Maintaining Growth Mindset in Quarantine appeared first on One with the Water.

Over the last thirty days, our world has changed on a fundamental level. What once was our regular routine has, for most of us, been distilled down to the four walls of our residence. Combined, of course, with occasional trips to the grocery store to resupply.

If you are a close follower of One with the Water, or merely a resident of Los Angeles, you know that all the public pools are closed. This has affected our livelihood, yes, but fundamentally our way of life. For many of you, your livelihood has been impacted, too, causing more anxiety, fear, and worry on top of the stress of avoiding the virus.

Maintaining mental health.

The specter of depression and poor mental health in this unprecedented season is very real for many, many people. And of course, the very things that help the most – community, counseling, exercising at a gym, swimming at the pool – are the things we’ve lost as a way to cope.

The good news? There is hope. There is still a myriad of simple ways to use exercise safely to keep our mental and physical health from spiraling downward. Over the next few weeks, we will focus on different activities that can be done from home to improve and maintain physical fitness and a positive mental outlook.

Start walking.

Start with walking. Researchers from St. George University in London found in one 2015 study that just 25 minutes of energetic walking can add up to 7 years of life and slow the aging process in our bodies. Walking is a great way to start and maintain a moderate fitness level. (Plus, your furry friends may be really grateful for the added attention and exercise too!)

Experts agree that just 30 minutes of walking a day can improve your body composition, creating a higher muscle to fat ratio, decrease blood sugar, decrease the body fat around the waist, lower cholesterol, and lower blood pressure – all of which lead to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type II diabetes.

And critically, in this particular season, moderate to intense aerobic workouts release the natural compound endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals produced in your brain. Increased endorphin levels work to lower stress, increase pleasure, and reduce or manage pain. In addition, the release of endorphins can help to significantly lower anxiety and relieve depression. For a detailed description of an ideal walking program done to improve conditioning, read Coach Rippetoe’s recommendations here.

The bonus? Walking requires no expensive equipment, can be done with the added addition of music that buoys you up and can be done with a partner while still maintaining a safe social distance of the CDC recommended six feet.

Friends, we are all in this together. Check-in with each other, maintain accountability, and start walking!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Maintaining Mental Health During the Covid-19 Crisis appeared first on One with the Water.

It just matters that you do start.

Insert motivational quote here. Seriously, a thousand memes are floating around about missing shots and starting journeys and making the first step. They are all pretty cheesy, and all one hundred percent true. At the beginning of last year, my (Molly) body felt terrible. For a multitude of reasons not crucial to this story, but it took me until May to start kicking some bad habits. Nothing was going to change until I did, and it didn’t matter if it was May or January.

Five simple ways to start.

If you are ready to make a change, here are five simple ways to start.

1. Make small resolutions. Choose something that can be achieved in only 30 days or less. People say that if you can do something for 30 days, it will become a habit. I picked two things to start, related to my diet. Accomplishing those first two goals has given me so much energy and motivation to keep going, and kick more bad habits.
2. Make the goals measurable and incremental. A lot of people say they want to lose weight. If you want it to stay off, then set the goal at 1 pound per week. That’s the healthy way to do it.
3. Track your wins. Celebrate your success, make a note of your failure, and adjust accordingly. Applying a growth mindset works here, just like everywhere else.
4. In that vein, don’t be discouraged by failure. Individuals with a growth mindset see mistakes as temporary setbacks, something to be overcome. Reflect on what you can learn and apply that learning when attacking your goals.
5. Surround yourself with support. Find an accountability partner, a coach, a mentor, a friend. Sometimes a little motivation from an outside source can go a long way in helping you to achieve your goals.

Remember, you are in control of you. No one else could have given me the desire or persistence to succeed in my health goals. I wanted it the most. No one else can do the work for you. (And for the record, I’m down 20 pounds with ten to go. Now YOU can keep me accountable too.)

The good news? I promise you; the work can be done. And you can do it.

Happy New Year. Now let’s get started.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Start Now This New Year appeared first on One with the Water.

Did you also know that the average American male would need to spend 10 hours and 33 minutes on the treadmill to burn the 4,500 calories consumed at the average Thanksgiving meal? (SOURCE)

It doesn’t have to be this way. By approaching Thanksgiving with a plan, you can enjoy healthy holiday eating, both physically and emotionally. With that in mind, here are five quick and easy tips for managing holiday eating.

Five tips on healthy holiday eating.

1. Portion control: Allow yourself your favorite foods without guilt but take small portions of each to enjoy them. In general, the following guide helps determine portion control. 
   • Your palm determines your protein portions.
   • Your fist determines your vegetable portions.
   • Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
   • Your thumb determines your fat portions.

   Small helpings mean you can successfully enjoy everything on the table without feeling the guilt and physical discomfort of overindulging.

2. Take ten before reaching for more. It takes some time for your stomach to communicate the feeling of fullness to your brain. After eating your first helping, take a break. Take a lap around the room. Have some water and make small talk. Then check your appetite.
3. Careful party positioning: Don’t set up camp by the food. A strategic location will help to prevent absent-minded munching. In addition, moving around (or even taking a quick walk) will help stave off feeling sluggish and over-full. 
4. Eat some healthy snacks pre-party to avoid going in starving: Nuts, nut butter, avocado, fruit, and eggs are excellent choices, using the portion sizes above. 
5. And finally, feel free to load up on fruits and veggies: If you are hungry between meals, they are an excellent low-calorie filler between main courses.

Take the next step.

If the thought of staying healthy over the holidays is overwhelming to you, consider that along with our premium swim lessons, One with the Water also offers Barbell Strength Training using the science-backed Starting Strength method to train your whole body. Call today for more information.

Food is not the enemy, and holiday gatherings shouldn’t be a source of anxiety when faced with so many choices. With a little bit of planning, you can be confidant in your ability to navigate the Thanksgiving meal while being kind to your body.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Healthy Holiday Eating with a Plan appeared first on One with the Water.

1) As a swimmer, describe your sleep pattern

I sleep about 10 hours per day. Rest and recovery play a crucial part in both muscle regeneration and spiritual fitness! Part of those hours include at least one nap daily, and I start my day at 4:30 am meditating or reading.

There are necessary physiological changes that occur during sleep. First, critical hormone processes are happening during the sleep cycle, including an increase in anabolic (muscle-building) hormones, and a simultaneous lowering of catabolic (muscle-wasting) hormones. Second, irregular and unpredictable sleep patterns limit the recovery power of testosterone in your body. Moreover, while we sleep, human growth hormones are being secreted in a pattern that lasts from 1.5-3.5 hours. When our sleep is disrupted, so are the benefits of this critical anabolic hormone.

2) As a swim coach, does swimming help other people sleep better? If so, why?

The National Sleep Foundation conducted a poll and found a strong correlation between proper sleep and exercise, discovering that exercise does improve sleep, vital for health, productivity, and overall happier life. Additionally, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, stress and anxiety may cause sleeping problems or make existing problems worse. Extended aerobic swimming workouts release the natural compound endorphins, the “feel-good” chemicals produced in your brain to combat those issues. Increased endorphin levels work to lower stress, increase pleasure, and reduce or manage pain. The release of endorphins do help to significantly lower anxiety and relieve depression. However, alongside the brain boost, swimming incorporates the same alternating stretches and regular breathing patterns of many yoga and other relaxation practices, creating a calming, meditative experience.

3) How would you describe the connection between sleeping, dreaming and water?
According to Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, author of the national bestseller Blue Mind, good sleep is critical to good dreaming, and good dreaming is fundamental to creativity, learning, and memory. Studies continue to back this up, showing that REM sleep provides both the most vivid dreams and helps in the solving of complex mental and physical tasks.

When looking at those three components from the metaphysical perspective, the connection remains, albeit in a less concrete fashion. Still, as Dr. Nichols writes, “Indeed, as a spiritual element of the natural world, there seems to be something particular about water that permeates humanity’s consciousness.” (Blue Mind, pg. 235). Water continues to be one of the most common elements of the dream world with a deep connection to both emotion and the subconscious.

While dream interpretation lies somewhat outside the scope of our expertise, our organization, One With The Water, knows that mastering the water creates a transformation in the mind of our students, a shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset.

People with the growth mindset learn to love challenges, be intrigued by mistakes, and intentionally seek out new challenges. They have learned that circumstances matter less, and what they are made of matters more.

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post The Connection Between Sleeping and Swimming appeared first on One with the Water.

The average American will consume a whopping 3500-4500 calories on Thanksgiving day.

So what are some ways you can combat the onslaught of unhealthy, albeit delicious calorie bombs lurking on the Thanksgiving table? Before you chow down tomorrow, consider these three simple ways to counteract the seemingly inevitable holiday weight gain.

Three ways to beat the Thanksgiving bloat.

1. If your house is anything like ours, there is a bevy of snacks set out long before the Thanksgiving meal actually begins.  Intentionally use this opportunity to choose healthy snacks. It’s so cliche, but it’s true – garbage in, garbage out. Don’t waste your Thanksgiving calories on your snack choices. Make sure you are setting your body up for success by choosing fruit, nuts, or lean meat to snack on.

2. It’s dinnertime, so now what? It seems obvious, but portion control is critical! Just because Aunt Greta brought a gallon size bucket of sweet potatoes, doesn’t mean you have to eat half of the gallon. An easy way to gauge appropriate portion sizes is using your hand.

• Your palm determines your protein portions.
• Your fist determines your vegetable portions.
• Your cupped hand determines your carb portions.
• Your thumb determines your fat portions.

Small helpings mean you can successfully enjoy everything on the table without feeling the guilt and physical discomfort of overindulging.

3. And finally, choose to #optoutside. Originally started as an ad campaign by REI a few years ago, #optoutside means just that. Instead of pounding the pavement in search of the best deals, go take a walk, a hike, or dare I say it, a swim? Regardless, get your body moving to burn off some the excess calories from the day before.

Now go eat some guilt-free turkey!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post Kick Those Excess Thanksgiving Calories appeared first on One with the Water.

The benefits of napping.

First, let’s talk about the benefits of napping. The research is clear, and there is a lot of it.

• A quick midday nap can give you better reaction time, a higher emotional tolerance, increased alertness, and improved memory.
• A 2010 study done by UC Berkeley shows that napping can clear the brain’s short-term memory storage and make room for new information, boosting your cognitive performance post-nap.
• And finally, a new study published in 2018 shows that napping can sort through our subconscious clutter, improving our decision making processes post snooze.

The perfect length.

There is an art to the length of a nap so pay attention.

• A 10-20 minute nap leaves you feeling refreshed. (Also known as the famous power nap).
• A 45-60 minute nape means you wake up mid-sleep cycle, creating the dreaded nap hangover, and should be avoided at all costs.
• 90 minutes is ideal if you are lucky enough to have a schedule that allows you that luxury. An hour and a half carries you through one full sleep cycle from lightest to deepest back to lightest and should allow you to wake up feeling alert. Studies also show napping for this length of time can improve memory and creativity. Anything longer than an hour and a half to two hours creates the risk of disrupting your nighttime sleep patterns and throwing off your natural circadian rhythms.

The ideal nap time.

It turns out there is, in fact, a perfect napping window. A large body of research shows that 2-3 in the afternoon is prime nap time. This specific window is tied to your circadian rhythms, early enough that you don’t interfere with your evening sleep habits, and right in the middle of the post-lunch haze. And finally, keep your sleep environment the same as if you were going to bed, dark, quiet, and cool.

Happy napping, friends!

Molly Huggins

Molly is a member of our creative team, mom of four water-loving babies, and a fierce advocate for CPR training and really early swim instruction.

The post To nap or not to nap? That is the question. appeared first on One with the Water.