A fear of water or aquaphobia is a common issue faced by many. The severity and reasoning for this fear differs greatly between individuals. Whether you had a traumatic experience with water, are afraid of drowning or simply do not know why you have this fear, learning to swim can help change the way you look at the water and tackle other fears in your life.
Listed below are 5 ways you can tackle your fear of water and experience all that swimming has to offer.
- Understand Your Fear: The first step to overcoming any fear is to first recognize that you indeed have that fear. Accepting your fear is necessary so that you can get on a path to overcoming it. A learn to swim program is an ideal way to conquer your fear of the water in a safe and effective environment.
- Set Goals: Giving yourself a direction and something to strive for is the perfect way to keep you focused and motivated to reach long-term success. Your short-term goal could be getting into the water or learning to float. A long-term goal could be to swim at the beach with your family or learning to scuba dive.
- Follow the Process: Having long-term goals is a great way to conquer some of your water related fears, but remember it is a process and it can’t be rushed. Be patient and follow the necessary steps required for getting accustomed to the water and the results will come.
- Trust Your Instructor: Trust goes a long way when it comes to overcoming a fear. This makes finding a safe and trusting environment to learn to swim all the more important. Swimming lessons provide a safe and trustworthy environment for all people regardless of skill or original fear.
- Practice: The more you confront your fears and get in the water, the more comfortable you will become with it. As you practice your new techniques and skills, the more confident you will become in your skills, reducing your fears in the process.
Following these steps will help you cast away any fear you have towards the water and help you begin to enjoy all of the benefits of swimming. Although this blog was specific to dealing with a fear of water, it can be used to help rid your life of any fear. Recognize the fear, set goals, follow the process, find trust worthy help and keep at it.
Written by Josh Skrupskas
