Lisa Simpson goes swimming.

The days of reckoning have arrived. A couple of posts ago, I laid out the insanity that is the next four weeks of my life. This particular week may be the worst. I had my long-dreaded first swim workout in my tri training class today, I have assignments due in all three classes Thursday (two of them major assignments), and then I take the National Counselor Exam on Saturday. Yikes! 

So let's start with the good news: The swim went WAY better than expected. As I've mentioned previously, I've been trying to remember how to swim since January, but having major trouble swimming underwater. This problem left me exhausted and on the verge of panic every time I tried to swim, and (not surprisngly) sucked all the fun out of something I loved when I was a kid. After struggling on the bike last week, I was really anxious about trying to keep up with the rest of the tri-training group in the pool.

Fortunately, our super-nice coaches and my inner Lisa Simpson came to my rescue. Having seen my swim anxiety broadcased on Facebook earlier today, our coach Andrea came prepared to deal with my issues. She pulled me aside as soon as we got in the pool, gave me some really easy drills to practice breathing underwater, and got our other coach, Ellen, to stick with me. That's when "Lisa" kicked in: I have trouble pushing myself out of my comfort zone, but ever since I was a kid, I have wanted to please anyone I think of as a teacher. I was always a teacher's pet in elementary school (and beyond) and that desire to please has never left me. Its the reason I lift more weight in a class than I do on my own, the reason I run farther when I train with coaches, and the reason I keep going in boot camp on days I want to cry. Sure enough, it worked in the pool. Once I had someone helping and pushing me, I was able to calm down, focus, and push past my breathing problem. My endurance in the pool still leaves much to be desired, but I did more today than I ever would have imagined. I even managed to enjoy myself a little. Phew!

Now, I can only hope that the rest of this week is as un-disastrous as today! I've been studying for the NCE off and on since January, but I have absolutely no idea if my studying has been adequate and I don't think I will know until I take the exam. I keep reminding myself that, in my pre-ADHD treatment days, I would have started studying for a comprehensive exam on four years worth of school somewhere around the night before. So, it could be worse! Lisa, I hope you are still with me on Saturday!