As a child we have all played games. It actually was our whole existence, that and eat candy. We went to school, got through the day and looked forward to our play time after. I remember some of the games we created. Hunt, being a game where someone would put a blanket over them and crawl around trying to find everyone else in the room, probably not the safest game. This play progression is important as we grow and life brings about changes.
One form of play that I rediscovered a couple years back is the play involved in swimming. I recently got done with a swim workout and was resting on the edge when an older gentleman reached the wall in the lane next to me. He asked what swim team I was on and I was a bit taken back. He then commented positively on my stroke which I thought was weird because I feel like I'm barely staying above the water at times. That quick little interaction with that man made my month. I looked on as he continued his swim and tried picturing myself not his age but rather having his consistency and encouraging mindset. I use swimming as relaxation training most of the time. I do however use it to release anger and tension on occasions. These sessions usually involve a lot of caffeine and probably resemble a shark attacking a swimmer with all the splashing and thrashing. Sometimes the negativity and low blood sugar hits me like a shark attack and I just give up and get out of the pool. This lone stranger’s positive encouragement will hopefully help me to do the same for others. I often forget how a simple compliment can make a person’s day.
One compliment a day sounds like a good start. You can always find something to compliment someone on. I usually go with the shoes thanks to my love of running. It has to be genuine of course. I have to really like what I'm complimenting others on. I'm not very good at lying. I guess that's a good thing.
The older swimmer renewed my confidence for the day and got me thinking of confidence vs. being humble. My motto is to show Over-confidence. Being humble is what you really want to be. But sometimes being humble may seem like a weakness. It really is not but it is your perception that influences your outward display. You don’t want to seem weak to others and displaying humility is perceived by many to be just that. There is a trick to being humble. By over-confidencing (new word) yourself being humble will be easier because you won’t care what others think about you. You mind is a beautiful thing, use it for good by developing the right mindset. Having and developing this view of humility takes time to develop and in this instant gratification society and climate it can be a challenge developing the quality. Training your mind is just like training your body. You can’t go to the gym once and come out looking like a body builder. Developing and maintaining a new personality or quality takes time and training. The improvements seem to take forever to develop, especially if you are accustomed to the training. So keeping in mind that this is a lifestyle and not just a onetime lesson is needed. Learning to focus and stay on task is difficult and avoiding obstacles and pitfalls is not always possible. That’s why confidence and consistency is the key. So be “over-confident” and be humble. It’s never too late to change for the better.
