Five positive effects of swimming on self-esteem
03/27/2021 | Written by Nikos Kaskaras in Adults
Preserving positive psychology is essential for our performance in life. It would not be an exaggeration to argue that it can be crucial between success and failure. The sense of self-esteem, in particular, is extremely important for the overall perspectives and meaning people give to their lives. Low self-esteem results in less effective interactions. Lack of confidence is usually obvious during human communication and is, rather subconsciously, becoming a judgement criterion. Though it's sad, people tend to neglect or disapprove of behaviours that imply low self-esteem. Thus, the unavoidable question is how can we all reach and maintain high self-esteem. Is it possible to achieve it, no matter how difficult our surrounding condition might be? Of course, it's possible, is the answer, and swimming is a great way to do it.
Swimming brings more joy and happiness
Swimming offers a broad range of benefits. It's not just the surviving skills that are so important. It's the activity involved and its biological consequences that make the difference. Swimmers release endorphins that benefit them in several respects: From relieving stress and depression to shrinking sadness and negative emotions, swimming activity can boost self-esteem. It is a meditative process that rejuvenates the body and refreshes the mind. The whole swimming workout is highly beneficial for enhancing health. It keeps the heart and lungs functioning healthy, strengthens all muscles, regulates the cardiovascular system and helps to maintain a healthy weight. Harmony is the magic word. Physical and mental health are strongly correlated. They are both valid indicators of self-esteem, as a healthy body and mind are necessary prerequisites for keeping high levels of confidence. As our social environment becomes increasingly complex, joy and happiness depend heavily on our actions and lifestyle. As long as we keep fit and active we can control, at a great scale, our psychological condition.
Swimming enhances safety skills
Learning to swim has a basic goal: Staying safe in the water and avoiding the possibility of drοwing. Nonetheless, acquiring such a skill has numerous positive implications: First of all, the sense of safety is fundamental for developing and maintaining high self-esteem. It's almost impossible to raise self-esteem when living in a state of insecurity and stress. This notion becomes even more clear when we refer to a natural environment that is surrounded by water. Australia is such an example. Now think about it for a minute: Wouldn't it be bizarre to live in such a country and not knowing how to swim? A strong sense of safety is very significant for reaching high levels of confidence and self-esteem. This is why people who learn how to swim from a young age, compared to children that can't swim, tend to develop many skills:
- Better cognition and motor abilities
- Better arithmetic calculation and linguistic development
- Better spatial perception
Knowledge is power, thus all the above advantages that come with swimming increase self-esteem.
Swimming boosts energy and motivation
Another great effect of swimming on self-esteem is related to the boost of energy and motivation. Both of them are essential for building a building self-confidence and developing as a person. Swimmers indeed tend to keep their confidence and motivation levels high. The nature of swimming, as a sport, is highly relevant to self-empowerment and psychological strengthening. The gradual learning of new swim techniques and the increase of physical endurance are important motivational factors. Initial reasons for beginning swim lessons are not so significant. It could be the need to be safe, lose weight or just starting a new hobby. Regardless of the usually variable personal motivations, the bottom line is that all regular swimmers experience physical as well as psychological development through the process of their lessons. Reaching high energy levels is the natural result of putting your body in the water and start swimming. The more you do it, the more energetic you become. High motivation though, is the outcome of keeping a steady schedule of swim lessons. The more you learn, the better swimmer you become, the more you raise your motivational levels. It's through this cycle of events that self-esteem is steadily improving.
Swimming creates a sense of achievement
Another implication that comes from swimming activity is the gradual creation of a sense of achievement. Indeed, there are certain milestones to complete when beginning swim lessons: Firstly, you need to become familiar with water and enjoy the sense it provides. Then you have to start moving your body without stepping on the aquatic surface. As you become more competent in swimming, it's not only a matter of acquiring new skills. More than that, a sense of achieving something meaningful, is established within your inner self. Of course, the criteria for self-esteem are not the same for all people. Others get great satisfaction from their professional achievements while others judge their success according to the range of their relationships. Again, this is not a Manichaeism notion, as most individuals use a combination of factors for judging their achievements. What is universal truth though, is that a person's overall sense of their value or worth determines the concept of his self-esteem. This is why it's very usual for swim students to seek to learn new swim techniques and expand their relevant knowledge. Furthermore knowing how to swim is a skill for life and a “passport” for visiting new countries and exploring their beaches. Every stone of knowledge contributes t the big wall of self-esteem.
Swimming is about setting new goals
Maintaining and keeping high self-esteem is not a process that comes by itself neither there is a magic formula that allows you to do so. It's all a matter of clear thinking, effective preparing and constant training. We can think of swim lessons as a simulation of broader life events: At the beginning, we feel a bit ignorant as well as anxious about learning something new. First, we need to become familiar with water, then learn how to float, then start to practice the freestyle technique and so on. As time passes though and we become more competent, we wish to learn new techniques and perfect our knowledge. Isn't it similar to most of our professional and social life? When we start a new job or meet a new person, a similar pattern of events follows. In all cases, setting new goals and trying to achieve them, is essential. Take a look at Ian Thorpe speaking about the importance of attainable goal setting in all aspects of life. This kind of thinking builds self-confidence and finally self-esteem, as we progress in our lives. Because, after all, high self-esteem can be a matter of positive habits and thinking.
