Showing up is all it takes.
Swimming is a wonderful way to tone the body and get in shape with very little pressure on the joints. This makes it the ideal exercise for any age; all you need is a swimming suit and to find a suitable time at the pool, many have chosen adult swim times or family sessions. However, sometimes the prospect of getting in the pool, especially if you consider yourself less than accomplished, can be daunting. The following is my response to a question on how to start on a major weight loss target, and highlights my main mantra which is, "keep on showing up".
"Let me take your point one by one. The first one about not swimming too well. That means you do swim a bit, and a bit is all you need to get this thing rolling. When I came back to swimming after 30 years off, I started easy, I did what I could because I knew that as time passed I did get a little bit improved and a little bit improved until I was actually getting somewhere. Now when I say easy, I mean easy, like twenty-five meters and then a rest, then another twenty-five meters and so on. Never push it past where it is fun, and do not put strain on yourself, just stay, keep showing up at that pool and doing what you can, and almost immediately what you can will be quite a bit. It is the keeping on that's the ploy. Stop thinking about the "burn", which needs to be in uneasiness all the time, just continue "doing what you can" and the constancy will win the day. It is like water on stone, the result is never in disbelief, and the little drop will go right through that stone.
As for your subsequent point "how do I even get started", well you have started, you know an exercise you can do and improve on, and you need to focal point on the first five lbs. not the take it easy. If you look at too big a mission, you will say, "oh forget it, it's too tough to lose 96 lbs.". But how about five lbs. to start, is that do-able? Then let's do it!! And when we have got that wall knocked down, we will go for eight lbs. next time. So take it in small pieces, that's what I am doing with my program, I do what I can and I do not fret over what I can not, that possible a waste of my energy. Let's do what we can, set a "do-able" target and GO FOR IT. But do not tell yourself, it's "only the first or whatever", IT IS THE ONLY GOAL!! Focus, keep it in front of you and REACH it before you even think of the next step. Water on Stone!!”