This morning I almost didnât go.
After yesterdayâs 2km and mental overload, I told Dave I was having a day off.
He gently encouraged me:
âEven a small swim is still a swim.â
So I set a simple goal: 30 lengths (750m). That would bring me to 5km total - 25% of the way through my BigSwim challenge. A little milestone that felt just right.
And I did it.
I swam with more ease today, working on my tumble turns. And something amazing happened - I noticed Iâm no longer comparing myself to others in the pool.
Thatâs a huge win. đ
There were two other swimmers in my lane today.
Both faster than me.
One had paddles and a sponge float between her legs (I still donât know what thatâs calledâlearning as I go!). She was clearly working on power and techniqueâher arms were so strong. The other swimmer? The same woman who originally inspired me.
Still gliding beautifully.
Two completely different styles.
Both mesmerising to watch.
I paused at the end of each 10-length set and just observed. No shame. No âless than.â Just curiosity and quiet inspiration.
It hit me:
This journey isnât just physical. Itâs deeply mental. Emotional.
Swimming is showing me where I push too hard, where I doubt, where I compare⌠and where I can choose presence instead.
đŹ âWhere our thoughts go, our body follows.â
Today, I chose better thoughts. And my body followed with grace.
Thank you so much for reading and swimming this journey with me.
If youâd like to support me, and help Coastguard keep doing their life-saving work, please donate here:
đ https://bigswim.org.nz/a-young
Every stroke counts. And whether I reach 20km or not, Iâm showing up fullyâand thatâs the promise Iâve made to myself. đ
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An update about this blog

I'm Aley Young, the heart behind this blog.
It was a soft, grounded space where healing, personal growth, real food, and gentle truth meet.
A living journal - a place where I shared the moments, lessons, and inner shifts that have shaped my own journey, from nervous system healing and regulation to motherhood, identity, and becoming alongside the slower, earthier parts of life: the garden, the sourdough starter, the kitchen.
But now it is retired ...
Thank you for being here - some of you for years now.
After a lot of reflection, I've decided to step back from this chapter and follow a new calling: natural gardening. It's where my heart is right now, and I want to give it everything.
But nothing here is disappearing.
- The courses are still here - log in anytime with your existing account.
- The blog is still up to read, and the podcast is still here to listen to, whenever you like.
- Nothing is being taken away. I'm just not adding to it anymore.
If you've walked through this content with me, thank you. Truly. It mattered.
And if you're curious where I'm headed next - into the soil, into growing things, into a slower and simpler kind of healing - I'd love for you to come along.
[Visit Natural Companion â https://www.naturalcompanion.co.nz]
With gratitude,
Aley