The Happiness Equation: Want Nothing + Do Anything = Have Everything

2

Two barriers we place in front of anything we don’t want to do

I stopped swimming that day.

Ear infections dotted my childhood, so I was outfitted with neverending sets of tubes. Swimming lessons became skating lessons when I got fancy rubber molded earplugs and a plastic cap for showering.

On summer vacations I would dip into the pool, in the shallow end, or occasionally strap on a life jacket and goggles, clinging onto whatever floating Styrofoam I could find, kicking my way around for a few minutes. At teenage pool parties I didn’t bring my bathing suit and made up excuses while sitting on the deck. When friends at college went swimming at the gym I went for a jog on the treadmill instead.

I was afraid of swimming and I became good at avoiding it.

Why didn’t I swim?

First, I didn’t think I could swim. I took a few lessons after the tubes were out. Picture a scared fourteen-year-old who didn’t want to get his face wet in a baby pool of five-year-olds picking neon golf balls from the bottom of the pool like circus seals. I quit as soon as I could. I still also had that memory of my dad’s pool party. I couldn’t breathe, I didn’t float, and falling into deep water reminded me of pain.

Second, I didn’t want to swim! Who cares if I could? I wasn’t motivated. What was the big deal? Strapping on a bathing suit meant showing off my spaghetti arms and man boobs. It meant getting cold and wet and chloriney and showering and changing afterward. For what reason? Exercise could be done in other ways. As I got older I told myself the best conversations were at the barbecue or beer cooler. I didn’t live near an ocean. So I convinced myself swimming was a waste of time.

What are the two barriers we place in front of our least desirable tasks?

Can’t do it!

Don’t want to, anyway!