Catherine relates her struggles and triumphs before, during, and after the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The book tells about her journey to the Olympics, and her spot as the "bicycle" in Canada's free routine during the Olympic Synchronized Swimming competition, leading to the team's Olympic Bronze medal. The real focus of her story is the after, the changes she made, how she transformed to help herself become happier and healthier. Listen to the cues in you and around you, pay attention to life, and live.
Generally speaking, this is a very spiritual book, not my cup of tea. A lot of emotional and spiritual and self examination leading Catherine to find ways to get herself on a path to wellness, happiness, and more. For those that are looking for inspiration, help over some rough patches, or just enjoy a good story of triumph, this book may be for you. It is not a bad book, it just not the kind of book I enjoy reading very much. I think it is just me. Really!
One part of the book I did enjoy a lot was the appendix, 17 Keys to Greater Emotional Freedom and Nourishment with Food, Your Body, and Your Life which goes into more detail on some of Catherine's great tips for a better life:
- Cultivate acceptance
- Enjoy eating in a relaxed state of mind
- Eat in a peaceful environment
- Slow down, chew, and breath
- Be aware of your hunger scale
- Eat at regular intervals
- Plan ahead
- Eat slowly, mindfully, and consciously
- Express gratitude
- Drink purified water
- Eat real, whole foods
- Know the needs of you body
- Choose healthy fats and oils
- Fill up on vegetables
- Use unrefined seas salt, and only in moderation
- Minimize and optimize your intake of carbohydrates and sugars
- Get the best quality of food possible
Swimming Out of Water - How an Olympian's Struggle Inspired Breakthrough Discoveries in Health and Well-Being Compare Prices
Some excerpts from the book:
Ultimately this book is a compilation of lessons in faith, perseverance, and patience woven through the very experiences that showed me that sometimes will power or hard work just isn't enough. I found that when facing life's hard challenges, developing a strong foundation of faith first is paramount to success, next to being scientifically informed.
It's often better, in the chaos and uncertainty of life, to stop, take a step back, and observe - that the true gems of our growth are sometimes best seen from the discomfort of the spectator's seat.
Relationships can be such gifts, if we only see them as such. For example, the feeling of abandonment, a commonly experienced fear in relationship (and yes, still a work in progress for me), I see as the perfect opportunity to teach us how to stand up on our own two feet and feel love and security from within. Fortunately, my Olympian Love was a heart felt model of the simplicity, love, joy and unconditional support I knew was possible in a true partnership.
Disclosure: The publisher provided free access to this book for review purposes. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.