Calm in the Water, Calm in the Day
Written by Andrew Murray, former Principal and Director, Lumina Consulting
By mid-term many of us feel wrung out and distracted. Attention is thin, patience is thinner, and the to-do list seems to grow arms. Most mornings, before I open my laptop, I slip into the water. I’m not a great swimmer—just an average one—but I swim a kilometre most days. It takes me about half an hour. I started for fitness, but now I realise the water gives me something far more important: it helps me flourish.
After being sick, I couldn’t even remember how to swim. The rhythm was gone, the strokes felt foreign, and my confidence sank. Slowly, though, those lights came back on. Length by length, my body remembered. And with that remembering came a return of calm, strength, and hope.
My swim is now my way of finding balance. It is not separate from my role as a teacher, a coach, a horse whisperer, a friend, a brother, or a Dad—it is the condition that allows me to do those roles well. The water gives me a rhythm, a reset, and a reminder that care for self and care for others are deeply connected.
My swim ritual
Water entry. I stand at the edge and let my skin register the temperature. I notice light on the surface and the way the water moves. I enter slowly only when I know the water is ready. Three long breaths and I feel the water take some of my weight. That shift from land to water cues my body and mind: different medium, different state.
Doing the mahi. I match breath to stroke. If I force it, the rhythm falls apart. When effort and skill meet, attention narrows and movement feels smooth. That sensation of flow is what nourishes me most—the alignment of body, breath, and focus.
Zen Floating. I finish by floating or gentle treading. I let the water hold me and listen to the sounds above and below the surface. I allow myself to be supported. That short pause grounds me and offers gratitude for what carries me.
That is it. A simple ritual inside a half-hour swim. I leave the pool with a nervous system that has slowed down and attention I can trust. I walk into the day with calm that I would not have if I had gone straight to the inbox.
I used to treat self-care as something separate from everyday life. Swimming has changed that. The water reminded me that wellbeing is not a reward we give ourselves after we work hard. It is the condition that allows us to live well in the first place.
When I arrive settled, others borrow that calm. When I find rhythm in the strokes, I carry rhythm into my conversations and decisions. When I float at the end, I leave with a sense of closure instead of a sense of scramble. That is flourishing: attention, connection, small moments of mastery, and gratitude for the things that hold us up.
If you cannot get to water. Keep the pattern and swap the setting. Sink ritual. Between meetings, wash your hands slowly. Feel the temperature. Three breaths. Notice the sound.
Shower reset. After sport or duty, take four mindful minutes in the shower. Entry, rhythm, float.
Blue-space walk. No pool nearby? Walk past a fountain or pond on the way to your car. The point is deliberate attention, breath, and a short moment of being carried.
Same mechanics. Same benefits. No speedos required. I am not a speedo guy by the way. I am more of a triathlon shorts swimmer.
Tomorrow morning I’ll be back in the water. Just an average swimmer, counting out the laps, watching the light flicker across the pool floor, finding rhythm again. I’ll float, say thanks, and carry that feeling with me into the day. You are welcome to join me. That’s why I keep swimming: because flourishing is never about perfection, just rhythm, recovery, and gratitude.
If you’re a teacher who’s ready to explore the concept of flourishing—for yourself, your classroom, or your school—I’d love to invite you to the Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools Conference. I’ll be sharing practical tools, lived insights, and reflections to help you protect your energy, sustain your passion, and create a culture of care in your everyday practice.
Please feel free to send me a message—I'd love to have a chat with you.
📍 Melbourne: 28 - 29 August 2025 | Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre