GEORGIA BOHL // overcoming challenges 🏊‍♀️✨

We had the chance to chat to Olympic Swimmer Georgia Bohl about her personal journey and the challenges that she, and many other athletes, are facing due to the global pandemic. Whether you're still unable to access your training facilities, struggling with the return to training after a while away from the pool, or just feeling uncertain about what the future holds, here's your chance to draw some inspiration from Georgia.

Find out how one of Australia's top athletes has been coping with her return to training and what advice she has for athletes to stay positive and focused during tough times. We can guarantee you'll come away feeling inspired and ready to smash it in all areas of life!

From the day after we were told we couldn’t access our regular swimming training facility I started doing the Miami to Burleigh walk as I have always felt exercise clears my mind, keeps me mentally sharp and makes me feel physically tired (which I’m used to with swimming 9 times a week). I buddied up with one of my friends and we met every morning for 2 months for our morning walks which saved me for sure.

GEORGIA: I think it’s always good to take a step away and digest what you have achieved in sport and life. Sometimes when you are surrounded by greatness we tend to take for granted results and just keep grinding. It was nice to take a little hiatus and keep that fire burning.

GEORGIA: I think sitting down with my father, who is my coach and is quite successful, talking through my race plan and everything I need to do going forward to get back to best was very motivating and inspiring.

GEORGIA: Take your time and don’t worry too much about times as we have all been out for 2 months. Even Olympians don’t come back after a break and are hitting their times. It’s all about persistence and patience.

GEORGIA: I’m uncertain about making another Olympics again. This is a fear everyone feels, not reaching your goals and aspirations, but I have learnt to be grateful for what I have achieved and anything I achieve in my future is a bonus. 

GEORGIA: Positive mindset starts from when you wake up. I always try to see the positive in situations not the negative. I wake up and say to myself what I’m grateful for and what are my goals for the day. I also tell myself little basic things. If I don’t feel like going to training that morning I say to myself “aren’t I lucky to be healthy enough, have arms and legs and have the opportunity to chase my dreams”. 

Being focused goes hand in hand with positivity. Have you ever felt really negative and not productive? This usually goes hand in hand. We are all human and sometimes we aren’t always going to have the best days but it’s the way we respond to situations which matters most.