<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[M2O Swim Alliance]]></title><description><![CDATA[We prevent drowning by treating the mind as the first line of water safety. We nurture mental health alongside physical skill for all. ]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2026 04:01:44 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/fr/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Change Your Day In Less Than a Minute]]></title><description><![CDATA[30 Seconds of Gratitude Science keeps showing us the same thing: practicing gratitude rewires the brain for more resilience, better sleep, lower stress, and stronger relationships.  It’s not about ignoring what’s wrong; it's about focusing on what is right. It’s about training your attention to also see what’s still good.   A simple daily practice: • Write down 3 things you’re grateful for. • Be specific (not just “nature,” but “the way the morning light hits the hibiscus plant.”) • Feel it...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/change-your-day-in-less-than-a-minute</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a8eeb019f5e0d2e5d6b8a17</guid><pubDate>Wed, 26 Aug 2026 13:37:12 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d38f9c_0bca700032204beaa855d2c8fd75e650~mv2.jpeg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>bev8653</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is a Water Watcher? ]]></title><description><![CDATA[What is a Water Watcher? Someone in your group designated to just watch the water. No distractions, no devices, just being present to watch out for all swimmers, especially young swimmers. Not just for beaches, but lakes, pools, hot tubs, any body of water. Statistics show that 88% of child drownings happen with at least 1 adult present. Being there isn't the same as being aware. With a larger group of adults, you can schedule or assign different shifts for Water Watchers. Fast responses in...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/what-is-a-water-watcher</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a6648c135380d3132b589a0</guid><pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2026 17:55:45 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d38f9c_c5976f84f82a4fc39c45770b03d9652b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_941,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>bev8653</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[World Drowning Prevention Day]]></title><description><![CDATA[A big thanks to New York Senator Rob Rolison for sharing our pledge to his followers and supporting our mission on World Drowning Prevention Day. What is World Drowning Prevention Day? World Drowning Prevention Day was established in April 2021 by the United Nations General Assembly Resolution and is held annually on July 25th to raise awareness of the 300,000 lives lost annually to drowning and offer solutions to reduce preventable deaths. The theme for World Drowning Prevention Day 2026 is...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/world-drowning-prevention-day</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a656cc410a4941c0728af7a</guid><pubDate>Sun, 26 Jul 2026 02:31:07 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="http://video.wixstatic.com/video/d38f9c_32ba96b13d7f4ab989922dbd3b0f93d5/720p/mp4/file.mp4" length="0" type="video"/><dc:creator>bev8653</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[What is a Designated Water Watcher?(Test your focus. Can you read this without letting your mind wander?)]]></title><description><![CDATA[Drowning can happen near loving, attentive adults. Not through carelessness, but because human attention has natural limits. A Designated Water Watcher is how a family and community works with those limits instead of against them. At M2O Swim Alliance, we believe the first layer of protection in any water safety situation is the mind. Swim lessons, barriers, life jackets, and emergency preparation all matter, but before any layer can work, someone has to be paying attention: fully,...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/what-is-a-designated-water-watcher-test-your-focus-can-you-read-this-without-letting-your-mind-wan</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a53934c6c2bae2e2792cc99</guid><pubDate>Sun, 12 Jul 2026 13:43:10 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cecd8e_0f64e2fe08db49d38acc2e9acfd2ee38~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Rebecca Pearsall</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The First Skill We Teach Isn’t Swimming]]></title><description><![CDATA[At M2O, the first thing we teach is how to regulate the body and engage the senses through breathing practices, including box breathing and physiological sigh, because we believe the mind is the first line of water safety. Before a swimmer kicks, floats, or reaches the wall, the brain and nervous system are already responding to the environment. Fear, panic, overstimulation, and stress can quickly affect breathing, decision making, and movement in the water. Teaching swimmers how to notice...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/the-first-skill-we-teach-isn-t-swimming</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a01f902e0af128698efa36f</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 15:21:28 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cecd8e_0b9dd10780f74353a5fb4471c70b0585~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Rebecca Pearsall</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Parents, We Have A Distraction Problem ]]></title><description><![CDATA[No parent who has ever lost a child to drowning did not love that child. Every one of them loved that child deeply. What happened was not a failure of love. It was a moment of distraction, and water does not forgive moments easily. At M2O, we believe this is one of the hardest and most important truths in drowning prevention. Many conversations around water safety focus on physical barriers and swimming ability. These are essential. Swim lessons save lives. Lifeguards save lives. Pool gates...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/parents-we-have-a-distraction-problem</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0493667848442a572f46b2</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 15:21:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cecd8e_8166feb4f3b245a3a9e42ab81158627d~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Rebecca Pearsall</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[I Built a Drowning Prevention Organization. Then I Realized the Field Was Missing Something Fundamental.]]></title><description><![CDATA[I am Rebecca Pearsall, and I am the CEO and co-founder of M2O Swim Drowning Prevention Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused on developing a mind-first approach to drowning prevention in the United States and across the world. My background is in social work, mental health, and international public health and education. Early in my career, I was influenced by UNESCO’s founding principle that peace begins in the minds of men and women. Over time, that idea shaped the way I think...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/i-built-a-drowning-prevention-organization-then-i-realized-the-field-was-missing-something-fundamen</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6a0489f1e8ad7aab1e5f6d35</guid><pubDate>Wed, 13 May 2026 15:21:13 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cecd8e_b1006d4b68fe426cacf6aada48f8e8dd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Rebecca Pearsall</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[FLIP the RIP Guide to Escaping Rip Currents]]></title><description><![CDATA[Spot a Rip Current Before You Get and use our FLIP the Rip Guide RIP CURRENTS What Is a Rip Current? Rip currents are fast-moving, narrow channels of water that flow away from shore. They can move faster than an Olympic swimmer and typically carry swimmers 100–300 feet offshore, though in extreme cases they can extend much farther. One of the biggest dangers is that rip currents often look like the calmest part of the beach. According to NOAA, rip currents account for about 80% of beach...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/flip-the-rip-guide-to-escaping-rip-currents</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69ff7887406b14267106a691</guid><pubDate>Sat, 09 May 2026 18:57:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d38f9c_e738f590ea0a407f8a7c57ebbfd318fd~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>bev8653</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[The Most Underrated Water Safety Tool Is the One Between Your Ears]]></title><description><![CDATA[When people think about water safety, they think about swim lessons. These lessons matter enormously, but the field has focused almost entirely on the body, and that focus has left something out. M2O Swim Alliance is built on the idea that the first layer of protection in any water safety situation is the mind. Emotional awareness leads directly to situational awareness, the factor that most often prevents drowning. This position is grounded in how the nervous system works. When a person...]]></description><link>https://www.m2oswimalliance.org/post/the-most-underrated-water-safety-tool-is-the-one-between-your-ears</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69f9de95c585bc8d328fc8be</guid><pubDate>Tue, 05 May 2026 18:03:23 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/cecd8e_cb3a144f3ea64c5d9e3943d6b2d42840~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Rebecca Pearsall</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>