When I was young, my camp counselor at the Betsy-Jeff Penn 4-H Camp taught me how to relax into floating on my back in the swimming pool.  The body of water seemed so big to me then. I felt the need to control my little body in it. But the wise counselor taught me how to allow the water to support me.  And when I followed her advice, swimming became easy peasy.  She simply said to "Lean back and let go."