365

 Yesterday marked a remarkable milestone for me - 365 consecutive days of cold exposure.   When I first stepped foot in Lake Ontario late last January, I did so out of curiosity and a desire to add a new recovery modality to my running regime.  I did not expect nor intend for this to become a daily ritual...and yet here I was yesterday morning, easing back into one of the snowdrifts outside of my house in the wee hours of the morning, taking deep and slow breaths and allowing the cold to seep into my body.

Unlike other habits or hobbies I hold dear, cold dipping over the past year has opened me up to some unexpected life lessons, often taught at the water's edge only to be applied at later dates and times. I have felt myself open up, expand my thinking, and come back to my true essence by simply allowing myself to let go of fear and reframe what it means to be temporarily uncomfortable. 

One of the most impactful aspects of this journey has centred on the act of showing up, both for myself and as part of a community.  When I first began my cold exposure journey, I was introduced to a welcoming group of fierce and loving individuals who shared an appreciation of nature and cold water. A community of folks who accept you for who you are, who share in celebrating wins, and who hold space in times of grief is not something I expected to find as part of my journey, and is something I could not feel more grateful for.  The bonds we forge while we work together on shared goals are the strongest, most meaningful, and most enduring ones you could ever be so lucky to experience. 

Learning to accept that I cannot control everything, regardless of how much I may plan or try to do otherwise, has been a humbling and powerful insight to internalize.  I am someone who thrives on structure and a sense of knowing how things are likely to turn out; Mother Nature is a formidable force that does not always tip her cards or allow you to see into the future.  Learning to show up and make peace with what you are given has allowed me to slowly release my tight grip on control in other areas of my life as well.  It is a work in progress and one that I feel proud of leaning into. 

When your daily practice hinges upon unforeseen conditions and events, you develop a keen ability to problem-solve on the fly, and your creativity regarding solutions to problems soars.  There is nothing more satisfying than discovering a hack or new way of making a daily ritual more enjoyable or smooth, especially when these solutions involve items that have been gathering dust in your house for years.  

Physically, cold exposure involves a LOT of mind over matter.  Moving from a place of dread to enjoyment does not come overnight, and yet that is what my transition from cold-weather opponent to cold-exposure enthusiast has felt like.  From my first dip, I felt wonder and awe as my body reacted to being submerged in cold water, and slowly worked to warm itself back up.  I have sometimes reached the beach only to look out at the dark sky and waves and wonder why I keep bringing myself to this place.  Then I step into the lake and am reminded of the sense of groundedness that comes with releasing expectations and embracing the current situation.  Taking this lesson out of the water has allowed me to address areas of my life where big change has been required and instead of feeling stalled by uncertainty, remembering that the first step toward realizing a goal is simply that first step forward. 

While many of these examples are based on my time in the lake, there have been moments when I have needed to opt for alternative cold exposure modalities, due to unsafe water conditions in the summer and more recently due to the snow and my inability to safely navigate to the lake.  Once again creativity has ruled as I have either found myself seated with my feet in an ice bath or lying down on the snow banks in front of my house.  The final lesson to be shared here is that we can do hard things, so long as we determine them to be worthwhile and meaningful to us.  The deep gratitude and inspiration I feel toward those who welcomed me into this cold exposure community and who continue to lift me up as we share morning dips and time outside of the lake is hard to put into words, other than thank you.