These days, you can find me out on a cold hike, making my way to icy water. This is my fourth year living in a van, and my fourth year doing these cold plunges. I first started after being inspired by @Iceman Wim Hof. I was blown away that someone could get into freezing water and be totally fine afterward. I donāt own a cold plunge system and only do this in the winter. It just feels more natural that way. When I first started, my mind was in complete chaos on the hike out. As dramatic as it sounds, I would constantly doubt my survival, tell myself it didnāt make sense, and do anything to talk myself out of actually getting in. Once I reached the water, those doubts, fears, and worries only got louder. Every piece of clothing I took off made my mind freak out more and more. With one foot in the water, my mind would show me extreme scenariosāhypothermia, hospital visits, even saying goodbye to loved ones in a hospital bed. It took everything I had to ignore those terrible thoughts. The funny thing is, every time I pushed through and got in, everything in my head went silent. An extreme calm came over my body, and a wave of peace and confidence took over my mind. Donāt get me wrongāthere have been plenty of times over the years when I gave in and didnāt go through with it. That still happens. But thereās something powerful and healing about this practice. It teaches you to control your mind and recognize that sometimes your thoughts give you false information. Over four years and literally hundreds of cold plunges later, I havent been to the hospital once!! Iāve learned many lessons from this. My favorite lesson is figuring out which thoughts are truth and which are just an ancient survival response. Over the years, Iāve sharpened this filter, and I use it all the time in other parts of my life. SIDE NOTE: Please do not read this and then jump into a frozen pond by yourself. Life lessons aside, this is very dangerous and should only be attempted after proper, continuous training. A good place to start is by downloading Wim Hofās app and learning his breathing exercises. These not only help with cold water exposure, but can benefit many other aspects of your life. Stay safe and be well friend ā¤ļø
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