No excuses. It couldn’t be easier adding this new activity to my daily routine. Every morning I get up, I go downstairs, I go outside with the cat, give the cat her breakfast. Then go back inside and make a cup of tea for me and the wife.
This morning the routine was slightly different. After feeding the cat I went onto the deck and immersed myself in the ice tub for a couple of minutes. That’s all it takes, just a couple of minutes. Then it was back inside and on with the rest of the morning routine. Simple.
What I have learned so far is not to think about it, just do it. This morning it felt colder than yesterday but that’s ok. To be honest I’ve not actually put any ice in there yet. I thought I’d give myself at least a week of just cold water to get used to it. Believe me, that is enough for now. For reference the water is currently 52f (or 12c) and according to Wim Hof that is totally fine.
I guess the big question now is, “have I noticed any differences yet” ? It’s early days but yes, I do have a number of things to report even though it is only day one.
Habit – These days most of us are running on auto-pilot. Doing the same things everyday. Over time these habits become so ingrained in our daily lives that our sub-conscious takes over. We are then less and less in the present moment. By making one simple change to my daily routine I have disrupted the morning cycle at least. But it’s only a matter of time before the ice tub morning plunge becomes part of that sub-conscious routine. However, once you are immersed you have no choice but to be fully present so I won’t worry about that for now. Any change to your daily routine no matter how small will make a difference. It will require you to be present and that is where life happens. I’ve gone to the extremes but then again I am looking for extreme results.
Tasks – We all feel some sense of achievement when we can put a tick in a box after completing a task. Starting the day with a specific task can set you up for the rest of the day helping you get into the right mindset ahead of whatever your day has in store for you. In his book “Make Your Bed”, Admiral William McRaven talks about this but in much greater detail. The ex Navy Seal has some great insights into this and other life changing principles. Taking the ice tub plunge at the start of my day has already given me a great sense of achievement. It also helps put everything else in perspective and I’ve already noticed a reduction i my stress levels.
Self Esteem – I feel good about myself. Putting my body in perceived danger and ovecoming it feels great. That’s the first thing I thought of when I went out to the ice tub this morning. Having had a go the previous day I knew what to expect, knew I could do it and knew how good it felt afterwards. Whatever I came up against during the rest of the day (at work) I knew it was not going to be as extreme as the cold water. Furthermore, regardless of what I accomplish during the rest of the day I can pat myself on the back for overcoming my ego and taking one more step towards my goal.
Looking forward to tomorrows plunge……
Just a Thought 