Yes! Day 5 of week 1 for cold showers. Just 15 minutes this week, tho today I lingered a bit. It’s definitely much easier than day 1 for certain. But what is going on here? I am sure some of this has to do with the body acclimating to it, but I am certain much of this simply comes down to the mind accepting the reality vs the fear and assumed reality.
I am no stranger to this, both personally and with my coaching clients. I am notorious for expecting the worse, but sort of on a positive note. I jokingly refer to myself as an optimistic pessimist. I expect the worst but I am confident I will work my way through it. Still, it can hold me back. How many times have I been slow to start something since I dreaded certain expectations, and how often have I been surprised as how easier it was in actuality? I recall many a day of my early gym days finding excuses to avoid that dread. I’ve come to recognize this at play (eventually) and do my best to push through. My mantra for this is “all in,” and I will remind myself of that when I hit hesitation, such as, say, stepping into a cold shower.
It’s important that I acknowledge this and explore ways to push past it since, as a coach, I am only able to help clients facing the same when I have tackled it myself. There is a saying which I can’t recall the exact wording of, but it is something along the lines that a coach can only help clients to get as far as they have. By that I mean, if a client is struggling with something that I am as well, then it will be hard to get them past where I am stuck. Of course it is easier to see these things in others, but unconsciously we may not want the reminders of our own failings and so turn a blind eye to it.
So while it is still not easy to stay under the cold shower, I am confident as I move into week 2 where it will be 30 seconds.