How to take the first step towards your dreams

Six valuable lessons I learnt from my first cold immersion experience

My first cold immersion experience with Breathless Expeditions, Sydney

I recently decided to try out a Breath and Ice Experience in Sydney. It was a 3-hour workshop that included some breathing exercises followed by cold immersion in an ice bath.

This was my first time trying cold exposure; I was nervous and excited. After some breathing exercises, our group headed outside, where we would sit in an ice bath for 2 minutes.

In my head, I was thinking, "This is going to be fun", "We're only doing this for 2 minutes. How hard could it be? I have taken cold showers before. I'm sure I'll nail it."

I was feeling quite confident before I went in…

A little too confident…

When my turn came, I took a deep breath and jumped in.

The moment I got in, the intense cold temperature immediately hit me. Despite all the mental preparation, my mind and body could not register what was happening. My heart was racing, and panic ensued. I felt like I had forgotten even how to breathe.

All the positive self-talk and affirmations went out the window. All I wanted was to get out! While I managed to keep my facial expressions calm (I think), I was struggling inside.

I kept telling myself, "Keep it together, Eyza, you can do it. Others are doing it, and so can you."

Deep breaths. Take deep breaths. Everyone kept telling us. Slow. Deep. Breaths. You'll be okay, it's only a matter of minutes.

Whatever my brain was telling me, my body was rejecting it. One part of me was trying to reassure me with all the positive self-talk, and the other part of me was saying, shut up, you have no idea what I’m feeling, this is painful!

Those 2 minutes felt like the longest 2 minutes I had ever experienced.

However, after the first minute or so, my body slowly started settling down. It was still extremely uncomfortable, but I was beginning to manage the cold temperature.

I continued taking deep breaths, and soon the 10-second countdown started. As I stepped out of the ice bath, a feeling of relief washed over me. Even though I felt numb, tingling sensations in my hands and feet, the worst was over.

In the next few minutes, I experienced a deep sense of accomplishment. My body felt so refreshed, energised, and relaxed.

I was ecstatic. I had finally experienced my first cold immersion. And it was nothing as I had imagined.

Here is what I learned from this experience that I want to share with you.

(1) Be a realistic optimist

While it's great to be optimistic and have a positive outlook towards everything, being optimistic without factoring, in reality, can set you up for disappointment.

What I realised from this experience was that instead of telling myself that I would be great at it and would easily manage, I should have told myself, “it is going to be very cold, you're not going to like it at first, but you will be okay."

Optimism and pessimism are two ends of the spectrum, with realism in the middle. To succeed in life, we need both optimism and realism.

“The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails.” - William Arthur Ward

To get the best of both worlds, be a realistic optimist.

Stay positive, hope for the best, but also be realistic. Keep an open mind and embrace the present moment because things don't always turn out how we expect them to.

(2) All great things worth having are hard at first

The minute I got in that water, my whole body went into a state of shock. The extreme cold was so uncomfortable that I wanted to leave immediately, but I kept going because I didn't want to give up. After some time, I slowly started feeling better.

Everything that you now find easy was hard at first. Whenever we try something new, it isn't easy at the start. Whether it's a new career, launching your own business, moving to another country, or trying a new workout. There is a sense of uncertainty, doubt, panic, and overwhelm. But that is all completely normal, even though it might not feel that way at that moment.

Remember, whatever discomfort you're facing right now. It will pass. It will get better.

Instead of fearing or avoiding the situation, embrace it. See pain as a sign of growth. You're doing something outside of your comfort zone. And there is no better feeling than the sense of accomplishment you get after going through something tough and challenging. Whatever it is, know that you can do it.

(3) There is great power in a community

Starting anything new on your own can be nerve-wracking and isolating.

Surrounding yourself with like-minded individuals who cheer you on and support you and your growth can make the journey much better and bearable.

When I got in the ice bath, I was not alone. A team of wonderful instructors and a supportive group of people guided us through the experience. That support alone helped me get through that initial challenging phase.

(4) Tap into your most powerful tool

The most powerful tool we all have at our disposal is our breath. Our breath can alter the state of our mind and body. It plays a significant role in managing our blood pressure, body temperature, stress levels, and homeostasis.

By simply managing our breath, we can get through any difficult situation.

The first 30-60 seconds of the plunge were the hardest, but only once I gained control over my breathing could I better manage my physical and mental state.

Whenever we are in an unfamiliar situation, whether asking for a raise, public speaking, starting a new venture or even asking someone out, our brain perceives it as a danger. It immediately goes into survival mode. Our brains cannot distinguish between an unfamiliar situation and a dangerous one. It feels so uncomfortable that you want to escape the situation immediately. In such cases, managing our breath helps us to lower our stress levels and stay calm and focused.

(5) The only way is through

Two minutes might not seem like a lot, but it felt like a lifetime at that moment. All I wanted was for the timer to buzz. But when you know that there is no escape no matter how much you want to, you learn to accept and adapt to the circumstances.

To achieve anything significant in life, we need persistence and perseverance. With that, we can push through any obstacle.

'The only way is through' is a great mindset to adopt for any situation in life. As Robert Frost said in the poem "Servant of Servants", the best way out is always through.

It means that no matter how hard things may get, you stay your course. You keep pushing through the obstacles, your self-limiting beliefs, and the challenges life throws you. You do not give up even when you cannot see a way forward.

(6) Don't let your first step be your last

We all know that starting anything can be challenging. Taking the first step takes a lot of effort, willpower, and determination. But once you've achieved that. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement. While it's important to celebrate every win, large or small, it's essential not to lose sight of your goals.

We've all seen those sports matches in which when a team wins one game, they often get so caught up in the "high" of the win that it significantly impacts their performance in the next match. Don't be that person. Celebrate your achievements and use them to drive you forward towards making more.

You now have evidence that you can do what you thought was too challenging or impossible. Go after it with even greater determination.

While this was my first time trying cold immersion, it certainly won't be my last.

To summarise, here are the 6 valuable lessons I learnt from this experience.

(1) Be a realistic optimist

(2) All great things worth having are hard at first

(3) There is great power in a community

(4) Breath, our most powerful tool

(5) The only way is through

(6) Don't let your first step be your last

“To move forward, you must first take a step.” - Chase S.M. Neill

I hope this inspires you to take the first step towards your dreams!