This is an account of day 1 of the 21-Day Daily Stoic Freedom Challenge, for accounts of other days please click here.
In Theory
On Day 1 of the 21-Day Daily Stoic Freedom Challenge, participants are asked to start with a cold shower or plunge. The point isn’t punishment, pain, or even health benefits. Instead, as the accompanying email explains, it’s about building resilience and training the mind to lead the body — not the other way around.
Have you ever been somewhere where the water pressure was terrible? Or where the people who showered before you used up all the hot water? Did you trudge along without a hitch? Or did you whine? Did you curse the shower-goers who beat you to it? Did you let it ruin your whole day?
Most of us live in fear of this type of inconvenience, of even the slightest physical discomfort, and we become weak as a result. If you can practice pushing yourself to the point of discomfort, however, and you can maintain a positive, steady state outside your comfort zone, that’s when you begin to build resiliency.
In Practice
I turned the shower on at 5:45, twisted the dial to cold, and stared at the stream of water — clear and steamless — for a few seconds, still half-asleep, before deciding: alright, let’s do this. Stepping in, the freezing water hit me like icy rain. My first instinct, aside from gasping and momentarily losing my vision, was to jump right back out.
I turned my shoulders in, closed my eyes, and braced myself for about ten shivering seconds before stepping out of the icy water to quickly apply shower gel. Then it was back under for another ten seconds to rinse off. Out again for shampoo. Back under for ten more seconds. Done. It might have been the fastest shower I’ve ever taken — and the most awake I’ve ever felt before 6 a.m. Honestly, trying to control your breathing in freezing water feels like the ultimate wake-up call.
After drying off, I felt a real sense of accomplishment. I’d completed the first task of the challenge, and it gave my Monday morning an unexpected boost as I grabbed a coffee and headed out to work. Sure, there are supposed to be health benefits to cold showers, but more than that, I was just glad to know I can (just about) survive without warm water if I have to.
Later, checking the group Slack channel, it was great to see so many people excited about something so simple. Everyone seemed to share that same quiet pride in having done something challenging before the day had even properly started.
One fellow participant embodying the enthusiasm in the channel was Nathalie, who chose the cold plunge option in the amazing setting below.
What a way to start a day!
In Summary
Taking a cold shower helps build resilience and gives you a small win before your day even starts. I might make it a regular thing, just not every day. 😊
