Is it just me, or are cold showers having a moment?!
Recently my husband Will started taking them, and raving about how incredible he felt afterwards.
I can't lie...at first I was completely uninterested in trying them myself. I mean, who would ever choose to shower themselves in ice cold water?! Could the benefits really be that amazing? I was skeptical.
But as someone who's always looking for new ways to optimize energy and well-being, my curiosity won out, and I couldn't help but try them for myself...
And I've gotta say: I'm hooked!
It's only been a few weeks, but I've already noticed so many parallels between taking cold showers and growing a business.
Here are my 3 biggest takeaways so far:
#1 Doing the thing is often much easier than your anticipation of it
Even when we want to reach that next level of success, our minds can often talk us out of taking the next steps to get there.
I've noticed that when I give myself too much time to think about taking a cold shower, I end up dreading it so much more.
That dread is honestly worse than the shock of stepping into the shower itself!
Similarly, when I sit on a business idea for too long and start over-thinking things, I basically drain the life force energy out of that idea, give my brain time to come up with reasons not to do it, and ultimately make it so much harder to take the next step.
Cold showers have reminded me of how helpful it is to limit the amount of time spent questioning and dreading what's ahead. It's ultimately much easier to just jump in!
Which brings us to...
#2 When you're willing to feel uncomfortable, you become unstoppable!
Once you take that next step, feel the discomfort, and make it to the other side (yay!), you feel pretty badass...like you can do anything!
How often do you avoid doing something that you know will be great for you or your business because you're anticipating feeling rejected, disappointed, or like a failure?
The truth is, even in the worst case scenarios, you can handle all of these sensations. They aren't pleasant, but just like the shock of stepping into a cold shower, they are temporary.
And the more opportunities you give yourself to feel them, the more evidence you'll collect of just how capable you really are.
Bonus: your Future Self will be SO grateful that you decided to make a move!
Which brings us to...
#3 Making decisions that honor your Future Self pays off 10/10 times
Do I love cold showers? Nope!
Do I love how I feel after cold showers? Yes!
I love relaxed how my body and mind feel, and I let that be my motivation.
I remember that I'm setting my Future Self up for a great experience.
Similarly, as business owners, so much of what we do does not result in immediate, or even short-term, gratification.
The more we can show up for our Future Selves, and the lives and businesses we want to grow over time, the easier it becomes to do the things we don't reaaally want to do today.
This isn't about making moves that are out of alignment. It's about doing the stretchy, expansive, and uncomfortable things today that are in alignment with where we ultimately want to go.
Show up like this, and you'll blow yourself away with how quickly you build momentum!
Ok, there you have it: my 3 biggest business takeaways from cold showers. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk :-P
Thinking about all of this has inspired me to move on some ideas I've had for years...
So get excited for something really fun I've got in the pipeline!
And, whether you decide to follow my lead with taking cold showers or not, here's what I'll offer you:
That idea you've been sitting on?
That next step you've been avoiding?
Consider this a gentle, loving nudge to jump on in, breathe through any and all discomfort, and make yourself so proud on the other side!
You got this,
Megan
