Cold Showers

 

Deep for first thing in the morning, but TODAY is the day I get my butt in gear and this seemed timely.  I've planned, researched, over thought, utterly failed and false started a bunch of times.  Odd are absolutely not in my favor, but I'm back at it.

I listened to Do The Thing podcast about cold showers.  Very interesting.  I've been doing this for ... what, a week?  I'm changing it up a little after listening.  I was taking a shower and then ending with a cold shower.  Per Melissa's suggestion, I'm getting up and immediately taking a cold shower -- other shower later.  When I say immediately, it's right before I get dressed to walk the dogs.  (So I've taken them out back to potty, fed them, given meds and THEN shower.)  She sold me on this method because decade long research suggests COLD after a workout doesn't help recovery -- you want to do it before the workout.  My goals for the cold shower are mood, inflammation and recovery.  

It was a shock to my system this morning (but that's the point) and it felt great.  I'll update after I do this for a week.  I walked the dogs during PRIME time and encountered all the usual dogs -- AND I held my shit together.  Coincidence?  Placebo?  or COLD SHOWER magic ... stay tuned for more updates.

P.S.  I thought ADDING a shower was going to be a pain in the butt.  But it's not actually inconvenient.  I'm getting undressed to change anyway.  I'm not getting my hair wet and I do a quick nibbly bit wash which leaves me feeling fresh.  It's easy.

P.P.S  There were some other takeaways in this episode too.  She kept asking for help, universe answered with cold shower and she kept saying NO.  I'm doing this too (with other things -- hello, Green Dress).  Also, she talked about building nervous system resilience.  Something is uncomfortable and hard and the longer you push through this phase, the easier it gets.  Your nervous systems ACCEPTS it and doesn't fight it so hard.  Fight through the uncomfortable with consistency and you'll be rewarded.  Don't push through and you'll live in the HARD.  This also has lots of life applications.  Melissa says it better, of course.

Listen to this if you are interested in learning more (like her rational for humming or singing while you take the shower).  She has another podcast two episodes later that talks about cold showers too.  I have that cued up for today.

This afternoon starts the picture bin organization.  Something to fill in my afternoon.  I'm excited.

What else am I doing?

Nothing too structured, but I'm asking more from my habits and things I know work for me.  Longer meditations on days I don't have a long workout.  Back to goal journalling for focus forward (even if the timing isn't clear because of the pandemic).  Getting out of the house more. - even if it's just a drive to Starbucks.  Some solo nature time once my hiking shoes arrive -- moving meditation.  Back to a regular dinner -- not snacking as a dinner.  Back to veggies at EVERY meal and at least one serving of green leafy veggies for the day.  Back to reading SELF HELP stuff.  I've replaced this non-fiction reading with antiracist learning and that's needed too, but I didn't realize how much self help reading impacts my day.

Another focus is LETTING GO.  I have a few things that I need to let go and a couple of things that are naturally letting go and this has me in a tizzy.  Letting go is NOT my super power.  I'm taking a HUGE leap of faith and trusting my gut that this is meant to happen.  Faith and trust that I'm heading in the right direction when everything is so topsy turvy.  I'm doing it though.

Have a happy day.  I'm going to look for some happy too.  Stay well.  Later gators.