Step 1 - Acclimation to the Cold
When starting with cold showers, we have to get accustomed to the coldness.
We do that by starting off with your usual shower temperature, and at the end of every shower, we will turn it colder and colder.
Start off with a small temperature change.
Every day, turn it further and further to the colder side until you reach the coldest setting.
Once you reach the coldest setting of your shower,
Keep starting with a comfortable temperature and get used to the coldest setting.
Once you get used to it, it's time to remove the comfortable temperature and try to jump into the coldest setting from the get-go.
Stand in front of the pouring cold water and firstly remind yourself why you're doing this (managing uncomfortable situations, expanding your comfort zone, taking action, and silencing doubts + physical benefits like mental clarity, focus, and the good feeling after - endorphins).
You can say it out loud if you want.
Now when you have reminded yourself, count down from 5.
Don't think about anything else but the countdown.
5, 4, 3, 2, 1… step into the stream of water.
You will start breathing faster, and you will feel a bit shocked, but that's okay.
Stay in there and breathe deeply into your stomach.
After a while, it will start to feel manageable.
Let the cold water pour over your whole body and get more comfortable.
Then turn off the shower.
Shampoo yourself and turn it on again.
If you feel the same resistance as in the beginning, then start the process again (remind yourself why you're doing it, countdown, and step into it).
This second round is just to wash all the shampoo off your body.
Once you're done, turn the shower off, and you have just conquered the cold shower.
You can gain a bit more respect for yourself and prove to yourself that you can handle the uncomfortability of a cold shower for the day.
At this point, you have conquered the cold shower once.
But the battle is not over.
This battle never ends. (dramatic exagguration)
The enemy will cross your path every day, and in order to defeat that enemy, you have to conquer the cold EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.
At the start, after beating the cold shower a few times, you will feel great, and the novelty of the feeling afterward will motivate you to continue, but there will come a point where you've done this hundreds of times, and slowly you will forget why you started, and it will annoy you to have to do this every day.
This is a crucial part of your journey.
You have to remind yourself why you started and how it improved your life and continue.
If you manage to overcome this period a few times and solidify this habit in your daily routine, you have successfully defeated the cold shower.
Congratulations.
For now… 😀
If you found this useful, then share it with a friend, that might benefit from starting taking cold showers. Thank you (@tomaspham_)