Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

I am stressed, tired, discouraged. Outside, the January temperatures plummet well below freezing. Inside, I am warm and cozy, stuck in a rut of thoughts and emotions that overload me. Time for something to break the rut—maybe a swim.

Thankfully, I have the right type of friend. He and I walk down to a creek, gather wood, and build a fire in the snow. Then, we take off our outer wear, and my friend grabs the rope swing and climbs the small platform. He stares out over the icy water that is flowing too fast to ice over. I encourage him to jump, and he does. I follow.

The icy water engulfs me. I surface and focus all my attention on controlling my breathing. I try to stay in as long as I can. After several seconds, my resolve breaks, and I stumble to the bank and run to the fire. Steam rolls off my body as the fire warms me, and I think about going home.

But my friend has the audacity to persuade me into a second jump. Inwardly, I rebel, but I don’t want to look like a coward, so I go first.

This time, I can control my breathing easily, and I focus on swimming. It feels like boiling water, or like my hands and feet are on fire. My friend jumps in after me and splashes to shore. I casually swim to the river bank and walk nonchalantly to the fire. As I warm up, my hair freezes, and my feet lose all feeling. By the time I put on my shoes and head to the truck, my feet feel hard, and I can hardly move them.   

My feet take hours to warm and recover. But my brain is clear, my mind sharp. The icy water has washed away my stress; the cool, new experience has expunged my mind; and the physical suffering has sharpened my spirit. I play a game with friends, in quiet confidence, not needing to act cool, because I will still be cool for several hours. I recommend it.