Wise Mind: How Getting Ill Forced Me to Rethink My Routine
The Sunday Best Round Up #33
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The Cold That Changed My Routine
I recently picked up a nasty cold.
Took a week away from my daily sea swim obsession schedule.
I probably could have FORCED myself to swim.
In years gone by I would definitely have gone into “no pain no gain” mode and Goggins-ed it.
Likely doing my health no good whatsoever, but tough guy innit?!
This time I didn't.
Why?
I’m Learning to Listen to My Body
Recently I've been tinkering with Buddhism and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
As a result I'm trying to cultivate a bit of “Wise Mind”, which according to Google…
“Describes a balanced state of mind that combines emotions and logic.”
In simple human speak its about thinking things through a bit.
Going past your ingrained habits and normal Pavlovian response.
At this point I'm trying to write something witty about the fact that I do indeed get a Pavolvian response to Pavlova, but my brain has failed me!
But back to the story…
Yep I took a week off the early morning sea dips.
Slept in till 7am, walked the dogs, did a light bit of yoga with my daughter, and nursed lemsip (a warm lemon paracetamol based Elixir if this reference doesn't travel well for my… aherm…not to flex… INTERNATIONAL readership! 🌏)
But this change in routine was just what my body and brain needed methinks.
Back to the Water
However come Saturday morning a swimmer I was itching to be, once again.
I skipped off to the beach, happy of mood, to find…
My normal beach buddies had swum already.
I hadn't checked my WhatsApp so failed to see the change in time.
(See this is actual PROOF… All those wellness gurus are plain wrong. You MUST always check your phone the moment you wake up… definitely… maybe… perhaps… actually… thinking about it… probably not!)
Anyways down on the beach it was a bit grey, cold, and windy.
A couple of people I knew were there but no one was swimming.
However I'd committed; so in the sea I went regardless.
What could go wrong?
The sea is my happy place 🙂🏊
I proudly identify as an outdoor swimmer.
Happy days right?
Well tbh despite that hyperbolic build up it was in fact a tad grim.
F***ing COLD when I got in.
F***ing COLD when swimming.
F***ing COLD when I got out.
I genuinely didn't enjoy much about it.
This was not the normal giddy, endorphin fuelled binge of fun I come to demand like a small entitled and sadly overstimulated toddler at Disneyland expect.
But at least I was back in the water.
Next morning I went to the beach again.
At the right time to meet swimmy friends.
The sun had its jolly hat on, although it was still a tad chilling-tons.
I swam with 4 others and fun flowed forth freely in most flavoursome and frothful ways (because all the F’s).
We were all free from the world and the nonsense it tends to give you.
A fellow swimmer I know, aged nearly 90, captures this feeling well:
“Getting in the ocean makes me feel like a kid again.”
And I totes agree.
It's a playground away from life's adult woes.
Coffee and Disco Reminiscing
After a yummy swim, we went on for a session of unlimited coffee at the local Wetherspoons pub.
Sat under the heater, necking back coffee and thawing the cold bones was proper lush likes.
One mate even took his shoes and socks off to warm his grippers on the underfloor heating.
Love that!
We reminisced that this exact spot of his 10 protruding toes was once the dance floor in the pub which, in past years, we had dis-graced John Travolta stylee!
(I think this is the first occasion I have used the word ‘reminisced’ in my writing and it makes me feel like pretty ancient really.)
Anyway, my cold swim, caffeine intake and fun banter with friends meant that things felt good again.
Yay.
Turns out we all need to trust our gut
Because rewinding to the start of this story and my wise mind thoughts; if anything this is a tale of trust.
Trusting your mind.
Trusting your body.
Trusting your gut instincts.
Ignoring that voice of inner doom.
Which in my case was:
“Well if you don't obsessively go swimming every day you'll feel awful and lose the habit.
You'll probably end up sad, lonely and depressed with only a small badly painted beach pebble called Glenda for a friend.
You'll sit for hours on end watching soap operas, bitching about people and getting more and more slovenly on a diet of sugary tea and biscuits.
That's your future my friend.
It's your choice bitch!”
Luckily I ignored said voice, because it turns out that when you…
Rest.
Recuperate.
Connect with yourself and your family a bit more.
Change your oppressively obsessive habits a bit.
All is well.
Have a great Sunday,
JFT Beach
PS Have you ever had to fight against an ingrained habit for the sake of your well-being? How did it go? Drop a comment below as I’d love to hear your story.
Note I shared on Substack this week:
Article I Wrote on Substack this Week:
Stormy Seas, Sauna Rituals, and Ghostbusters Skies: A Weekend Escape to Brighton - As it says; my jolly break to cold and stormy Brighton.
5 Health and Wellness Articles I Enjoyed on Substack This Week:
How Guided Meditation Can Help Declutter Your Mind - A good article which opens the gate to guided meditation and the benefits it can bring from
From “Oh Sh*t” to “Okay, What Now?” - How the irritation of a burst tyre can lead to a Mindful moment, an entertaining short tale from
Why Meditation Became My Non Negotiable - The science of meditation, mindfulness book recommendations and a good cup of tea all set inside this lovely post by
Ten Personal Journal Entries - This is one of the deepest, honest and most insightful posts I've read in my time on Substack. Give it a read you won't regret it, from
Reclaiming Your Mind in the Digital Age - This is a great breakdown of meditation and mindfulness in the modern world and why we need it now more than ever, from
I hope you enjoyed this week’s newsletter,
If you did, please do me a favour and re-stack it, or add a comment below. OR JUST LIKE… Y’KNOW… DO BOTH 😁. I’d REALLY REALLY appreciate it.
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To Lazy Sunday Afternoons,
JFT Beach
PS Thanks to the following for… well… following!
Yep this week the following lovely people have started following me on Substack thanks to all of you
Thanks for sharing @Caitlin McColl
something I noticed here that you didn't point out (unless I missed that part)...one of the key ingredients to your morning swim happy-juice is the social connection. The day you went and your swimming-friends had already gone swimming, you didn't have the same rush. And then, when you got back with your friends you are frolicking like a school-boy again.
Studies have shown that one of the most important elements of health among seniors is social interaction and human connection.
in other words, everything is better with a friend.
you made me want to gather a bunch of girlfriends and go swimming on a beach in the cold. Except I live really far away from the ocean. and right now the temperature is way below freezing and all the rivers and lakes around me are frozen solid.