Every time I am trying something new, I have a few conversations with friends or family in which they make it seem that I am doing the wildest thing in the world.
This past weekend, I participated in a cross country race hosted by my alma mater. It is a damned tough course, lots of hills thru the same loops for five miles, and the weather this year did not make things any easier. It was cold and rainy, “great cross country weather,” as my old coach put it. I joke with myself every year that there must be something wrong with me that I come back and take part in these events in track and cross when I am definitely not in the shape to do it. “Who cares about a running around in circles, I thought this was about showers?” You might be asking, and here’s the point. When I saw some friends for the first time in a while, questions were posed about the showers and how they couldn’t imagine doing it, but each one of them had run on the course described above without question. Some of them were back out of choice to run that very day. Having once been a cross country and distance track runner, I feel like I will always be ready to do something regardless of how crazy it sounds to others. Perhaps that is the very essence that this blog came from.
Looking back on instances of my past self being opposed to certain experiences have led me to be shocked by how boring I once was. Earlier today, I recalled two specific moments of despising the idea of a cold shower and never imagining taking one out of choice. The first was a time when the water heater broke at my mom’s house. The second experience was at summer camp in Boy Scouts and we were there for a week or two, depending on how long you were staying. Being out in the woods, there were select showers that had minor warmth, and apparently, it was worth the hike to get there. In both cases, I remember bracing myself for cold water like it was the toughest thing I had to do, which looking back it very well may have been.
When I first decided cold showers would be my next trial, I was hoping it would rebuild toughness I felt I had lost. Ultimately, I believe that is a success. I’ve done every shower without complaint. Observing that they are less enjoyable sure, but whining or complaining, no. After a few weeks of this, it will be weird going back after this next week. All in all, if I was stuck doing this for the rest of my life, I wouldn’t think twice. Speaking of being done with this next week, I need the idea for my next trial. Leave a comment below and I’ll add it to my list to pick from next week!
Trying Out Before Buying In 