Okay I don’t take a full-on cold shower, at least not yet!
What I do is force myself to end my showers with cold water.
There are many reported benefits to exposing ourselves to cold water in the shower, bath or even that crazy polar plunge.
Improved metabolism, circulation, reduced inflammation, increased endorphins and more. Do a quick search and you’ll see lots of articles written about it.
BUT, that’s not why I do it.
Yeah those are great benefits, but they aren’t the reason I subject myself to this form of mild torture…
Honestly, I do it because I HATE DOING IT!
Sounds weird right? Maybe even crazy? Surely stupid! 
Most of us live in a world of comfort that our modern western society provides. Wherever possible, avoid discomfort – because, well, duh!
What happens is our comfort zone gets smaller and smaller until it becomes limiting.
Limited options. Limited beliefs. Limited us.
Then when we need to reach deep for self-discipline to accomplish a task we dread, guess what – it’s not there.
If we are not careful, self-discipline becomes a muscle we’ve neglected and now it’s atrophied.
Pushing ourselves to do things we don’t want to do strengthens our mind, our resolve, our discipline.
I blast myself with cold water, not because I like it, but because I don’t.
To prove to myself that I’m still the one in control of me and if I say I’m getting freezing water, then I’m getting freezing water – and I’m going to hate every second of it!
Though I have to admit, the dopamine dump that hits as soon as I turn OFF the cold water is pretty darn awesome.
I do all this so that when I’m faced with a task or choice that requires me to be uncomfortable, I got that because I know how to push myself to do the hard thing.
Even if I’m not faced with a difficult choice the rest of my day, that’s okay.. because my day started with one… and I prevailed.
How about you… ready to give it a shot? Just end your shower by twisting that faucet to COLD for a few seconds… let me know how you much you liked… er, hated it!
-J