I’ve recently started to swim once a week. When arriving at the pool, I often dip only my legs into the water. Instead of diving in, I sit there, resisting the plunge into the cold water.
After a few minutes, it’s clear I have lingered at the pool’s edge for too long. I take a deep breath, bracing myself for the initial chill.
Then I jump in.
It’s cold! ????
Yet, the discomfort disappears once I get oriented and start slicing through the water. The icy sting is replaced by a liberating experience of exhilaration.
Then I think, “The cold isn’t that bad after all!”