Re-writing the narrative - a true story

For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I have become an advocate of wild swimming.

I started nearly 2 years ago, regularly going to the beach and swimming mostly when the seas were calm. More recently I joined a couple of wild swimming groups that meet and swim in local rivers.

You meet such a wide range of people in groups, people whose path wouldn’t ordinarily cross with yours and that is what makes it such and enriching experience.

You all have one thing in common, and sometimes it is just that one thing that brings you together and sometimes it is more. There is a core group of swimmers in both of the groups that I swim with, and as time goes by you get to know them on a more personal basis.

We all have our stories, we all have our history and wild swimming, for anyone who has tried it and caught the ‘bug’, is medicine for the soul.

The reason I am writing this blog is because of one lady in our group, Libby. Libby has already overcome so many adversities in life, as most of us can identify with. She already participates in hobbies that I would describe as scary and way beyond my comfort zone, but the coldness of the water was still creating anxieties.

One day in December, the winds were gusty, the air temperature was -4° C and the water temperature was around 6°C. Libby arrived at our meeting point. A little uncertain about the wind whistling through the trees, tickling the Willows along the river bank, as well as getting into the very cold water, we stood and chatted for a while. This uncertainty was understandable as when the water gets below 10°C it becomes deemed an extreme sport. All of us swim our own swim and listen to our bodies before embarking on wild swimming – whatever the temperature and time of year.

Grappling with fear of the windy conditions from a terrifying childhood experience of escaping a tornado in her childhood country of Canada, I remember saying one thing to her – ‘Is it time to change the narrative, you’re no longer a little girl but a fully grown capable woman.’

Her confidence boosted by the group and a realisation that the gusts were quite mild, Libby decided that she would give it a go, giving herself permission to exit the water at any time – wise thinking. Detaching yourself from any defined achievement allows you to attune yourself to your body's responses and differentiate between nerves and needs.

Whenever it is really cold, or if any of us haven’t dipped for a while, there is conscious attention to our breathing. Having done Wim Hoff training, I am very aware of the necessity of breathing properly when entering cold water. The Amygdala hijacks us as the cold water is sensed by our nervous system and fires warning signals to our brains alerting us of impending danger. Breathing properly allows you to override this survival instinct and is probably the most powerful and necessary act when embarking on such activities. Libby’s Amygdala had already hijacked her, reminding her of that terrifying event that scared her as a little girl so she did an amazing job at using her breath to overcome her fear.

We all entered the water, respectful of its power over our nervous systems and respectful of our own bodies. Taking time to acclimatise by entering slowly, although some prefer to submerse more quickly than others and as I said earlier - we all do our own swim – we collectively focused on breathing, checking in with those eager but a little nervous, that they were ok.

And then Libby was off! Initially, her voice was a mix of delight and shock as the cold water penetrated her attire and connected with her skin. Then, as she continued to breathe through the initial Amygdala hijack, her body responded and began to relax into it. This is the moment that euphoria usually hits as the endorphins created by overcoming fear and feeling joy, flood our bodies.

Staying in for the usual length of time that we would stay in, and enjoying every moment, Libby exited the river with such elation that it was infectious.

Pride didn’t come close to it. Whenever I witness anyone being brave and courageous and stepping outside their comfort zone to overcome their anxieties or limitations, I want to celebrate and encourage them to do so too.

Afterwards, I checked in with Libby, and with a big smile on her face she stated ‘I re-wrote the narrative.’

Post Script from Libby

You said to me to change the narrative, instead of being focused on my past experiences, to enjoy the excitement of that particular swim, which I absolutely did!! Every swim brings its different wonders, and thank you so much for supporting me with your wisdom and experience. Yesterday the swans swam with me, two were on the bank and decided to join us, she was so close I could’ve touched her. A day I shall never forget.