Reap the Benefits of a Cold Shower

Over the past few months, I have condensed all of the self-improvement knowledge that I have found from various books, articles and podcasts into something more manageable than notes spread throughout my computer. This undertaking has sparked an intense interest in a few specific topics involving self-improvement through everyday activities.

One daily activity that everyone should be familiar with is a shower. Nice, long, warm showers. But what if, instead of taking that fog your mirror kind of hot shower, you turn the temperature down? Bam! A cold shower. This simple to accomplish way to improve your life has peaked my interest and now been incorporated into my daily practice.

As I stumbled upon a few people raving about taking cold showers, I found commentary all over the internet ranging from the benefits it can provide to the discipline necessary for stepping into the water. Various experiments have been completed and a countless number of people have self-experimented to determine the personal affects of cold showers. With this surprisingly vast database of knowledge available to me, I decided that personally experimenting with cold showers could be beneficial. Something as simple as taking a cold shower seemed like an easy addition to my routine.

The month long trial run that I began resulted in a greater appreciation for taking showers and opened my eyes to the benefits that a cold shower can provide. Now that cold showers are practically an everyday thing for me, I wanted to sit down and discuss everything there is to know about a cold shower.

What actually is a "Cold Shower?"

Cold shower: A shower with a water temperature that is below 70°F.

In normal shower terms: Keep the nob of your shower in the the cold section (at most halfway turned). Pretty easy right? I would go as far as saying so easy that you couldn't mess it up. This definition may sound obvious but a good foundation and detailed understanding of the fundamentals can be the turning point in getting started. A cold shower is a mental game, not rocket science.

The key to beating the game is preparation

To begin the game you need to prepare mentally. A good starting point for this mental preparation is to know exactly what to expect. My month long experience, combined with experimental research and testimonials from other cold shower enthusiasts provides that perfect reference point.

The toughest roadblock throughout the entire experience was and will always be the initial cold shock. Trust me when I tell you that you will be shocked once that cold water hits. But even before you turn on the shower, the anticipation of partaking in the uncomfortable will get your adrenaline pumping. Your heart will start to race. As you reach for the handle to turn the water on, self doubt will creep into your mind. This is really the only step where the chance of failure is at its highest. This is the point where I personally have given up and failed to continue the most.

From experience, the most common excuses that fill your brain include;

• "I don't want to do this"

• "I can't"

• "The water is too cold"

• "This is not going to feel good"

• "Why am I doing this?"

• "Just take it easy and take a warm shower, it feels better"

• "This is stupid"

Be aware of the tricks your mind will try to play. The self-doubt will be intense. The excuses, plentiful. My advice for when this occurs; Notice that you are having these thoughts and ignore them. Keep on going. Each time that I gave up, I would always look back in disappointment at myself for not having the discipline and courage to follow through. When I was able to finish a shower, I was always left feeling glad that I did it and proud of myself for pushing through. It helps to remember that it is just water. It can't hurt you! Once you build up the courage to ignore the fear, you enter into the second stage.

Brace yourself

When you turn the water on there is no turning back. No matter how many times I have taken a cold shower, the cold shock and loss of breath is inevitable once the water hits your skin. Other fight or flight mechanisms that you may experience include teeth chattering, goosebumps on the skin, or an increase in stress hormones. To counteract this as much as possible, take three deep breaths and turn the cold water on...

*An alternative for those wanting to begin a little more smoother: Start the shower at a normal temperature. Gradually start to turn the handle as the water gets colder. Each time you turn the water temperature down, take a second, get accustomed to the cold, and keep turning. You want the water just cold enough that you start to feel uncomfortable. For pros with prior cold water experience, the knob should be all the way to the right to obtain the coldest possible water.*

When the cold water initially hits your head and trickles down your body, you will lose your breath. Your brain will freak out for a couple of seconds and all of the negative thoughts will be amplified. Those first 5 seconds are tough!

However, at this point you are already in the game so you might as well go through with it. Try and take deep breaths until you get your breath back. To make the situation a little easier, I recommend letting your back take the brunt of the water so you can at least breath without water going into your nose. When you are able to regain your breath, it becomes somewhat possible to embrace the cold. After another couple of seconds, you start to get used to the cold and the water feels bearable. After 30 seconds, it almost feels like a normal shower. Everything after that point is a piece of cake! I recommend staying underneath the water for 2 to 3 minutes while completing your normal shower tasks.

The feeling of accomplishment once you step out of the shower is unmatched. A combination of pride, feeling refreshed, and a slight chill will hit you all at once. In the summer time, this feeling is priceless.

The Benefits of a Cold Shower

To support what I was physically and mentally experiencing, I dove into prior research involving cold showers. Through this research, the profound benefits became aware to me and were substantiated by my experiment.

Before getting into these benefits, I want to make clear the potential issues (although limited) that could arise. Obviously as you will find out through actually taking cold showers, there will be the limitation of discomfort. However, by repeatedly conquering this limitation, you will be able to strengthen your mental fortitude.

The only other area of concern revolves around taking a cold shower while sick. Similar to when being outside in the cold can make you more sick, taking a cold shower while sick can potentially increase your symptoms. Use your own discretion and if you are indeed sick, focus on healing yourself before getting back into the cold shower. Other than that, I couldn't find any other problems that were caused by cold showers. In my opinion, if these are the only issues, I am all in. I'd find it hard to think that you wouldn't agree, especially with all of the benefits you are about to read!

Now let's break down these benefits! *Keep in mind that these are all potential benefits that may occur. Benefits can vary person to person and you may experience all or none of them*:

• Helps to Relieve Symptoms of Depression: According to the article, "Cold Shower Benefits for your Health," taking a cold shower for up to 5 minutes, 2 to 3 times per week was shown to help relieve symptoms of depression in a clinical trial. The reasoning behind this is that the cold water sends electrical impulses to your brain as it hits your body. These impulses jolt your system and ultimately increase alertness, clarity, and energy levels. Endorphins (sometimes known as the happiness hormones) are also released from the body shock. The endorphin release causes feelings of well-being and optimism which can help to overcome symptoms associated with depression.

• Calms Itchy Skin: Pretty self explanatory here.

• Reduces Stress Levels: Regularly taking cold showers imposes small amounts of stress on the body which can lead to a physical process called hardening. Hardening causes the nervous system to become used to handling moderate levels of stress. Overtime, the ability for the nervous system to deal with stress is increased.

• Increased Alertness: The shock that is caused by the cold water hitting your skin increases oxygen intake, heart rate, and alertness. The cold also stimulates deeper breaths, decreasing the level of CO2 throughout the body and increasing concentration. Because of this, cold showers can keep you ready and focused throughout the day. From personal experience, I always feel refreshed and awake after taking one.

• Decreased Water Usage: Cold showers can inevitably lead to shorter showers as you try to get out of the water as fast as possible. This is great because it reduces your water usage (good for the environment) and helps save you some money (on your heating and water bills) as you eliminate those long warm showers.

• Increased circulation: As the cold water hits your warmer body and external limbs, circulation is constricted on the surface of the body. This causes blood in deeper tissues to circulate at faster rates to maintain ideal body temperature.

• Reduced Muscle Soreness Post-workout: As the cold water brings the temperature of an area on the body down, the delivery of warmer, freshly oxygenated blood is sped up to that area. This ultimately helps to speed up recovery time and decreases inflammation.

• Boost Weight Loss: Although there is a lack of extensive research correlating cold showers to this, some fat cells such as brown fat can generate heat by burning fat when the body is exposed to cold conditions. As these cells burn fat, there is the potential for weight loss.

• Increased willpower: A strong mind and discipline is needed to endure the cold for extended periods of time. By incorporating cold showers into a daily routine, you are strengthening your willpower which can benefit many aspects of daily life.

• Strengthened Immune System: The body is designed to become resistant to the elements that it is exposed to. For example, the shock of cold water can stimulate and increase the amount of leukocytes (white blood cells) in the bloodstream. White blood cells are what help fight infection in the body and protect your body against diseases. Researchers believe that this process results from an increased metabolic rate caused by the shock that stimulates the immune response. Other research has shown cold shower's potential to improve glucose and lipid metabolism, improve cognitive performance, and enhance immune function.

Not bad right! It is important to note that cold showers are not a magical cure-all for any condition but can be a solid supplement to traditional treatments. It may even help to improve symptom relief and general well-being. Just remember it is not a replacement.

Taking the Plunge

If you made it this far, you are ready to start incorporating cold showers into your routine. Since the beginning of my personal experiment, I have grown accustom to the cold shock and mental block that comes with cold showers. The initial moment remains shocking but the mentality that I go into the shower with has evolved and prepared me.

To be honest, there are random days when I am tired that make taking a cold shower brutal. There have been days when I have not felt like keeping that water cold, and I give into the urge. As I have come to find out, when you stop the routine for a prolonged period of time, it can be hard to get back on track. However, once you build the habit it is easy to keep going. A majority of the issue is mental. If you are able to get over the fact that the water is cold and look at the benefits a cold shower can provide along with the reasons you are taking one, you will succeed.

It is also necessary to mention the importance of understanding your limits. Develop an understanding of when you really need to give yourself a break. After completing a couple good days of cold showers, reward yourself and take a break for a day. Just remember to keep it up the next day. Personally, I will take cold showers 5 days a week. Those other two days are my reward days.

If you want to get started, I would recommend trying everything you have read over the next 3-5 days. If the day before wasn't too bad, the next time you take the plunge, make the water slightly colder. Try to last for another minute or two in the colder water. Play with the temperature as you get more comfortable. You might even find that you look forward to turning the hot water down.

The mindset is key

It is of vital importance to make sure you are in the right mindset. The first couple of weeks were not fun to say the least. Over the long run however, the consistent practice has resulted in habit formation that keeps me going the next day. I say all of this to prepare you! There is no point in falsifying the truth and saying that it feels great at first. As long as you make the commitment to get in there and do it, the rewards will come. The issue most people have is that they do not fully commit and lack discipline. When you remain iffy and resist commitment, the brain will immediately overwhelm you with every negative excuse in the book and resist/protest as much as possible.

From my experience, the overall benefits and developed discipline have definitely paid off and contributed dividends to my journey towards self optimization. Take your plunge and work to develop the habit of taking cold showers! Who knows what you will find within yourself.

Reference articles:

https://www.wimhofmethod.com/benefits-of-cold-showers

https://www.healthline.com/health/cold-shower-benefits

Until next time,

Tim Phillips

#TheTimPhillipsExperience #SelfImprovement #TPE #ColdShowers #JustDoIt

How to Create a Bucket List

The term bucket list was first popularized in 2007 by the film, 'The Bucket List' starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. *Spoiler alert* In the movie, two terminally ill men escape a cancer ward to go on a road trip with a list of to-do's before they die. Back in 1999, the screenwriter Justin Zackham was trying to come up with a phrase for a checklist that he referred to as, “Justin’s list of things to do before he kicks the bucket.” Once the list was complete, he decided to name it “Justin’s bucket list.” After a few years passed, he realized his idea might make for a good movie, so he began writing. The rest is history!

Fun fact; The term bucket list originally meant: A list of things that one would like to do before dying—that is, before “kicking the bucket.”

Over the past decade, the term bucket list has exploded in popularity and has been used by travelers and people of all ages to describe their fantastical dreams of exploration. Social media has become saturated with varying forms of the saying, and there are hundreds of articles describing the 'Perfect' bucket list. Recommendations for ideal travel locations and amazing feats of accomplishment can be found with the click of a button. Yet these endless possibilities pose a new challenge: How can someone come up with a narrowed down list of the best vacations and goals to accomplish when there are so many to choose from?

I have always enjoyed detailing life plans and creating an organized way of keeping track of everything that I do. This gift/curse (however it may be seen) has provided me with various processes that I have used to optimize goal setting and life planning. However, I have always struggled to create a list of vacations and life goals to complete before I, "kick the bucket." That is when I stumbled across the bucket list and began trying to develop my own.

I started by reading into the terms origins and diving into way too many articles about the best places to go, and top things to do in life. There were way too many options, so I decided that I would come up with an optimized process for creating my own personal bucket list. The development of this process was a struggle at first, but the result has been rewarding. The lessons that I have been able to implement have provided me with clear direction and exciting possibilities.

If this all sounds like something that would be interesting to create, keep reading. If you have not made one yet, I 100% recommend that you continue to read. The process of creating a bucket list instills a transformative mindset that will help you prioritize future dreams and aspirations while providing lasting excitement. This list will create a foundation for goal setting, and outline your journey towards continual improvement.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” - Tao Te Ching

*Warning* Creating a bucket list will not be easy. It is not for the faint of heart nor for those who lack patience. Creating this process took me time, and I quickly realized that the mindset of getting this done as fast as possible would not fly. It became apparent that I would need to deeply reflect on my personal aspirations for life in order to figure out why each idea would bring me joy. However, I realized that as I put more time into the process, the better the list ended up turning out and the more meaningful the trips became.

With that being said, a personal bucket list should be just that. Personal! Try to ignore the outside noise and what everyone else is presenting. Make it what you want, and how you want it! If something doesn't interest you, don't include it on the list. By creating a bucket list, you are ensuring that you will have no regrets later in life about missing out on the trips and journeys that would have brought you joy. Here are the 5 steps to creating a bucket list.

The 5 Steps to Creating a Bucket List

1. Find an ideal location

Let's make the first step easy in order to get the ball rolling. One of the most important steps in creating a bucket list is to record it somewhere meaningful. This sounds simple right? It should be, but most people struggle with following through on this critical step. Some believe they can just remember it. Others will write down a preliminary list and then forget where they put it. The point of this step is to ensure that the list will be seen consistently.

Studies have shown that people are 33 percent more successful with achieving their goals when they write them down, share them with the world, and are held accountable with weekly updates.

The location of your list can take the form of a physical piece of paper placed in a visible location, or through notes in a quality journal or notebook. If working with a computer or phone is preferred, word documents, note apps, and/or excel files work great. Alternatively, sites like Bucketlist.org or BucketList.net provide a great resource for note keeping. With these sites, it is possible to create a profile that contains a record of goals, achievements, and even provides opportunities to meet with others who want to achieve similar life goals.

I use Apple Notes to store my personal bucket list. I like it the best because I am able to pin the note at the top of the app. This gives me daily access, and provides an easy option to update it if needed. Apple's connectivity between devices also allows me to see the note on my computer, phone, or watch so that I will always be able to refer to it no matter what device I am using.

2. Brainstorm destinations and accomplishments

In order to identify dream destinations and life accomplishments, a brainstorming phase needs to occur. This is the fun part! Have dreams of visiting far away places? Write it down. Are there any places close to home that look exciting? Add it to the list. Start thinking of vacations that have always been of interest to you. My rule of thumb is to include any idea that pops into your mind and creates a feeling of excitement. Don't forget that the brainstorm list is just a list of dreams so no idea is too big or too small.

If you struggle with brainstorming, go on to Bucketlist.org. Open social media and look at places friends have traveled to. Become inspired by others who have completed some of their bucket list goals. Other sources of inspiration include magazines, bucket list hashtags, and diving deeper into favorite movies or shows. Think about locations in the shows that left an imprint on you, activities the various characters did, and elements of the storylines that were intriguing. There are an unlimited amount of resources full of great examples.

Physically recording the brainstorm bucket list in a solid location (hopefully chosen during the first step) represents a commitment to oneself, and turns those ideas that are written down into tangible goals. These ideas are no longer wishful thoughts but doable aspirations. If you hit a wall, go take a break and look back at the list at a later time. It is always possible to add more ideas later.

The length of a brainstorm list is completely decided by the creator. There is no magic number of places to travel to or feats to accomplish. This is the time to allow your imagination to run wild. Do not put limitations on something that is meant to unravel your dreams. With that being said, I recommend having a minimum of twenty goals for destinations, and twenty goals for accomplishments. Remember that this is a minimum so try and come up with as many as possible.

These ideas should also have varying levels of difficulty. They can range from hiking a small trail behind your house, to running a triathlon. Visiting Australia to going to the park next door. Some ideas included in the brainstorm may be checked off in a weekend, while others will be lifelong journeys. It is important to be aware of this going in. Including short-term goals that can easily be completed will provide a sense of accomplishment and help provide motivation for the other ideas that might take years.

Once your brainstorm bucket list is in a good spot, move on to step 3. Bask in the glory that comes from creating a list of dreams that could one day become reality. By continuously working toward (and checking off) each idea, it will become commonplace to turn the sense of achieving into a good habit.

3. Narrow down the options

The next step in the bucket list process is to narrow down the brainstorm list into a top 10 list. To do this, figure out the places and accomplishments that you are most looking forward to as you read over them. Ask yourself why it excites you and what completing that idea will do for you. For example, say you are interested in traveling to Alaska. Some questions to contemplate include, "Why do I want to go to Alaska? What will going to Alaska provide me with?" This will help to narrow down your choices. Since I recommend creating a list for places to visit, and accomplishments to complete, make sure to pick 10 items for each list.

Remember that there is no need to organize any of the goals in any order yet. That will be done in the next step. It is also important to store the remaining brainstorm list in a safe place. Once your actual bucket list becomes inevitably complete (due to your increased sense of adventure that has stemmed from achieving your dreams), it will come time to create a new bucket list. That is exactly when it will be valuable to pull back out the brainstorm list so that it is possible to reuse your old ideas instead of starting from scratch.

You now have a top 10 list. It is time to create order and finalize your bucket list. Move on to step 4.

4. Create Order

Finally! A narrowed down list of your top 10 dream destinations and life goals to accomplish. Now is the time to really dive into each idea and decide the order in which they should be completed. From 1 to 10, determine where each idea should rank. 1 should be the idea that is the most exciting to you and the one you want to complete first while 10 is the idea that still presents a high level of excitement, but can be saved until the end. This numbered list will provide a structure that can be followed when trying to determine what vacation to take next. Each idea on this final list should be what you are looking forward to, but it is important to know which will bring the most joy and excitement.

5. Go out and do it

Congrats! You now have a bucket list. Your very own. The best part is getting to actually do what you planned. Look at the number one item on your places to visit list and plan a vacation. Go do it! Create a plan for how you are going to accomplish your number one goal. Go get it done! With all the time spent figuring out what to include on the bucket list, get out and enjoy the fruit of your labor.

“Some people want it to happen, some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” - Michael Jordan

As you are traveling along this bucket list journey, keep updating your list. Continue to add more or change the list as you feel. As life goes on and something is accomplished on the list, cross it off and add the date it was completed. Replace items on the list that are no longer relevant. This is a living document that should follow you through life. Only do what you feel you would enjoy. This will make life so much more enjoyable!

Following this process has given me a path to follow and vacations to look forward to. I have been able to explore areas of the world that I previously could only dream of and have planned more trips that I get to look forward to. I hope you are able to find as much joy in the process as I have. Now get out there and explore this wonderful world.

Until next time,

Tim Phillips

#TheTimPhillipsExperience #Vacation #BucketList #TPE #Ideas #Productivity #Accomplishment #JustDoIt #Checklist

The TP Experience Updates

Check out this post for updates that are made to the site. Keep track of all the changes that have been made as the site transforms.

7/24/22:

- More articles added to the Archive.

- Updated the Music page with new songs.

- New Podcasts added to my Spotify Favorite Podcast Playlist

- Merged the Comedy page into the TP Club page

- Relocated the Quotes page under the About page

6/10/22:

- More articles added to the Archive.

- Added favorite pictures taken to Photography page.

- Updated my workout numbers on the Workout page.

- Updated the Music page with new songs.

05/12/22:

- More articles added to the Archive.

- Added favorite pictures taken to Photography page.

- Updated the store with my most recent NFT videos.

- Updated my workout numbers on the Workout page.

03/27/22:

- Added pages called Fantasy Sports and Athletics. Fantasy sports holds the standings for the leagues that I run, tips and tricks for winning in fantasy, and my fantasy analysis. The Athletics page presents the sports that I am currently playing and past statistics from leagues that I have played in.

- Updated site with my new Genies avatar.

- More articles added to the Archive.

- Added favorite pictures taken to Photography page.

- Updated the Music page with new songs.

- Updated the store with my most recent NFT purchases.

- Added my personal workout and numbers to the Workout page.

- Updated the Inspirations page with different categories of my inspirations.

01/09/22:

- Updated the Music page with new songs and created The TP Experience Archive Spotify Playlist.

- Added more articles to the Archive

- Added favorite pictures taken to Photography page

01/02/22:

- Updated the Music page with new songs and created The TP Experience Music Mashup Spotify Playlist.

12/26/21:

- New blog post posted: How to Create a Bucket List

12/24/21

- Added more articles to the Archive

- Added favorite pictures taken to Photography page

- Updated Music Page with new country music

12/09/21

- Added more articles to the Archive and Workout page

- Added recent pictures taken to Photography page

11/25/21

- Updated the Music page with new songs

- Added more quotes to the Quotes page

- Updated the header format and reorganized the Home page

- Added new videos to the Comedy page

- Added pictures to the Cookbook page

Until next time,

Tim Phillips

#Updates #TheTimPhillipsExperience #Website #TPE