Mission To The Blue
- Kai Vorasiwa
- May 21, 2024
- 4 min read
Updated: May 22, 2024
'Blue Mind: How Water Makes You Happier, More Connected and Better at What You Do.'
This is the name of a book written by Wallace J. Nichols
Have you ever felt more relaxed and calm when you went to the sea, or only stared at the water surface?
I am a person who always escape to somewhere nearby the lake, sea, or river in order to recover my emotional and physical mess. Staring at water stream, listening to the sound of water hitting rocks, sound of splash, and observing the surroundings. I never realised how impactful the power of water was until I found this book.
As well as another book by Jessica J. Lee called 'Turning: Lessons From Swimming Berlin's Lakes'.
Since I discovered these two books, in the meantime, I went to the lake in Berlin with my friend after a long hectic day in Autumn. On that day, one idea popped up on my mind...
'Why don't I challenge myself try dipping my body into the lake in every single season?'
Of course! No excuse for Winter.
Started in October 2021, I have been visiting one lake to another and dipping myself into crystal clear water...
From the first idea about trying to do this activity in every season, was transformed into doing this in every single month instead.
I did not force the process, but I just realised after keep doing it for several months that it was a bit like my ritual routine since then.
I am not sure it is an addiction or it is an unconscious call from body to my soul...
"Hey! it's time to go to the lake! You haven't yet been there in these 3 weeks."... said my soul.
From October 2021 to September 2022...
Yes!!!!! I did it !
No follow up. No tracking tool.
Everything was natural and based on the instinct.
I achieved my mission, and it has been a year that I was so excited when I saw a sunny day in Winter. (I have to say 'sunny moment' because half an hour matters and is more than enough)
Once I already shared a short story about this (all-season-lake-dip) achievement on one of my Instagram posts, published on 10th November 2022. Here, I am rewriting this blog post again, in parallel with observing my recent feeling after mentioning 'I was so excited when I saw a sunny day in Winter.'
It is magical!
Now, while writing this sentence, I am surprised with myself about how happy I was on those sunny days, with the beauty of common things, and those authentic feelings.
From that Autumn 2021, this activity becomes my new hobby and may be my own mechanism for self-healing.
I was excited to prepare a bath suit, towel, blanket, bag for wet clothes, hot pads, sometimes a hot water bag or bottle, and some days hot coffee in a well-sealed tumbler. Also, I tried not to forget to bring some snack with me because this activity consumed loads of energy and power (even though I flashy soaked in the water), especially in Winter!!! Fuel is crucial!
What I learned from this new hobby? Seems like now it is not new anymore...
There are many takeaways actually...
'I learnt to break my fear and boundaries.'
'I learnt to be myself, trust myself, my thoughts, and my decisions.'
'I learned to be well-prepared with very full-conscious. And well self-observation.'
and I realised that I choose to break my boundaries in a more responsible direction than how I chose when I was younger. Back then it was wilder and more spontaneous. Now it is still spontaneous, but very well calculated. As you know, once we grow older, we can calculate any risk way faster.
For example,
I do not go to the lake in Winter alone without company.
I beforehand prepare tools that will keep me warm as much as possible, and those tools have to be able to access as fast as I can after coming out of the water.
I must make sure that on the day I do this activity, I am healthy and fit enough to handle the drastic difference of temperature.
// For anyone who lives their whole lives in the north hemisphere, may feel that I am exaggerated, but look at me, a girl from a tropical country, this is not the thing that my physicality will be approved. //
After all of these...
Yes I found that,
I can do anything I want, make my life adventurous and challenging, choose the most risky decision. However, I am not a teenager anymore so I choose to do it wisely like a grown-up people and in more responsible and conscious ways.
Be fearless to our soul.
And keep our gut conscious.
Life can keep being young and fun in a responsible way, in the way that is good to other people, and kind to this ridiculous world.
In the next post (I do not know yet when and which one), I will share about my favourite lakes. How I enjoy myself by the lake, tips, and further stories about my 'Mission To The Blue'.
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