A couple of weeks ago I posted a video on Instagram sharing a small part of my cold exposure journey. Little did I know that video would go a little viral and get over 1 million views. Three years of posting everyday, and I am an overnight success (I hope you caught the sarcasm there).
How I developed my cold exposure practice that has helped me become more mentally and physically resilient:
Almost 7 years ago I was going through one of the most stressful times of my life. There was both good and bad stress involved, but stress was to be found nonetheless.
My wife, Jilisa, was still battling a life threatening eating disorder and exercise addiction. If you want to learn more about that, click here.
My Mom had a major surgery to remove part of her lung due to cancer
We just moved into our first house
Our business expanded into a bigger facility @ Greater Purpose Health & Fitness
I was over training and under eating (call it… stress management)
I remember it very vividly that we were driving back from a weekend away in Canmore with Jilisa’s family and I started to get a really itchy neck. Right where my lymph nodes are. I have had hives in the past but this was different. Over the next couple days, I started to get more of them. They were hot and itchy. I even got them on the palms of my hands and bottoms of my feet. I tried to continue to work out but only made it worse. Any kind of pressure on my skin (like the barbell) would cause a severe flare up. It was getting worse. I went to the emergency room a couple of times because I was having a hard time breathing and my chest was getting tight. If I could liken it to anything, it was like I had hot water being poured on me that simultaneously made me extremely itchy.
I felt stuck. I remember breaking down and thinking that this was something that I would need to deal with the rest of my life. Praying that I would be healed and able to go back to training again. More on that in another post. Training had become an idol in my life.
I booked an appointment with a doctor in my local town, who suggested I get allergy tested, but in the meantime, I was given a very powerful prescription of topical and pill form steroids in hopes of bringing down the inflammation. I remember asking, “When will this go away?”. The doctor’s response was, “I don’t know if it will.”
I felt defeated.
I felt absolutely broken as I sat there in my 3 layers of clothing, trying to cover the hives all over my body and face waiting for my prescription to be processed.
Before I get to sharing my 5 step process, I want to share how this changed me spiritually. I couldn’t figure out why God wasn’t healing me. I was praying diligently. Begging that it would disappear so that I could go back to training and doing what I loved. I don’t know or understand God’s plans (do we ever?!), or everything that he has used or will use out of that struggle in my life, but I know it has and will continue to have a purpose in my life. If nothing more than to give me clarity that I am not my body. In the end, it’s my spiritual fitness that really matters. If it helped me become more refined and focused on His Kingdom, that’s what matters.
Here is the 5 Step Process I use personally (because you gotta practice what you preach) and continue to use with my True Alpha coaching clients
Step 1: Anchor - Find purpose in what you do.
Step 2: Measure- Find your starting point and track your progress.
Step 3: Commit- Create accountability and find a community that will keep you aligned to your commitments.
Step 4: Discomfort- Get outside of your comfort zone. That’s where the growth is to be found.
Step 5: ☑️ Invest - Make the daily, weekly, and monthly deposits into into your Fit5 Investing System.
-Mental.
-Spiritual.
-Relational.
-Professional.
-Physical.
Rinse & repeat.
If someone just took 1 step from this 5 step process to help them overcome and achieve more in life, it would be the Anchor Method. When you attach yourself to a purpose bigger than just the outcome, your chances of seeing it through skyrockets. I knew my story of struggle could be used in the future to help others. Over 1 million people to be exact. Find something to attach yourself to and your chances of success are inevitable.
Need help uncovering your Anchors in your pursuits? Book a free strategy call to see if my coaching or programs are right for you.
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