{"id":784,"date":"2026-01-13T14:57:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:57:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hkn.b42.myftpupload.com\/?p=784"},"modified":"2026-01-13T14:57:02","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T18:57:02","slug":"a-fresh-start-to-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/?p=784","title":{"rendered":"A fresh start to the year"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Cold-water swimmer invites others to experience the benefits<\/strong> by Agnieszka Monk<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

My cold-water swimming journey began this past October, when a relative came to visit. He has been a cold-water swimmer for 13 years, and while I always found it fascinating, I never imagined trying it myself. Even in summer, I find the water cold. On the last day of his visit, he invited me to join him. Without
overthinking it, I said yes. He suggested I wear neoprene shoes and gloves\u2014and a hat on colder
days.
That same day, I went for my first swim. From that moment on, I was hooked.
As a mom of two young children, I rarely get uninterrupted time for myself. Cold-water swimming became exactly that. It gives me space to breathe and makes me feel alive\u2014physically grounded and
mentally clear.
Over the past three months, I\u2019ve noticed many positive changes. My mood has improved, my stress
tolerance is higher, and my mental resilience is stronger. My heart feels fuller, with a deep sense of
gratitude. I\u2019ve experienced better circulation, improved immunity, and more stable hormones. I have
found that cold-water swimming helps with inflammation, post- workout soreness, menstrual
cramps, fatigue, and improving my focus. Even imagining myself entering the water calms my
anxiety.
Just as importantly, I want my children to see that we are capable of doing hard things. By stepping
outside our comfort zone, we build strength, confidence, and resilience for life\u2019s challenges.
I am truly grateful for this habit, and hope my story inspires you to give it a try. Cold-water swimming
is a mental game\u2014the decision is the hardest part. Once you commit, the rest is simply getting
in and letting your body do what it knows how to do.
A few safety tips:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Cover your hands, feet, and head.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Enter the water when you\u2019re
    warm and it\u2019s not windy.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Slow your breathing and don\u2019t
    panic.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Never swim alone.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Consult your doctor before
    you try cold-water swimming
    if you have a heart condition,
    Raynaud\u2019s, thyroid disease, or
    other medical concerns.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Interested in trying cold-water swimming or dipping?<\/strong>
    If you\u2019re interested in trying cold-water swimming or dipping\u2014a briefer exposure to the water than
    swimming\u2014I\u2019m starting a group that will swim at Shining Waters Marina, 148 Nautical Way, Tantallon. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    We will meet at 10am on Saturdays. We can change inside at Shining Waters and stay for
    coffee or breakfast after our swim or dip.
    For more information, or if you would prefer a different day, you can contact me at agamonk@ymail.com or on Facebook (search Aga Monk).
    Agnieszka Monk<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n

    \n
    \"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Cold-water swimmer invites others to experience the benefits by Agnieszka Monk My cold-water swimming journey began this past October, when a relative came to visit. He has been a cold-water swimmer for 13 years, and while I always found it fascinating, I never imagined trying it myself. Even in summer, I find the water cold. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":785,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[175],"tags":[176,177,178],"class_list":["post-784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cold-water-swimming","tag-shinning-waters-marina","tag-swimming","tag-tantallon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=784"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/784\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/independent-white-fish.learmonthmarketing.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}