The Ray’s- A lesson in self-care, motivation & wellbeing.

It’s an early morning in Melbourne, midway through May. It’s a frigid one degree Celsius and the morning sunrise is yet to break. The sand is cold but thankfully the wind is negligible. A small group of middle aged men muster the courage to remove their outer layers, before donning goggles and bathing cap (In this group wetsuits are frowned upon). I believe  how you enter the water says a lot about how you tackle life. Do you cautiously dip a toe? Or dive in head first? Either way, you have managed to find yourself out of bed when many still lie under the comfort of their doona!

Full moon in May

According to Sigmund Freud the founding father of psychoanalysis: “What decides the purpose of life is simply the programme of the pleasure principle, namely to gain pleasure and avoid pain.” Freud’s “pleasure principle” is a central tenet of his theory of human motivation. So what motivates me to take an early morning swim in Melbourne’s Port Phillip Bay as we approach the winter equinox?  The answer shines a light on the new science of behaviour change and wellbeing.

In her book ‘No Sweat- How the simple science of motivation can bring you a lifetime of Fitness ‘, Dr Michelle Segar highlights the process that I also have discovered in becoming an early morning, open water swimmer. According to Dr Segar, motivation and long-term exercise adherence centres on shifting the focus from abstract, long-term health goals (like disease prevention or weight loss) to immediate, personally meaningful benefits. She argues that most people struggle to sustain exercise when it’s framed as a chore or obligation tied to distant outcomes. Indeed, people are more likely to maintain exercise habits when they focus on immediate, positive experiences and reframe movement as an enjoyable and valuable part of daily life, rather than a future-oriented obligation.

I’m not going to lie. Initially I did receive a “wake up call” that made me take a step back and reassess how I move and what exercise best supports my wellbeing. To understand my initial motivation for getting back in the water and developing a swim routine for cardiovascular fitness you may want to read my previous  blog “what’s your vital lifestyle.”  Indeed, the primary reason to get back in the water after a 30 year hiatus, was purely pragmatic. My body could no longer take the impact of running and I needed to find a time efficient way of getting some cardiovascular conditioning.

Swimming seemed like my best option. Although I had been a keen cyclist in my formative years, a busy work and family life made dedicating hours on the bike unrealistic and impractical. Instead, 45 minutes  of cardio 3 x / week  was achievable. My aim was to ride in my lunchtime the 5 minutes between home and the pool, eventually build up my  swim to 1.5km and be back home in my allocated 45 minutes. This would complement my own home based resistance workout and mobility training on the other 3 days.

As someone who has supported others in changing and implementing new behaviour’s, I understood the key was to start small and build. Initially my goal was to go to the pool once a week, do a few laps and build up 100m each week. Once I was able to complete 500m in the water, my next step was to add another session. Once this twice a week habit was consolidated, It was time to build up my distance, a lap each week. Upon reaching my 1km target, I would add an additional third session and consolidate consistency at that distance, before gradually increasing the distance on one other swim. With gradual progression and consistency, over six months, I eventually build up to 3 pool session/ week,  swimming 1.5km in my lunch break.

This process of  starting small, reducing friction and gradually progressing to imbed a behaviour underpins the science of habit formation. The other critical factor is identifying a reward that helps motivate and consolidate the habit loop. Segar’s research would indicate that increasing cardiovascular fitness is not enough. Indeed, to get up at 5.30am and swim in the pitch dark in the middle of a Melbourne winter, I would have to discover a reason that was bigger and more intrinsically motivating. I had to connect to the “here and now benefits” of swimming.

As I have discovered, swimming has become more than just moving and cardiovascular conditioning. It’s a behaviour that ticks many other benefits that when imbedded fosters optimum wellbeing.

Be present.  

When swimming you cannot but become mindful of your movement and environment. With your head under the water there is little to distract you from your movement. There is no interruption from phone, email, work or family. The cyclical nature of your stroke, glide, kick and breath helps centre the mind- a moving mediation. Invariably after a swim my body and mind feel relaxed and calm. For me, swimming is more than physical heath- It’s the vital fuel I need to maintain emotional health and balance.

Just breathe.

The act of swimming forces you to connect and regulate your breathing. The first 5 minutes of a winter plunge is all about finding a rhythm and choosing to relax. It’s very easy to fall into a reactive tensing of muscles and corresponding hyperventilation. With practice you can develop control of your autonomic nervous system that helps regulation and getting better at stress. I feel this is one of the main reason I have a sense of equanimity during and after my swim.

Get out in nature and find a horizon.

After imbedding my pool swim routine, I decided to venture out into open water. There is something both satisfying and relaxing  when moving through a natural space. No longer do I have to contend with the chemicals and crowds of my local pool. The salt water has done wonders for my sinuses and hay fever.  Watching the sun rise as I take a breath connects me to this earth and fills me with gratitude.  As first light breaks, noticing the emerging sea life and patterns on the ocean floor, affords me a short break from my urban busyness. I leave the water feeling grounded and alive.

Cold can be good.

In the beginning I was sceptical, but taking the plunge without a wetsuit has not only been invigorating, It’s a habit that now sets me up for my day. Science is also discovering the benefits of cold water exposure. The release of epinephrine and norepinephrine in the brain and body helps increase energy and alertness. The release of dopamine can also elevate mood, enhance focus, attention and goal-directed behaviour. These are some of the surprising benefits I am experiencing with my early morning ocean swim.

The Ray’s swim community.

Exercise has generally been an activity that I have chosen to do alone. Having a tendency towards introversion, I have previously enjoyed the solitude that can come with swimming. When my son started at a new school, I was invited by one parent to join the “Ray’s” who meet at a local beach on most mornings.  Swimming with a group of like-minded fathers has also been a revelation. Besides enjoying a post swim coffee on the weekend, having the comradery of the group has definitely inspired me to get out in the cold water when dark. I can acknowledge the Ray’s as responsible for my transition to early mornings and the benefits for me of moving at the start of the day.

Stormy waters- A life metaphor

Like life, swimming in the bay all year round  can have ups and downs. It’s not always ‘plain sailing’ and conditions can get rough. When the waves are big and inconsistent you can feel like a cork bobbing around in a storm. On such occasions it  can be challenging to find a rhythm. You know you are doing well if you don’t drink a litre of salty water. On such occasions I have had some of my most rewarding experiences. As in life you have greater appreciation for the good conditions when they return. There is also something about remaining calm in the chaos, an important skill for taking action when faced with adversity.

The new science of motivation

My relationship to swimming is like a journey, not a destination, and like any process there have been changing motivations and experiences along the way. The biggest shift has been a shift in mindset from identifying a behaviour I “should” do to improve cardiovascular health to an essential fuel. In doing so, changing past experiences that make the activity feel like a chore, to develop a new, positive relationship with a behaviour that helps me perform at my peak… As a father, partner and coach.

Behind this process are a few important realisations:

Identify your “Why”: Sustainable motivation comes from aligning with your values, what is important  to you and why? Developing a personal wellbeing vision that inspires you is a critical first step.

Here is my current wellbeing Vision:

I would like to create a sense of calm and balance, prioritising my self-care and better manage my stress and anxiety so that:

• I can have the energy, health and resources to meet life’s challenges

• I can differentiate and work on what’s in my area of control

• I can be present at home and in my relationship

• I can be more aligned with my values and walk the talk

• I can be a positive example for my family and community

The next step is identifying the behaviours that when imbedded help you fulfil that vision. Moving regularly and developing my swimming was one such behaviour. And then…

Harvest Positive Feelings: One key is rebranding  the behaviour (swimming) as a source of daily joy, energy, and stress relief, rather than a duty for future health. Indeed the research highlights that you are more likely to stick with physical activity when you experience and expect immediate rewards like improved mood, increased energy, and reduced stress. This is the reward that reinforces your wellbeing habit loop

Permission and Self-Care: Another important mindset shift was to prioritise swimming as a form of self-care. Reframing swimming as a strategic choice to fuel what matters most and supporting my other life priorities.

Find your tribe: Being part of a community and leveraging social support can assist in long term compliance and habit formation. It can also increase enjoyment!

Wellbeing, a final word.

Wellbeing has a different meaning for everyone, but from my perspective wellness is optimum physical, mental, emotional health, with optimal being subjective to the individual involved. Wellbeing is affected by many elements in our lives and varies from person to person because each of us has a different combination of psychological, emotional, social and physical inner resources upon which we draw. Our wellbeing fluctuates depending on the events, challenges and experiences we encounter in our lives. More simply, wellbeing is a balancing act between life demands and the resources available.

From my experience my early morning swim routine ticks many of my vital pillars of wellbeing. I get the intrinsic benefits of:  Move, Connect , Breathe & Psychological Flexibility. All play a part in building my resources and help me experience optimal wellbeing. This only compounds my motivation to embrace the open water on an early winter’s morning .J

Thank you to the Ray's community for images and video :)

The Ray's ... A morning in May