I just celebrated my first anniversary. It was actually my “dip-aversary” – it’s been 1 year since I began cold-dipping in Lake Ontario. 🥶🥶

It was also dip 300 for me 🙂

Jumping waves, giving and receiving high-fives, and sharing some homemade banana bread with this lovely group of fellow dippers was just the perfect way to celebrate this milestone. Incredibly, a year ago I didn’t know any of these inspiring women, with the exception of one that I met back in high school. Today, a year later, I feel like I’ve discovered a treasure trove of wonderful and wise friends.

Here are some reflections I thought I would share that translate readily from cold-dipping to boardrooms to the kitchen table:

🤓 Go ahead and surprise yourself.

Never in a million years did I have an interest in spending more than 5 seconds in cold water willingly. But when a friend invited me to join her for a community cold-dip experience, I said “Heck, I’ll try anything once!” and haven’t looked back since. Often the biggest blockers and constraints are the mental objections we put in our way. I’ve become more adaptable, resilient and courageous as a result of this practice.

In your team, where are there unspoken and assumed assumptions that are limiting innovation? Where might there be some fixed mindsets in place that might indicate stress and have people clinging to the past out of fear rather than letting go and trying to reimagine future solutions? This is where something like the Adaptability Quotient (AQai) assessment can be helpful to give you a snapshot in time of how people are responding to stress – and which of the 15 dimensions it measures you might need to focus greater support and training on in order to move ahead.

🥰 Go with others who can laugh at themselves.

There’s encouragement, accountability and magic that happens when you find and foster a community of people who want to journey with you. I’ve been ensconced in so many different kinds of communities over the years, including some that ultimately were toxic and shaming that I left. Finding people who share a sense of humility and willingness to laugh at their pratfalls, and help you up from yours is key.

At work, we’ve all had experiences where you know your colleagues have your back and vice versa. But over the course of the pandemic we’re still bouncing back from some of the disconnection and isolation we’ve had. Keep time in your agenda for connecting socially and creating those spontaneous moments to connect as human beings, not just as co-workers.

🎉 Celebrate the moments.

It’s so easy to get busy and rush on to the “next thing” on the list of things that need to get done. Carving out the time for a daily dip at some point shifted from being a “task” into a foundational vote for myself and the quality of life I want to have. Celebrating getting in the water, seeing a pair of swans fly overhead, cheering on a newbie dipper as she steps into the lake, squealing with delight at a remarkable sunrise with fellow dippers … these small and precious moments of celebration of what it means to be alive has been remarkable.

It’s so easy in organizations to forget to recognize how far you’ve come and what, specifically, you’ve accomplished. Ensuring you create a culture where recognition and heartfelt acknowledgement really matters in a labour market where it’s tough to find and keep great talent. Remember that a rising tide lifts all boats, so celebrating individual achievements can inspire others to do the same.