5 Ways to Stay Motivated During Ducktober
By: Tina Birchall
Ducktober is back and it’s time to spread those wings and dive into our most rewarding challenge of the year!
With mental health at the forefront these past two years, it’s no doubt that an initiative like this can help bring light to life for those who are struggling with different degrees of mental health. And as we know, a conversation can change a life.
So take a sneak ‘beak’ below at how you can reap the benefits of this challenge and some awesome ways to stay motivated to ultimately raise awareness of mental health and funds for our life-changing surf therapy programs.
Benefits of cold water immersion every day
Cold water immersion is seriously all that’s it’s quacked up to be. You will find that the lead up to the event is much more shivering than anticipated and you’ll be wondering why those hairs on your arms where standing up in the first place! So what’s in it for you?
You’ll find yourself in a world of wellness full of feel-good hormones when it comes to cold water immersion with studies suggesting that it can help to alleviate the symptoms of depression and anxiety. Connect to your body and create a sense of calm, naturally teaching yourself how to use the power of your mind to handle everyday stressors.
It can boost your body’s immune system and improve its ability to fight illness. Check out some evidence here.
Ducking yourself in cold water can also speed up your metabolism, the rate at which your body uses energy and burns calories. Does this mean more snacks for those of us working from home? We think so!
With our only options for outdoor exercise or home-style YouTube workouts (has anyone else pulled a muscle doing these!?) these past few months, have you found your muscles are in need of a release? Cold water can help with this pain as it causes the blood vessels to constrict, reducing blood flow to the area.
Need some help to get a waddle on and stay committed to the challenge?
Check out a few of our motivational tactics to keep your energy at its peak:
Connect 4: why not ‘Connect 4’ and get four of your mates onboard to join you on the challenge? Whether it be within your trusty friendship circle, competitive family members or your supportive work colleagues, we all know that teamwork makes the dream work.
Do it your way– do you like to go with the flow or do you crave a bit of routine? Whether it’s a weekly planner where you jump in at the same time every day or perhaps you enjoy cranking up a playlist (which must include Vanilla Ice, ‘Ice, Ice, Baby’ on there!) before you take to the deep.
Put pen to paper – write down your goals before you kickstart your Ducktober challenge and also keep a daily journal (perhaps about how you felt before your dip in the cold and how you felt after). You’ll be absolutely amazed and proud of yourself looking back at how far you have come.
Create a ripple effect – why not sign up to become one of our ‘Ducktober’ ambassadors and allow others to follow your journey throughout the month? Be the inspiration. Be the change you want to see help others. Be proud of what you’re achieving. Use the hashtag #Ducktober on social media so we can share your journey!
Believe in yourself – most importantly, there is no better way to achieve something you put your mind (and body!) to than by believing in yourself. Your confidence will increase, you’ll embrace your superpower abilities and nothing will get in the way of achieving your goals. Need some inspirational guidance? Have a listen to Jay Shetty’s podcast here about building confidence and feeling stronger.
So what are you wading for?! Push those boundaries, get out there and join us on the most rewarding challenge of the year.