Shaking Feathers with the Ducktober Salty Sisters
During Ducktober 2021 we were introduced to a group of women who banded together to become the Salty Sisters. After meeting during a WOW program at URBNSURF Melbourne earlier in the year, they made the commitment to the 20 day Ducktober cold water challenge. They’ve battled cold Melbourne mornings, lockdown restictions, juggled homeschooling, parenting, work and life to commit to the Ducktober cause and smashed their initial fundraising goal by over double the amount!
Today they share some of their Ducktober learnings and what the challenge has meant to them personally…
Staying Committed
I have really enjoyed having something to tick off my list each day, it gets me up and out of bed. Approaching the end of the challenge it started to become a bit of a chore, but as I push through I see the benefits of it calming my mind and giving me something to focus on.
I never planned on doing the challenge with friends and family each day, but they have put their hand up to join me which has been really touching and has shown me that I am not alone.
The Effects on their Mental Health
If I'm being completely honest, when I initially saw the challenge I wanted to do it to support the initiative by raising money and awareness. I hadn't actually realised how important this was going to be for me in this current climate. It's literally been life-saving.
The Power of Cold Water
I have always wanted to do some cold water therapy and have had it on my "on my bucket list". Taking the plunge into the ocean I have experienced something that was profound.
I think the most challenging part is the apprehension of knowing the water is cold and overcoming the obstacles that it provides.
On Participating in the WOW Women’s Program
My experience was life-changing. I've found a supportive group of women and I learnt that I am not alone in the thoughts or feelings I have. It was incredible to hear others speak of their struggles and empowering to learn and grow as a group.
The positive effects of participating in the program have been huge for me. I learnt how to speak confidently about my mental health and found a healthy and positive outlet to relieve my anxiety.
The more you put into a WOW program the more you will get out. It changed me for the better and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have participated in the program. That's why I committed to doing Ducktober - and have almost raised enough funds for two people to partake in the program.
THANK YOU, SALTY SISTERS!
You can sign up to 2022’s Ducktober challenge here.