Y’all, I’m so proud of myself. 

Last week in Ireland, I took a literal leap of faith… right into the frigid waters of a lake in Ireland. We stripped down to our undies and charged in, goosebumps and all. 

I’ll admit, I was kind of freaked out at first, but the surge of energy that swept over me afterward was so invigorating.

While bobbing around in the ice-cold water, I took a moment to soak in the gorgeous views. There I was, in a breathtaking Irish lake, trembling from the cold and smiling ear to ear. 

I had one of those profound “wow” moments. I thought to myself, “This is living a life of YES.”

So many things in life can feel like cold plunging into a freezing lake. Things that are intimidating and downright uncomfortable at first. But we rise to the occasion, take the leap, and come out feeling energized and ready to take on the world. 

One example? Writing a book. 

I remember when my good friend Rachel was writing her first book. She tells this story about being ridden with anxiety, worried she wouldn’t like something once it was published, or worse, she’d wind up feeling completely embarrassed.

You know what I told her? 

You WILL feel embarrassed. There WILL be something you don’t like. So let that sh*t go, take the plunge, and write the damn book anyway. And you know what? She did! And her book went on to sell over 100,000 copies! Talk about a proud friend moment. 

Taking the plunge is such an important part of life, including asking for what we want. 

We often tiptoe around our desires, worried about coming across as needy, greedy, or high-maintenance. The act of asking can feel like a sting – similar to diving into icy water – because we’re terrified of rejection. 

But,  the worst-case scenario is that we’ll experience a fleeting, cold shock of disappointment. Just a temporary emotion. And the more we venture out of our comfort zone and face our fears, the easier it gets.

Another area of life that feels like a cold plunge?

Showing up as your full, unapologetic self. Wearing what you want. Saying what you want. Standing up for what you want. Going after your goals. These are the leaps that often scare us the most. It takes just one person’s snide comment or a well-meaning friend playing ‘devil’s advocate’ to make us recoil and second-guess ourselves.

But the real magic happens when we take the plunge, regardless of what others think or say. 

That’s when we truly start living.

Dive in. Take that plunge. Whether it’s in the literal icy waters of an Irish lake, or in the metaphorical sea of life. 

There are miracles waiting for you, just beneath the surface.