How Chill to Fulfill was born….

I grew up in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, and as the name suggests, we were right by the
coast. Swimming in the sea was just part of life. On sunny days, my friends and I
would be in and out of the water, playing on the sand, getting told off by me mam for
trailing sand through the house – then waking up the next day and doing it all over
again for weeks on end during the long school holidays.

Fast forward 35 years, and the closest I’d get to the sea was up to my knees!
That all changed about four years ago when I was working with a Life Coach. She
kept pushing me out of my comfort zone – as us life coaches do – and one of the
things she challenged me to do was a cold water swim. Well, I was having none of it!
It sounded horrendous. But she promised me I’d enjoy it and reminded me that the
whole point of working together was to push my limits.

At the time, I had a caravan next to the River Swale, so I had no excuse not to try.
The water was freezing! I absolutely hated it for the first ten minutes, but then
something changed – I started to enjoy it. The water didn’t seem as cold anymore,
and suddenly, I was transported back to my childhood. It was fun again.

Living by the sea, the first thing I did when I got home was head straight to the water
for a swim. It was a totally different experience to the river – somehow, it didn’t feel
as cold, and the waves made it more fun. But getting in was still a challenge! That
first icy step is brutal, but the feeling when you come out? Unbeatable.
Not long after, I found a local sea swimming group and decided to join. I’ve never
looked back – one of the best things I’ve ever done! You’ll find me in the sea at 5:30
AM every Tuesday morning, no matter the weather – whether it’s -4°C or a balmy
14°C, I’ll be there, loving life.

So, why do I do it? The sense of achievement, the fun, the endorphin rush that
keeps me buzzing all day. I also do it for the pain relief – I have Multiple Sclerosis,
and my pain levels can be high. Like most people, my mood can dip too, but cold
water really helps. It eases my back and leg pain and gives me an energy boost that
nothing else does.

When I talk about my love of cold water swimming, the waterfalls I’ve dipped under,
the lakes I’ve swam in – loads of people say they’d love to try it. But then come the
‘buts’…

“I don’t want people to see me in a swimming costume.”
“It’s going to be way too cold.”
“What if I can’t do it?”

That’s why I created Chill to Fulfill – to take away those ‘buts’ and help people feel
encouraged. We start with a guided meditation to get into the right mindset, then we
take the plunge. And by the time we’re in the water, everyone is smiling, buzzing,
and loving it! After the dip, we warm up in the steam tent for the ultimate hot-cold
contrast, then go in for another round. Everyone who’s done it knows exactly why I
do it – it’s honestly life-changing.

Fancy braving the chill? Drop me a message, check out my website, sign up for my
newsletter, and I’ll see you in the water soon!