the first "unlock."

🐢 Getting into ice-cold water was really scary. It was truly a challenge — stepping out of my comfort zone.

You know when you’re making drinks and you have to dip your hand into a bucket of ice, right?

🎤 Yeah.

🐢 Even that feels freezing, doesn’t it?

🎤 Yeah, but this time it was completely different, wasn’t it?

🐢 Exactly. Your hands go numb right away. But this time, I had to put my whole body in.

When I went there, I joined a class.

🎤 Tell me about it. Do you have time?

🐢 Yeah, sure! There were 15 participants, and I went with two friends. Most of them were women — only me and one friend were guys.

And then the instructor started with a little psychological trick, saying, “Usually, women can stay in ice water longer than men — they have more endurance.”

🎤 Oh, here we go.

🐢 My friend and I looked at each other like, “Let’s see how long they can stay — we’ll beat that!” So it turned into a challenge. Most people lasted around 20 minutes, and some even made it to 30!

🎤 That long!?

🐢 Yeah. I managed 25 minutes.

🎤 First time — and 25 minutes!?

🐢 Yeah, I don’t even know how. Most people got out after 5–10 minutes. I think my body just went numb. When I got out, my whole body was red, but I felt incredibly free.

Because when you first go into the water, your brain immediately screams, “I can’t! Get out!” — “This is unbearable!”

But if you calm down, focus your mind, and pay attention to your breathing — yes, the breathing — the fear fades away.

So it felt like a birthday gift to myself.

🎤 You planned it in advance?

🐢 Yeah. My birthday is on the 18th, and I went on the 19th. I wanted to start my thirties in a meaningful way. That was my first “unlock.”