Walking towards my fears – ES034 - a podcast by Karen Parry outdoor swimming

My guest this week is Emma, who describes her wild swim journey as walking towards her fears.



A few days on from the North East Skinny Dip, I'm still thinking about fear. 737 people completed the skinny dip. Running naked into the North Sea at sunrise. I was one of them.



Reflecting back on what we achieved, the challenge will be different for all of us. For many people the cold will have been their biggest fear. For others, the size and strength of the waves on the day. For others, it will have been connected to their bodies and how they feel about them.



Whatever our fears are, and wherever they originate from, they can hold us back. Emma's experience taught her to find a teacher or a mentor. To go at her own pace. To find techniques that work for you. To find a way to get over the fear.







Her journey is about believing in and trusting herself. To move away from self doubt and to build confidence.



She very beautifully explains her experience of "the worlds that open up when we try something new". And a real belief that if we take a leap of faith, a safety net will appear to catch us.



At the North East Skinny Dip, the net that appeared for me was a friend, right by my side, as we stripped off and walked into the sea. I did think that potentially one thing worse than being naked in front of strangers was being naked in front of people you know! But this wasn't the case.



Friends were my safety net that day. Now I'm just looking forward to seeing what worlds open up now I've tried something new.



Things we talk about



South Cerney Lake 86 and Lake 32, Dart 10k, Cheltenham lido, Swim Trek, Henley swim, Wild Wye, Bantham Swoosh, Hurly Burly, Dry Robe

Further episodes of Swim Wild Podcast

Further podcasts by Karen Parry outdoor swimming

Website of Karen Parry outdoor swimming