Reflections on Open Water Swims, Mindfulness, Depletion, and Overthinking

There’s something uniquely transformative about Open Water Swimming. It’s not just about the physical act of swimming; it's about the mental shifts that come with it. Today, I want to reflect on how these swims serve as a gateway to mindfulness, how they contrast with a hyper-stimulated, sedentary lifestyle, and how they impact emotions, depletion, and even overthinking.

Swimming in open water is unlike swimming in a pool. It forces you to adapt, to stay present, and to let go of distractions. Mindfulness, in a broader sense, is the practice of being fully aware of the present moment without judgment. Interestingly, Open Water Swimming acts as a shortcut to mindfulness. You don’t need to consciously strive to be mindful—the changing environment and the physical demand naturally anchor you in the now.

After long-distance swims, I notice a shift in my thinking and behavior. It’s not just about relaxation but about a deeper, subconscious alignment. Even activities like balancing on a motorcycle feel different, possibly because my focus has been heightened. This speaks to a larger point: success in any field, whether in sports, finance, or creativity, often hinges on subconscious processes. If Open Water Swimming helps me access and regulate those subconscious states, that’s a major advantage.

Another key aspect is how these swims contrast with the hyper-stimulation of daily life. In a world where we are constantly bombarded by digital content, music, and notifications, it’s easy to fall into a state of chronic stimulation. During the week, I find myself constantly listening to music. But after an Open Water Swim, I lose interest in it. It’s as if the swim resets my brain, making me less reliant on external stimulation to feel engaged or balanced. This reset makes me view Open Water Swimming as a “cheat code” to achieve a state of clarity without needing artificial distractions.

Depletion also plays a role. After a swim, I feel physically drained, but this depletion brings with it a sense of emotional resilience. I am less prone to frustration, less likely to seek coping mechanisms like music. This reminds me of how ketogenic diets have been used for epilepsy and mental health conditions. Just as a change in diet alters brain function, physical depletion through swimming seems to influence my mental state, making overthinking and stress feel less significant.

This leads to a broader realization: much of overthinking is an illusion. When the body is engaged and the mind is immersed in the moment, many of the thoughts that once seemed urgent fade into the background. While this conversation hasn’t fully proven that thoughts themselves are an illusion, it does highlight how easily they can be manipulated by physical and environmental factors. It’s an idea worth exploring further.

To sum up, Open Water Swimming serves as a powerful tool for mindfulness, helping to cut through the noise of daily life. It resets mental stimulation, builds emotional resilience, and reduces the tendency to overthink. If nothing else, it’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to clear your mind is to immerse yourself—literally—in nature.

Thanks for joining me in this reflection. See you in the next conversation.