Morning Dip and Gratitude – When the Body Responds with Joy

A frosty morning by the lake, a cold morning dip and thoughts resting in gratitude. Here I share how the body actually responds when we practice gratitude – and how simple moments can fill an entire day with joy and calm.

Read this post in Swedish. ->Morgonbad och tacksamhet – när kroppen svarar med lycka

Morning Dip in Frost and Stillness

alt="Morning dip and gratitude – person wrapped in a towel sitting on a frosty lakeside bench at dawn, mist rising from the water in quiet stillness."

Yesterday I went for a swim with my wonderful swimming sisters. It was below freezing when I sat down in the car to drive the ten kilometers to the paradise by the lake. When I arrived, the water was steaming more than usual, and the sun had not yet climbed above the treetops.

Each step down to the water felt like a small tribute to life. The grass was white with frost, and the cold stung my fingers in that strangely pleasant way – like pressing a tender spot and not being able to resist.

I was the first to arrive and sat for a while in the silence. A fish broke the surface. The swim itself was quiet, without strokes. I simply floated and absorbed everything around me.

alt="Morning dip and gratitude – mirror-calm lake at daybreak with dense mist and bare branches in the foreground, serene autumn scenery."

Warmth, Everyday Life and Rest

When I came home, the feeling remained. I felt deep gratitude for giving myself that moment. After breakfast I went down to the basement and ironed my shirts. I love the warmth of the iron and the thought of how wonderful it will feel to put on a freshly ironed shirt.

The day continued in stillness. I brought in the small pots and irrigation system – now everything is ready for next spring. This week I might plant some garlic. Just the thought of harvesting my own garlic next year makes me happy.

Gratitude as the Body’s Own Medicine

In the evening, while frying meatballs, I let my gratitude grow. I thought about having legs to stand on, a stove, a family who appreciates the food. It may sound simple, but research shows that gratitude releases dopamine and serotonin – the brain’s own feel-good chemicals.

Read more about this science here: The Neuroscience of Gratitude.

When we consciously practice grateful thoughts, the stress hormone cortisol decreases, blood pressure can drop, and sleep deepens. It’s like giving the body an inner massage of calm.

Small Steps for a Big Difference

Would you like to try? Start small. Feel gratitude for a cup of coffee, for your breath, for a message from a friend. That’s where the everyday magic begins.

AHA – Between the Lines

I realize that I don’t only swim for physical well-being. I swim to remind myself that life is right here and now – in frosty steps toward the lake and in the warm steam of an iron. My days become whole when I choose to see that.

Reflection

It is in these small movements that I find myself. A silent dip, the scent of ironed fabric, a dinner of meatballs – all become a path back home to me. Here lives my happiness: simple yet strong.

Yesterday has already settled into history. Tomorrow waits further ahead. But right now – this is where life happens. In this very moment I can plant seeds that will grow into something in the future. – Carina Ikonen Nilsson

My Voice – Between the Lines

It is in the small moments that I come home to myself. In the steps down to the lake as the frost crunches under my feet, in the water’s mist, and in the warmth of the iron. I see how life reminds me that joy lives right here and now.

It takes no more than a silent swim, the scent of a freshly ironed shirt, or the sound of a fish breaking the surface. In that simplicity lies all the happiness I can carry. I choose to see it, I choose to live in it.