100 Swims: What 100 Cold Swims in the Amsterdam Canals Taught Me

During the first 100 days of 2023, I swam in the Amsterdam canals every single day.

This wasn’t my first time wild swimming in cold water as I regularly swim in winter and have taken part in New Year’s Day dives for years. What made this project different wasn’t the cold; it was the consistency.

One hundred swims.
No breaks.
No “I’ll do it tomorrow.”

Here are the key things I learned.

Cold is always cold: but your reaction changes

One important detail:
The first 100 days of the year are always cold.

If I’d done the last 100 days instead, I would’ve started in relatively warm autumn water and slowly adapted as it cooled. Instead, every swim began in genuinely cold conditions. I mean it’s January what do you expect.

1.

What changed wasn’t the water; it was me.

The shock never fully disappears, especially in the first moments. But over time, I learned how to:

• Control my breathing
• Stop panicking
• Let the discomfort pass instead of fighting it

That skill carried over into daily life. Stressful situations didn’t feel as overwhelming anymore.

2.

The hardest part is always the beginning

Every swim had the same structure:

• The walk to the water was uncomfortable
• The first moments were unpleasant thats that it so important (for me) to get in to my check quickly.
• Staying in became easier

This turned out to be one of the biggest lessons.

Most difficult things feel worst before and right at the start. If you can get past that moment ( whether it’s cold water, studying, or something scary ) it often becomes manageable.

3.

Small exposure, done often, works better than big gestures

I wasn’t swimming for long distances or long times. Most swims were short and simple.

What mattered was:

• Showing up
• Getting in
• Repeating it the next day

Cold showers and cold baths never stuck for me. But short outdoor swims, done regularly, did.

Consistency beat intensity.

4.

The benefits weren’t dramatic, they were however very real

• I didn’t suddenly become a new person.
• I didn’t lose huge amounts of weight
• I didn’t feel superhuman

But I did notice:

• Fewer extreme hot/cold swings
• A calmer nervous system
• A strong, reliable mood lift after each swim

The most noticeable effect was mental: a post-swim feeling of calm and positivity that made the rest of the day easier.

5.

You don’t need certainty to try something

The science around cold water swimming is mixed. Some studies are promising, others are cautious. What’s clear is that results vary between people.

The project reminded me that:

• You don’t need perfect evidence to experiment safely
• You can try something for a few weeks and see how it affects you
• If it helps, keep going
• If it doesn’t, stop

Listening to your own experience matters.

Final thought

The 100 Swims project wasn’t about bravery or toughness.
It was about learning how to meet discomfort calmly again and again.

Cold water was just the classroom.