Back into the deep end

When I was younger, I used to deliberately shake myself up. That’s what I called it – doing something that felt scary, and stretched me. The more grown-up term is probably “stepping out of your comfort zone.” However you put it, I was reminding myself I was alive.

One of my first memories of doing this was, as a teenager, conquering my fears and jumping from the 10m diving platform at the local pool. A few years later, I bought a plane ticket for a solo backpacking trip around Europe (much less scary to plan than to actually commit to). In London, I worked and travelled, as Australians tend to do. I crewed on a yacht. And I crewed on a film. Then came Uni – O Week saw me abseil from the roof of the tallest building on campus. I joined the horse riding club and became highly skilled at falling off horses. After Uni – acting classes and performing on stage.

And then… routine. Somewhere along the line, the scariest thing in my life had become opening the gas bill.

But recently I bared my soul – and the rest of me – and joined 3,000 others for the Dark Mofo Nude Solstice Swim in Hobart. A dawn dip in the Derwent River … on Midwinter’s Day … naked. It was one of the most exhilarating things I’ve done in years.

The vibe on the beach was wonderful – a mix of anticipation, nerves, and laughter. And the water was freezing! But it definitely reminded me I was alive (at least once I’d recovered from the shock).

There’s no big life lesson here, or inspirational career metaphor. It was just plain, ridiculous fun, and a very refreshing reminder that I need to shake myself up more often.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!

Check out the event on the Dark Mofo Instagram reel.