By Jasper Myers
A swim in the cold water of the Oyster River on Vancouver Island is how Leisha MacLennan starts her day and has been for more than 550 days since the beginning of February.
Her first swim was July 28, 2021. MacLennan is a barber who owns Black Creek Barber, which she operates out of her house, and began the Cold Water Cult, though she said she takes no credit for the organic growth of the group.
MacLennan opened Black Creek Barber in the summer 2022 on a part-time basis before taking it on full-time in September 2022. Before becoming a barber, MacLennan used to be an industrial climber in Fort McMurray, but when she had her daughter she needed to find something else.
B次元官网网址淚 had to totally retrain and find something that was suitable for mom life,B次元官网网址� said MacLennan. B次元官网网址淎s much as I love the job it just wasnB次元官网网址檛 feasible to be a full-time mom and work out of town anymore.B次元官网网址�
She thought about heavy machinery before landing on barbering. She went to the London School of Barbering and worked at other barber shops before starting her own.
Taking on her own business full-time, although a bit scary at first, felt better for MacLennan.
B次元官网网址淚t felt so much better, it makes you hustle harder,B次元官网网址� said MacLennan. B次元官网网址淚 find chair rental and self-employment makes you hustle harder, makes you work harder, because if youB次元官网网址檙e not doing anythingB次元官网网址ouB次元官网网址檙e literally not making money.B次元官网网址�
She also wanted to be home with her daughter and family more, and opening her business allows her to do that.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 so nice. My daughter takes the bus in the morning now, she takes the bus home. One time she chose the bus over me picking her up on the Harley.B次元官网网址�
She also loves working for herself because she has more flexibility in her schedule.
B次元官网网址淲hen I have gaps in my schedule I donB次元官网网址檛 have to get up at the crack of dawn, I can go swim down at the [Oyster] river,B次元官网网址� said MacLennan.
The first time MacLennan decided to go for a dip in the cold water she took her camera and recorded it. She said she wanted to see how long she could stay in, and then something else happened.
B次元官网网址淎fter having my daughter IB次元官网网址檝e been heavier,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淓very time I would see a picture of me, my self-esteem would go out the window completely because I didnB次元官网网址檛 look like the way I used to lookB次元官网网址atching myself on those videos, it gets me comfortable with how I look and it makes my brain go B次元官网网址榯hereB次元官网网址檚 nothing wrong with this, youB次元官网网址檙e good.B次元官网网址� B次元官网网址�
As she started swimming every day and going out to more places, she found it really nice to find other people doing the same. On Oct. 31, 2022, the Cold Water Cult was born with five people in the water for an inaugural swim.
B次元官网网址淓veryone in the group, theyB次元官网网址檙e like magnets, they get along so well,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e started to arrange what we call field trips because we meet at Saratoga and go there every dayB次元官网网址nd when youB次元官网网址檙e there every day you kind of want to switch it up.B次元官网网址�
MacLennan said the growth for the group was very organic and there are now groups for Comox, Nanaimo and a small one in Vancouver.
MacLennan said there are days she just doesnB次元官网网址檛 want to go swimming, but she forces herself to and is always happy she went.
B次元官网网址淚f I donB次元官网网址檛 do my swim in the morning, my day is drastically different than if I do it in the morning,B次元官网网址� MacLennan said. B次元官网网址淚 find IB次元官网网址檓 crabby if I donB次元官网网址檛 do itB次元官网网址hen you go in the water your brain goes into survival mode and thatB次元官网网址檚 the only thing that matters. So depression, anxiety, whatever youB次元官网网址檙e stressing about just kind of disappears while youB次元官网网址檙e in there.B次元官网网址�
This story is part of the Comox Valley RecordB次元官网网址檚 spring edition of Trio Magazine, which can be viewed .
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