Eight Degrees, A Sauna, and Why London Keeps Me Here...For Now

It's Saturday morning in London, minus two degrees, and I was on my way to Shoreditch. The plan? A sauna and an eight-degree plunge pool. Voluntarily. And to make it even more absurd, because I am so disorganised I ended up booking it the night before after one too many glasses of Greek white wine. Spontaneity and poor judgment?

Maybe.

But it all worked out.

This isn’t really about the plunge pool, well, not entirely. It’s about London. The city I was born in, the city I thought about leaving during the pandemic, and the city that somehow keeps surprising me.

Two years ago, I gave myself a challenge: say yes to things that scared me, that felt unfamiliar, that pushed me out of my comfort zone. And while the Year of Yes officially ended, the lessons stuck. Like this one: sometimes, it’s the things you resist most that bring you the most joy.

So, when Anita suggested saunas and cold plunges, my first instinct (for about 30 seconds) was to make an excuse. Because I’m not really a “wellness girl.” But then I remembered what the Year of Yes taught me, and I said,

“Sure, why not?” - ha!!

Anita hails from Australia, and we met in one of those fleeting, serendipitous London moments. You know the one, a quick chat at work, being on a panel together at work and an instant vibe check. It’s the kind of connection that only happens here.

There we were, sitting in a sauna hot enough to make you question every life choice, having one of those realconversations that feels so rare. No distractions, no small talk. Just two people sharing who they are. It was simple, grounding, and a reminder of why I love this city.

Afterwards, over lunch, we talked about everything, life, values, what matters to us. And I kept thinking, where else but London would two people from such different places end up connecting like this?

The plunge pool itself was set to eight degrees, and let me tell you, those two minutes felt like an eternity. Anita, who’sinto all things wellness (and doing a dry January), coached me through it: “Breathe deeply, keep your shoulders under, focus.” It was weirdly meditative, even as my body screamed, 

What are you doing?!

When I climbed out, legs still tingling from the cold sensation, I stood there for a moment, soaking in what I’d just done. I felt… accomplished. Invigorated. Like I’d proven something to myself.

I get it

London is chaos.

It’s noisy, expensive, and gets an unfairly bad rap.

During the pandemic, everyone talked about leaving, big gardens, quiet suburbs, cheaper houses. And yeah, I was tempted. But as much as I dream of a big garden, there’s no other place where I could have booked a random wellness session and ended up having such a meaningful morning.

It’s the place where you can decide, on a random Friday night can  book a wellness session after too much wine and actually show up. It’s where you bump into someone like Anita at work, share a few minutes of genuine conversation, and end up with a core memory of icy plunge pools and deep chats in saunas.

London is loud, chaotic, and yes, a bit grimy at times. But it’s also electric. It’s the people, the stories, the energy. The city isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t pretend to be. And maybe that’s why it works. It lets you (and me) be imperfect too.

And sure, there are days when I daydream about a big garden and quiet mornings somewhere far away. But every time I step out into the streets of London, I’m reminded why I stay. Because where else could I live a life that’s so full of possibility, so full of unexpected connections? Where else would the chaos feel so much like home?

If the Year of Yes taught me anything, it’s that stepping outside your comfort zone opens doors you didn’t even know were there. Whether it’s sitting in a freezing plunge pool or connecting with someone new, saying yes has a way of leading to the best moments.

And while London has been the backdrop to so many of my yeses, I know the story doesn’t end here.

Who knows where I might say yes next?

So here’s to London, to saying yes, and to the endless possibilities that come with it.