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    Inspiration,  MINDSET

    Top photos from 2019 – A story behind: Part 1

    During 2019 I spent a lot of time in the water. That is something that truly shows on the photos that are taken during last year. Some of the photos I have shared on my blog and also at my Instagram account @nicoleedensbo. In this post I present the photos that have been the most appreciated together with a story behind it. Enjoy!

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    The Cyclop

    This photo is taken in the southern parts of Peloponnese, Greece, in the peninsula called Mani. Mani is one of the most beautiful places on earth with its, somehow, penurious and at the same time so rich and magnificent landscape above the surface. The landscape under the surface was also magnificent and we found an element that was not originally a part of the underwater landscape but created by human hands. At -12 meters there was an anchor bigger than any anchor I had ever seen with which we made some extraordinary shots that can be found on my blog and my Instagram account.

    Nicole Edensbo in the Aegean Sea of Mani, Peleponnese. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

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    The Calypso Deep has a depth of 5,267 meters. “…speaking of magnificent landscapes.”

    Calypso Deep

    Speaking of magnificent landscapes, I found a place on Earth where I for sure will go back to explore more. This photo was taken while exploring the Ionian Sea on the western part of Peloponnese. The rocks were steep, entering the water creating arches, underwater caves and depths hard to reach with one breath. Not far from here the deepest part of the Mediterranean Sea is situated. The Calypso Deep has a depth of 5,267 meters. “…speaking of magnificent landscapes.”

    Nicole Edensbo freediving in the Ionian Sea, Greece. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

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    The editing of this picture creates and abstract image with room for fantasy and imagination.

    Imagine

    When looking at this photography one can almost believe it was taken during night time with the moon light shining through the surface landing on the back of the monofin and the back of the diver’s body. That was actually not the case. The photo was taken with the sun in the middle of the sky, in the deep blue waters of Kalamata. The photographer has done an amazing work though. The editing of this picture creates and abstract image with room for fantasy and imagination.

    Nicole Edensbo under water in the bay of Kalamata. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

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    Above Surface

    This was one of the first photos Bastien took of me. We met during the Depth World Championship in Villefranche sur Mer, France. We had a great connection which ended up in a lot of experiences together. This photo is taken in the Peloponnese, Greece when barely knew each other. I wanted to jump into the water but as it shows, the water had quite a lot of movements and the visibility was not the best. We stayed above the surface and Bastien had a clear vision in his mind and I think we achieved just that.

    Nicole Edensbo by the Mediterranean Sea in the Peleponnese. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

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    One can almost feel the movement of the water and touch the intensity of the situation.

    National Record Dive

    Quite exhausted coming up from a -77meter Free Immersion (FIM) dive. To be honest, this was not one of my favourite dives when it comes to diving experience, but I did it. I broke the Swedish national record in FIM. I did this dive after three months of intense freediving training and competitions including the World Championship in depth. My feeling truly shows in this phography; exhausted but relieved. I love the dramatic scene of the whole image from the weather conditions to the facial expressions. One can almost feel the movement of the water and touch the intensity of the situation.

    Nicole Edensbo breaking the Swedish national record in Free Immersion with a dive of -77 meters. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

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    Do you want to read more?

    If you want to read the second part of this series just click on the link below:
    Top photos from 2019 – A story behind: Part 2

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2020-01-25
    Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

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    Inspiration,  MINDSET,  Reflection

    Enter life!

    Do you ever find yourself lost in time and space doing what you love? Have you ever fully entered the world of your passion? What is your true passion?

    What is your true passion?
    Nicole Edensbo freediving in the Mediterranean sea. Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    What is important?

    Maybe you have never thought of that, or maybe you have. Maybe you have found yourself thinking of what your true passion and purpose in life is but not finding the answer because the time ran out. The time ran out because there was work to do at the office, or you had to go to buy that shirt for this dinner or you needed to create that outstanding post on Instagram.

    We lose touch with ourselves in this machine called life.

    Our minds are so occupied by everything happening in the world around us. We find it so important that we don’t prioritize time to discover ourselves. There are too many impressions that distract us from being able to hear, listen to and consider our own voice with its message. Work seems to be more important than living our own lives. Status and relationships overshadows our individual needs. We are so busy to create and realize the image of a perfect life we think we are supposed to live that we forget about ourselves. We lose touch with ourselves in this machine called life.

    It is your choice

    I would say it is rare that people follow their voices, their passion and their dreams because of the structure of the world we live in. The thing is just that no one except our selves can know what that voice is telling us. We are fully responsible for our own lives and cannot blame anyone around us for the choices that we make. There are no musts in life living in this world. The only thing we have to be prepared of though, are the consequences of the choices and prioritizations that we do.

    …maybe that is…what we need, to not have ha certain traced path in which we can go blind.

    Though, doing something different, breaking the patterns of our society has a price. The different path is not as straight and clear as the one of the society. The path outside the map we know about might need more effort and awareness for every step taken. And maybe, that is exactly what we need, to not have ha certain traced path in which we can go blind. But one, where we have to keep our eyes opened and be present in every moment.

    Keep your eyes opened.
    Nicole Edensbo freediving in Greece. Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Realize your dream

    I have talked to so many people that speak of their passion as a dream, and only a dream. Dreams that are not possible to live, that are not possible to realize. The thought of that the dreams are not achievable is because they know that everything has a price. Most of the time it is difficult to have the cake and eat it.

    …your dreams will not be dreams anymore, but your reality.

    Listen to this part inside of you as it speaks, maybe it is not loud, but it is there. Your true voice. It might be hard to hear it because if the noise from the outside world with its distracting blur of “duties”, “musts” and “media” of all kind. The voice of the world is so loud and almost unescapable. To find the quietness that we need from time to time there seems to be a deserted island needed to find peace and quiet. Start to pay attention and sooner or later you will hear it. The voice. Follow it, follow life.

    What do I want to say?

    What I want with this text is to encourage to live life. What I also want to say with thisis that everything is possible. I want to encourage you to live your life every moment. You just have to listen, be brave and believe and things will fall into place. When you truly believe your dreams will come true, and your dreams will not be dreams anymore, but your reality.

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2020-01-19
    Villefranche-sur-Mer, France

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    Depth,  MINDSET,  Pool,  TRAINING & COMPETITION

    Top 10 blog posts 2019

    In this post I have listed the top ten read posts i my blog during the year of 2019. In the first place comes “High ambitions & indifference”. A post I wrote early this year, trying to explain the situation of being a person with ambitions higher than what is good for one self. In the top there are also texts from the experience during the Swedish Championship in pool freediving and excercices to learn how to keep the breath longer and a lot more.

    I wish you all a happy new year!
    …and always remember:

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

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    #1 “High ambitions & indifference”

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    #2 “Four times gold, 1000 times feelings!”
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    #3 “Lär dig hålla andan längre – Del 1: Kunskap”
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    #4 “First competition day is over, I go to bed with a smile!”
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    #5 “Lifechanger”
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    #6 “Acceptance”
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    #7 “Att äta medvetet”
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    #7 “Mindset & Mindfulness – Föredrag på temat hållbarhet”
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    #8 “Lär dig hålla andan längre – Del 2: Andetaget
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    #9 “My Freediving Story”
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    #10 “Listen & Live”

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-12-27
    Åsbo, Sweden

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    MINDSET,  Reflection

    The Voice of Change

    Have you ever heard the voice of change? Maybe you hear it, listen to it and even follow it. Maybe you hear it but force against it, controlling the world around you.

    Need for change

    Everything changes all the time, all the time everything is moving. From the biggest mountain to the smallest atom, from the most violent storm to the gentle breath of a living being. Everywhere there is movement. Sometimes the change is so small that we cannot even see it, or so slow that we cannot percieve it. Things are changing, inside of you and inside of me. I think we forget about this sometimes. Being to busy doing other things than to hear, listen and follow to the voice of change. Instead we tend to cling to a comfortable, static subsistence.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    The cracking hurts, but the voice of change is so strong. Determined it tells me to move…

    What we don’t understand is that that kind of subsistense is just an imaginary creation in our lifes that needs to be controlled and forced. It has nothing to do with the world around us. That subsistence could be comfortable in a world that does not change. But that is not the way it is. Instead this world strives for balance with all of its energy. Balance means change, balance means movement. To antagonise that enery there is the same amount of energy needed. Sooner or later the imaginary subsistence will crack from all the tension around. The crack has different shapes. Sometimes disguised as an imbalance in relations, in the body, or mind.

    Move on

    I have started to try to listen and follow this voice of change instead of fighting the energy back. Instead I follow that stream of energy. I try to follow even as the voice seems to lead me in the opposite direction of my comfortable, static, imaginary subsistense. This is when the discussion starts within me.
    At one hand, what do I find in the existence of following the wind?
    On the other hand, what do I experience being stationed in one place?
    What am I willing to sacrifice?
    How does this affect people around me?

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    The cracking hurts, but the voice of change is so strong. Determined it tells me to move, to follow even the smallest wind, to gather with other winds. Together, being in the middle of the treasure of life.

    As I follow the never ending voice of change I percieve the treasure of life;…

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    The treasure of life

    I have understood, being dynamic not attached to a certain place, certain people or certain situations make me see the beauty of the very moment more easily. This happens when I don’t use my attention, my energy to force my subsistense. As I follow the never ending voice of change I percieve the treasure of life; The very moment, in the wonder of the Universe.

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-12-17
    Åsbo, Sweden

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    Depth,  TRAINING & COMPETITION

    An extraordinary season – PB almost tripled in depth

    Coming home to Sweden has been wonderful. I am happy I followed my voice inside that said: “…it is enough for this time, you need time to relax and recover from this summers adventures“. This summer has been a blast and I am happy I ended the depth season on top…or the opposite, depends on how you see it.

    I almost tripled my PB in CWT and I was coming closer and closer to the pressure of 10 bars.

    First season in the deep

    I started this depth season with a personal best of 38 meters with bifins in my diving history. A depth I reached during a vacation in the Maldives 2017. What made me not go deeper was the sandy bottom of the atolle. My only official result was 30 meters CWT, a dive I did in a competition Sweden 2017. CNF and FIM where the two disciplines I hadn’t even tried before. I started this season with some dives to 20-25 meters with my bifins.

    Training & Competition

    My training with Freediving Club Greece in Kalamata started in July. During my first competition I did a dive of 52 meters CWTB which ment a Swedish national record in the discipline. My training led to a fast progression in depth for me in all disciplines. By some reason there was nothing stopping me. Breathhold was fine, I felt strong, equalization worked, I just kept on going. I attended to several competitions during the summer and I had the opportunity to meet fantastic people within the freediving world.

    Savvas Savva and Sasha Jeremic that I met for the first time in Cyprus depth games in Limassol, Cyprus in July.
    This was during the after party of the Cyprus depth games together with Irina Smolentseva, Thibault Guignes, Nadia Borozdenkova and Oksana Molchanova. Wonderful people!

    I also met some Swedish faces Mats Tybell and Oscar Särnholm. Vicky Brown, I met during the WC in Villefranche Sur Mer, such an amazing woman!

    Together with Irina Smolentseva and Bastien Soleil at Sailing Tortuga, the katamaran that at the momen is in the middle of the atlantic following the wind.
    On the Sailing Tourtuga together with the owner Ruediger and the athlete Irina with heading towards Cannes with Villefranche Sur Mer in the backround.
    On the boat back from training with the team of Freediving Club Greece (FCG)! <3
    Isabela Sanchez Aran with her coach at the WC! Isabela is also a member of the crew in FCG.
    AIDA depth World Championship 2019

    During the AIDA depth World Championship in Villefranche Sur Mer, in September, I did three dives I am very proud of. I came to the WC to do beautiful, happy dives with clear surface protocols. I got a lot of good critics for my technique from the comentators and athletes around me. In the combination of points I ended up on the fourth place!

    If you are interested you can find my three dives through the links in the end of the post.

    Nicole Edensbo, National record FIM -77m. Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    …the judges gave me a white card and I had broke the Swedish national record in CNF.

    National Records in FIM & CNF

    After the WC I came back to Kalamata for more depth training, and in the begining of October it was time for competition again. I broke the Swedish national record in FIM the 6th of October with a dive of 77 meters. Five days later I chose to do a dive of 52 meters in the discipline CNF. I came up, did the surface protocol and the judges gave me a white card and I had broke the Swedish national record in CNF.

    Nicole Edensbo, CNF -48m, AIDA Depth World Championship 2019. Photo by: Guillaume Estève

    My CNF-dive was my 15th competition dive and after that I kept on training. I started to get close to my 50th training session. My depth progressed almost every day and I was high on endorfines all summer and autumn. The rush never ended. I almost tripled my PB in CWT and I was coming closer and closer to the pressure of 10 bars.

    Nicole Edensbo, CWT -73m, AIDA Depth World Championship 2019. Photo by: Guillaume Estève

    I was supposed to go to a paradise island but I tried to find options to shorten my trip. Something was wrong.

    Changed plans

    I was planning to attend a competition in Dominica in November, but there where many things telling me not to go and especially my body and mind. I realized I tried to minimize my stay to as few days as possible. I was supposed to go to a paradise island but I tried to find options to shorten my trip. Something was wrong. After many days of thinking and discussing with my self and the people around me I decided not to go. I felt such a relief at the same time as a part of me couldn’t understand how I could cancel my participation.

    Home in Sweden

    This was the best thing I could do for my self this autumn and I am so happy and proud I came to this decision and followed it. If I would have gone I would have been competing today, with energy I wouldn’t have had.

    At Nyhetsmorgon, TV4 together with Sharon Lavie and Anders Philblad.

    Coming back home has been lovely, both television and radio has shown interest for the sport and my achievements. Now I have time to relax for a while before I continue my journey in the depths.

    If you are interested in the programs in television and radio you can find the interviews through the links below.

    Nicole Edensbo, FIM -68m, AIDA Depth World Championship 2019. Photo by: William Rhamey
    Video of the dives in the World Championship

    CWT dive

    FIM dive

    CNF dive

    TV & Radio interviews

    TV4 – Nyhetsmorgon

    Radiointerview (my interview starts 2h 43min into the program)

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-11-24
    Gothenburg, Sweden

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    MINDSET,  Reflection

    In between

    Leaving a place and moving on to a new one has always been emotionally a bit of a struggle for me. Changes around me make me feel many feelings at the same time. Now, time has come, I leave Kalamata for this time. …the emotional carousel is on.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    The whole range of feelings approach me again. All feelings at the same time. I feel happiness and sadness, lukewarm tears stroke my face, for a short while, lingering on my smiling lips before they enter my mouth and land on my tongue. The precious moments of the past make me taste the salty emotions of life. Cold tears pour from the sky, also landing on my tongue but with a sweet taste reminding me of the many precious moments to come.

    It is the uniqueness of the very moment that makes it beautiful…let the sunshine from the moments spread its golden light on you back and lift you to higher levels.

    I am in between the past and the future. I am in this very moment soaked by the contrasting feelings of life, of ending a chapter and entering a new.
    I feel happiness and sadness, I feel full and empty. I feel inspired to meet the future at the same time as a part of me wants to hold on to the past full of wonderful memories. A past full of heat and pleasure, of cold and pain. The past of infinity and nothingness experienced with limitless love and passion.

    Photo by: Nestori Virtanen

    I feel so blessed and so fortunate, so grateful for everything that I have, and don’t have. So grateful for everything that is a part of my life. I am grateful for what is not a part of my life any more but that added golden shimmer to the moments.
    It is the fact that these moments will never come again that makes them precious. It is the uniqueness of the very moment that makes it beautiful. Let go, even of what is precious. Let the sunshine from the moments spread its golden light on you back and lift you to higher levels.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    I am leaving a chapter, entering another. It is overwhelming. The whole range of feelings approach me again. All feelings at the same time.
    I let it rain.

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-11-17
    Somewhere in between, Earth

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    Inspiration,  MINDSET,  Reflection

    “Screw the box”

    Within the freediving world there are people who have unique perspectives of life. I have had the opportunity to meet one of them. One of the most extraordinary persons I met, Stig Pryds. The words below are the words of Stig.

    …it sometimes feels like life is trying to fit you in a box…maybe you don’t fit in this box…

    Stig Pryds
    Screw the box

    “it sometimes feels like life is trying to fit you in a box
    school is putting you in a box
    your job is putting you in a box
    your insurance company is putting you in a box

    maybe you don’t fit in this box
    maybe you don’t want to be in this box at all
    and the only way out is a dark road

    it is not an easy decision to take
    it is not an easy road to walk
    but the feeling of being trapped in a box is just…

    so you venture into the dark
    and it turns out that the dark doesn’t hurt

    your eyes adjust and you see where the road is leading
    it often leads to a point where you have to take a leap of faith
    or go back to the box
    so you jump

    the faith bit is not so much the leaping
    it’s in the landing
    the space between them can feel forever
    but when you land – and you will
    you will learn that the landing teaches you to fly”

    Stig Pryds, Freediver

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    See also

    See the video Stig did together with the famous underwater photographer Daan Verhoeven – Screw the box. Visit Stigs website if you want to know more about him and his acheivements at www.stigpryds.com.

    Be kind to yourself, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-11-09
    Kalamata, Greece

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    MINDSET,  Reflection

    10 Life Quotes of a Freediver

    It has come to be quite many texts, posts and quotes since I started writing this blog. I am happy to have a platform to share my thoughts. In this post I have selected 10 quotes about life that I want to share with you.

    Peace & Reflection

    “The more peace we have within our own lives, the more we can reflect into the outer world. Without reflection, we go blindly on our way. Find what brings your peace, find time to reflect, and your way will appear both bright and clear.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Posionous Beauty

    “Discover and explore all the beauty of the world. Enjoy it through the eyes of curiosity and true passion. Though, don’t be seduced or blinded by beauty because even beauty can be poisonous. Keep a distance, stay true to yourself. What is most beautiful is within you. The love and beauty within yourself.”

    Find the Balance

    “Everyone must find their own stability and get to know what conditions are best for themselves and grow from there. Build your own foundation, find your balance and fly.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Breath In & Refuel

    “Take the time you need to refuel. Breathe in, breathe out. Inhale the future, exhale the past and embrace the very moment towards extraordinary achievements.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Live Your Life

    “Realize and live the life you only dream about. Dare to step out of your comfort zone. Explore your self as well as the world around you. Life is happening now.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Clarity of Mind

    The mind is like water, when it is turbulent it is difficult to see. When it is calm everything becomes clear. Find your peace and clear your mind.”

    Self Love

    “Always remember to be kind to your self. Being kind to your self starts with showing self love. By unconditional love for your self you will be able to accept who you are and what you are. You will be able to forgive and move on. Move on with a smiling heart.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Solitude

    “Stillness and solitude introduces you to the secrets of your self.”

    Consuming Progress

    “The extreme focus on the outside inhibits our ability to come closer to life. It consumes us until we don’t know who we are except from our apparition as a reflection in the mirror.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Let the Storm Clear

    Whatever storm you may be facing, remember that you are so much bigger than it is. Find hope in the knowledge that you can and will recover. Restore peace, regain trust, and recognize your will to keep moving. You are clear, bright and steady. The storm is just the conditions around you. Let it clear and meet the new version of your self on the other side.”

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-10-29
    Kalamata, Greece

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    MINDSET,  Reflection

    My Freediving Story

    The story below is the freediving story of my first 18 months while entering the world of competitive freediving. In the text I also chose to share some of my general thoughts that have grown through my freediving experience.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Love for the fourth element

    I grew up in a big family in Sweden, all of us with a mutual love for the water. My childhood memories are mainly related to happy moments by rivers, lakes or even at the pool or at sea. Most of my weekends and holidays were head underwater as I always preferred to stay below the surface, going deep and being a part of the water. It was my playground, where I felt relaxed and always naturally safe. I guess, my life as a freediver started as a child with the true love for being surrounded by the water, the fourth element.

    Introduced to freediving

    In the autumn of 2016, I started with freediving, after many years of running and working out at the gym, I wanted to do something different. In 2016, I found a freediving club in Gothenburg and started to train pool freediving. Since I had been doing other competitive sports and performed on a stage during almost all my childhood and teenage years I was used to the situation of competitions and handling the nerves before and during a performance. I joined some competitions, I was quite good at it even as a beginner and I really liked it.

    Photos by: Elin Larsgren

    Passion & Results

    Freediving is a single person sport but still you need a buddy to be there for you. For me freediving is about trust, trusting yourself and trusting your buddy. I was lucky to find that buddy. During the winter of 2016 and spring of 2017 my training became more serious. From the start my buddy believed in my capacity and understood my needs. Through the buddy relation I found a freediving friend who lifted me in the way I needed to be lifted and grounded when I needed to slow down. I am very good at pushing myself and don’t need someone to push me. So, our personalities worked well together, we were balanced, and both of our results improved through the understanding of each other’s needs and our passion for freediving.

    …I broke the Swedish national record in DYN twice with 206 and 210 meters….I realized I had become an elite freediver…

    We joined many competitions, both national and international. My progress was good, and the results improved fast. In the Swedish Championship in Pool Freediving 2018 I placed first in all three disciplines and hence my first overall victory in the nationals. In the following AIDA Word Championship in Pool Freediving in June 2018 I broke the Swedish national record in DYN twice with 206 and 210 meters. This happend in less than 18 months of dedication. I realized I had become an elite freediver.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Freediving approach

    I happen to be the kind of person that is satisfied with neither good or better. I always want to be the best of myself. This approach leads to very good results, but it also has a backside. It is easy to break down in success or on the way to this objective. This is when it is important to remember that passion must come from within and not from the obsession of achieving external results. Expectations from yourself and people around can easily turn a harmonious passion to something destructive.

    The line between harmonious passion and obsessive passion is not always clear…is important to do be responsive and aware.

    To achieve good results, focus must be on the process and not the result itself. With that way of thinking there is nothing called failure, only lessons learned. It has been a challenge to keep it on a balanced level since freediving is a passion for me and at the same time it had led to great external results. The line between harmonious passion and obsessive passion is not always clear. When entering a world with focus on results it is important to do be responsive and aware.

    Thoughts through freediving

    Freediving has led me to evolve both physically and mentally on a level that I couldn’t even imagine before I started. The references for what are hassles have been moved through my experiences and achievements within freediving. It is extremely exciting to explore and get to know myself deeper on the mental level and find the connections to the physical performance as I do through freediving. I reflect a lot about mindset and mental and physical health. Through my experiences I see parallels between freediving and life itself. I want to be present and aware, take the time I need for reflection and recovery. Through freediving I learn how to approach life itself, to be in the present moment, here and now through the act of awarenss. Freediving has become my lifestyle: A lifestyle that starts with being kind to myself.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-10-18
    Kalamata, Greece

  • NIC 1
    MINDSET,  Reflection

    Acceptance

    In the post Lifechanger I explained that the text was a short a simplified version of everything that have happened the last months. Many of the circumstances that made me come to the decision of changing my life was not even mentioned, there are many details not being told. This post is about the acceptance given from the people around.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Prioritizing

    I started training and competing pool freediving exactly three years ago. From the first training session, I was hooked. I started freediving because I wanted a new form of training, but freediving ended up being my only focus. My family and friends were by my side, they could see how freediving started changing my life. They could see the transformation. From the first training, I changed my priorities. I started always prioritizing freediving training and competition instead of dinner, party or even weddings. This have not always been appreciated. Some people see it as a sacrifice, but I don’t like that word. What I do, is simply making choices prioritizing with the help of my intuition. Freediving have been prioritized on many levels for many reasons since it has become my entire life style.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil

    For me, to be accepted as I am, is the most beautiful gift of love someone can give me.

    Acceptance

    The consequences have not always been the easiest to handle. The people around me have not always understood the choices I have made. Though, they have accepted and respected them. They have accepted me going my way and welcomed me with open arms when we meet. Without the acceptance from family and friends the journey would not have been the same.

    It is important to be able to follow the intuition that comes from within without being compared and questioned by the people around. I have realized, to be accepted and to accept the choices of others are the key for healthy relations. Relations without attachments, wishing the best for the other, relations where letting go is a way of expressing love, these are, for me, real love relations. Some people have the strength to live with this way of seeing things and I am happy to be a part of their lives. For me, to be accepted as I am, is the most beautiful gift of love someone can give me.

    …expect the best and accept everything.

    I am grateful

    I’m lucky to have beautiful people in my life, who see how important the freediving is to me and what it does to me. People who allow me to be who I am. I am eternally grateful for my life and to be part of some people lives even if it often means that I am in the periphery. Without many of these people, I wouldn’t be who I am and where I am today, this very moment. I take nothing or no one, for granted. I expect the best and accept everything.

    Photo by: Bastien Soleil
    Want to read more?

    The Shape of Deep Freediving, Balance Life, Harmonious or Obsessive Passion? are some posts if you want to read more about my thoughts and reflections around freediving.
    Follow me on instagram if you want to be updated with more photos and shorter texts @nicoleedensbo.

    Be kind to your self, be kind to others.

    Nicole Edensbo, 2019-10-01
    Kalamata, Greece