Surviving Survival Camp

This week, I adventured to Abisko, Sweden to participate in Snow Camp 2026, hosted by Rob Nelson and Jonas Stenström. Five days to learn what it takes to survive in the Arctic. Yes, I voluntarily signed up for this. Here’s how it went.

My friend Rob said to me, “Hey, my friend Jonas and I run this survival course in the Arctic Circle and I think you’d find it challenging but really enjoy it. Want to join?”

My immediate response? “Count me in.”

Now, you might be thinking… Why on earth would you ever sign up for something when the only information you have is survival camp and the Arctic?

First, Rob is an amazing human I’ve had the privilege of getting to know through his participation in our Cerené Éléments Experience in Morocco, and I trust his judgment deeply.

Second, I could genuinely use survival skills. I travel often, and as much as I would love to believe I would figure out any circumstance, I am very aware that confidence can create the illusion of preparedness! There are situations that, before this week, I was simply unprepared for.

And third, doing something like a survival camp without knowing exactly what I’m getting into is perfect practice for being comfortable with discomfort. While that might be anxiety-inducing for some (and honestly, for me too), I’ve found that the more I lean into very uncomfortable situations, the more I learn about myself and just how much I am capable of.

Plus… I run a company that invites people to step into the unknown to reinvent what’s possible.

Practicing what we teach matters. 🙂

Preparing for the Unknown

A few weeks before Snow Camp, our small group of six met online from our various corners of the world across the United States, Ireland and Germany.

We learned only lightly what to expect. Again, part of the purpose was not knowing and developing the ability to handle whatever comes our way.

We also got the lowdown on the gear needed for sub-zero temperatures. Yes, it’s a lot of gear. Yes, it is absolutely worth breaking my carry-on-only rule.

During the final portion of the call, we each shared why we chose this Experience. Some of the more outdoorsy participants wanted to reconnect with winter. Others, myself included, came to reinvent our relationship with the cold.

The trip came quickly, and after brief stops in Oslo and Stockholm, I stepped off the plane into the quiet, frozen winter wonderland of Kiruna, Sweden. Our group gathered at the airport and just like that, the adventure began!

First step: gear up. As my brother Nick told me, there’s no room to be cute in the Arctic. Cue: marshmallow mode.

Covered head to toe in layers (three to six everywhere), we made our way toward Abisko, the area that inspired the infamous movie, “Frozen”. And yes, we did indeed stop at an ice castle (the Ice Hotel - it’s really impressive BTW, a must visit). That evening, we made it to our home camp at Björkliden Fjällby.

- Marshmallow Mode

Learning to survive

Each day brought new lessons designed for a single purpose: surviving if dropped into the middle of the Arctic.

We learned the rule of three:

Three minutes without air
Three hours without shelter or warmth
Three days without water
Three weeks without food

We practiced ice fishing, foraging, knife skills, rope-making from natural fibers and multiple ways to start a fire without matches or a lighter.

And then there was the one I battled with most: surviving Arctic water after “falling” through the ice.

All of these skills are incredibly useful. Truly. But they are not the only thing I brought home.

Snow Camp was also an invitation to connect with ourselves, with extraordinary new people and with nature in ways that felt both grounding and expansive simultaneously.

Reinventing My Relationship with “Surviving”

Before Snow Camp, I related to surviving as something negative. You know the phrase from surviving to thriving? In my mind, those lived on opposite ends of a spectrum.

Surviving meant just enough to stay alive. Not necessarily enjoying life. Funny how much power language holds!! Another topic for another conversation.

Even when I arrived, my mindset was simply: just get through it.

Then another participant shared something that shifted everything… When we are surviving, we only have to focus on one thing: being alive. Nothing else matters.

When you fall into 32-degree water, your body stops worrying about extremities and focuses entirely on heating your core to keep your heart beating and brain functioning. The pain is intense at first. Breathing is hard. And then, slowly, the pain dulls, you regain control of breathing and presence returns.

In those three minutes, do you know what I was not thinking about?

The stress of running a company.
The anxiety of client outcomes.
Missing the lives of my family and friends while I spend much of mine on the road.
The silly argument I had with my partner.
The worry of big life questions with no clear answers.

None of it was there.

What remained was my breath, presence in my body and overwhelming gratitude that I get to live.

THAT felt like pure joy.

I now relate to surviving in a completely different way; not as barely getting through, but as discovering peace and aliveness inside the simplest possible moment.

So much of what burdens us… we add ourselves.

Community in the Cold

There were seven of us participating, each from different places, backgrounds and life stories. Like all humans, we arrived carrying baggage, literal and invisible, including stories about what we could or could not handle.

Yet one thing was true for all of us: We were there to stretch ourselves and experience something extraordinary.

Trust formed quickly, and a quiet sense of “I’ve got your back” emerged amongst strangers.

Throughout the week, we shared our lives, the weight we carry, what we are creating and makes us feel the most alive. Watching someone light up while speaking about what matters to them is contagious in the best possible way!

And then there were our facilitators Rob and Jonas and their team member, Neil; teaching us, guiding us and challenging us every day. I can’t help but feel so privileged that I was surrounded by these wonderful, inspiring individuals. Plus, I can pretty well guarantee I would have not tried or persevered through many of the things I did without them. Shoutout to Mark, Neil, Jonas and Rob for coaching me through breathing when my body wanted to hyperventilate in the ice cold water! And to Ryan, who believed I would keep pushing through even when I didn’t.

That is the truth of community, as beautifully articulated in an African proverb: If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Awe in the Arctic

I hope life offers many moments that feel beyond words. Moments where we simply take in what is around us and feel connected to something larger.

Rob calls this awe. He even wrote about it in the book he completed during his own 108-day Cerené skill journey!!

Before this week, I would never have expected awe in extreme cold.

And yet…

Standing on a frozen lake surrounded by mountains, walking through untouched forest snow and lying beneath a sky alive with the aurora borealis… it felt like nature was showing off.

I felt so small in the universe, and somehow, so very connected at the same time.
It reminded me to intentionally create awe in my own life so I never lose touch with the quiet magic available to us, and to stay conscious of how small or large I choose to live within the vastness of it all.

Practicing What We Teach

Snow Camp was an extension of my work in Cerené.

We invite humans into Experiences that ask them to step beyond familiarity, meet themselves honestly and create new possibilities for their lives.

To lead that work with integrity, we must continually place ourselves inside transformation too.

Cold water.
Unknown terrain.
New skills.
Unfamiliar community.
Unscripted outcomes.

This is the same territory our participants enter! And, it is territory worth choosing again and again.

I leave Sweden with new survival skills, meaningful friendships, unforgettable memories and a deeper relationship with presence, community and awe.