There is so much more to surfing than riding a wave 🌊
The hours spent in the ocean have been some of my most fun, challenging, frustrating, scary and satisfying sessions of my life. I love surfing for being my greatest teacher….for humbling me and gifting me with so many life lessons between sets.
No other sport challenges me the way surf does…the ever changing variables (waves, current, tide, other humans), the focus required, the awareness of others, the ability to stay calm even when I feel fear, the tenacity to try again, and to re-remember how to play with enthusiasm. Surfing has literally changed my life. Here are 5 Life Lessons I Learned from Surfing:
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1. You can’t control the ocean, so it’s up to you to adapt
So many things in life are out of our hands. Don’t try to change what can’t be changed, and take ownership over the things you are able to control or reframe your perspective⠀
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2. The more you resist or fear falling, the more you’re stalling your progress
Falling/failing is a natural part of learning, and a crucial step in getting better at anything. Nobody gets it right the first time. Having a “practice” mindset makes failure less scary.⠀
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3. Go for the waves that intimidate you (even if you don’t think you’ll be able to catch it) because sometimes you’ll surprise yourself
Keep going for the biggest and scariest dreams because sometimes you’ll actually get the thing you want! ⠀
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4. Stay calm and surrender to the wave when you feel inner panic (from being held under), tensing up usually causes more trauma
The challenge of releasing when you want to tighten, or surrendering when you want to control is difficult. But the very act of trying to protect or control can cause you more harm than letting it just pass over you.⠀
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5. There will always be another wave to ride
Opportunities, money, ideas, jobs, loves…there will always be more. In an endless ocean of waves, and an infinite universe of possibilities, don’t forget that there is always another fun one right behind the one you let go
