5 Things surfing taught me about getting better at living life.
Do you remember your top three bucket list items? What are the adventures you’ve been longing to experience?
Is it sky diving? Riding a mechanical bull? Being in the Saturday Night Live audience?
Ever since I can remember, I loved the ocean. Surfing has always been among the top three bucket list items.
And it finally materialized when I moved to the beautiful island of O’ahu, Hawai’i at the beginning of last year.
The beginning was hard — until I caught my first good wave and got addicted to the “surfer stoke”, the feeling of euphoria you get after catching a quality wave.
Surfing not only consists of grabbing your board, paddling out, catching waves, conversing with fellow surfers in the line-up, and coming back, it’s so much more.
As a Yoga Teacher, I would describe it as a similar sensation of physical exhaustion paired with mental clarity, an almost meditative flow-state.
It’s a feeling of freedom and flow, that makes your heart pump and willingly accept skin rashes, brittle hair, and bloodshot eyes from saltwater and sun exposure.
These rolling waves have taught me quite a bit about life.
- Observe the conditions.
“When in doubt don’t paddle out.” is widely known and possibly life-saving advice. Observing the conditions of the ocean, water quality, reading the tides, and finally listening to that good-ol’ gut feeling is essential.
Simply being aware, present, and observant of what is around you in the present moment can help make a good (or rather bad) decision.
Sometimes we get so consumed with a certain idea that we forget about realizing what’s going on. When was the last time you sat back and were an observer of life?
2. Take risks, because good waves don’t come around all the time.
A typical mistake most beginners do is to paddle for every single wave. This just makes sense because you are not good at “reading the waves” yet. Have I done it? Absolutely? Let me tell you, it gets frustrating and exhausting.
Just like in life, the amazing opportunities don’t come around in 10-second intervals. Sometimes you just have to sit back and wait. And wait some more. It will give you time to prepare, and getting ready. And then you see that big set of waves rolling in from the horizon. You can jump on that wave of opportunity with more enthusiasm and power and the feeling you get is incredible.
3. Handle fails with grace.
Just like in life, taking risks bring great rewards but some of them will make you fall. When surfing you might slip off your board, get tumbled, pushed underwater, gasping for air, just before the next wave hits you. Does that sound like life?
Because it is just like that: sometimes life is tough, and you find yourself feeling thrown around, pushed underwater, and close to drowning before you get back to the surface, smiling about the fact of still being alive.
The best thing to handle these moments is to stay calm and breathing. Panicking will cause shortness of breath and is not helpful when you’re underwater. In life, when you’re feeling like everything is crashing in burning, stay calm and handle it with grace.
4. Take care of yourself.
Our healthy bodies are fundamentally the vehicle to all success. Where there isn’t health, growth is limited.
Be mindful of fueling my body with plenty of healthy and energizing foods, getting enough sleep, and the ideal conditioning exercise regimen.
Keep your mind and soul healthy and happy as well. Be mindful of the quality of the media you consume, the things you occupy your mind with, and the quality of relationships.
Getting your priorities straight usually gives you a good, calm, and energizing feeling versus an anxious or exhausted state of body and mind.
5. Commit and focus on the present.
“Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” Another thing Buddha was right about, and I agree with him. Whether it comes to riding a wave or figuring out to get better at life. Thinking too much about the past in an extreme way leads to sadness, worrying too much about the future leads to worry and anxiety.
All we have control over is the present moment. Let that sink in when you’re about to ride your next big wave or face a challenge in life.
Whether it’s a physical or metaphorical wave — remember to enjoy the ride.
