The surf: Big boss

Surfing not only helps us disconnect and alleviate stress, but also teaches us a few lessons.

We all have that little bit of heaven where we forget everything and disconnect from the world, to be by ourselves and charge our batteries.

Surfing provides us with the benefit of isolating ourselves from all the problems that surround us so that for that moment nothing could spoil that idyllic feeling of riding a wave.

This sport also teaches us some lessons which come in useful in our day to day life which are sure to help you! Things that many a time are only learnt personally from experiences that are lived when in the water.

Surfing is a sport that involves great physical and mental challenges. Many obstacles must be faced and overcome to evolve and improve in surfing.

Overcoming such obstacles is the goal and along the way you will learn the ways in which surf will benefit you in your everyday life:

• If you have a good opportunity, go for it!

This is something that will make or break you in surfing. You can either get a move on or the next person will step over you. If you have a good opportunity to take what could be the best wave of the evening, do not doubt yourself not even for a second – just go for it. The same could be said for everyday circumstances. If a unique opportunity crosses your path, give it your all so that you can achieve whatever it is that you really want. You will manage to achieve anything you wish with dedication, effort and passion!

• Believe in yourself, this will make a big difference.

What you think you can or cannot do affects what you will actually be able to do or not do. If you get into the water thinking that it will not be a good day of surf, the result will probably be as you expected. If you are learning to surf, this will be vital for you.

Our lack of believing in ourselves, as a rule, conditions our attitude towards any situation.

Be sure of yourself and your abilities when entering the water to surf. If you do this, you will have a great path ahead of you.

• Practice, Practice, Practice

Believing in yourself is a very important factor during your learning. However, the frequency of your practices will also be very relevant.

Practice is the reason why you will not need to worry about things that you do mechanically by repetition. This will give you the opportunity to focus on new moves and continue to evolve in your surfing.

Whether for surfing or any other thing you wish to do, it is very obvious that the more you practice the better you will get. Practice makes perfect!

• Commitment

In surfing, this can be understood quite graphically. When somebody tries to paddle a wave indecisively and insecurely the result is a wipe out!

In our day to day life the consequences of our lack of commitment are not as straightforward as they are in surfing. Still, if we do not commit ourselves and work hard at the things we want to achieve, we are risking that the result is again: a wipe out

• Celebrate the achievements of others.

Usually while in the water, surfing, it is very common that when someone is performing a great trick or entering a nice tube, you can hear cheers from the background for the great performance. It doesn’t even matter if you know that person or not… that cheer comes from deep within oneself as if you were feeling the same adrenaline which the surfer is feeling as he rides that wave.

It should be the same in our everyday life. Congratulate and celebrate the achievements of others!

• Eliminate your fears

Surfing is a sport in which one needs to confront high doses of fear. Fear can be due to several causes: fear of the size of the waves, fear of being hurt, fear of drowning…

Regardless of your level, when surfing you can find yourself in many situations when you wish that you had never got into the water. However, if there is one thing that surfing teaches you, it is that if you really want to improve and evolve in your surf then you must face your fears, obviously in a coherent and gradual manner.

Kelly Slater: “Fear is good. Some fears protect you from putting yourself in dangerous situations and this may range from physical fears to psychological fears.  Sometimes it holds you back from what you want to achieve. It’s up to you to determine when to hold back and when to push further. “

 And to you, what does surfing bring to your day to day life?