10 Life Lessons Surfing Taught Me
Surfing is a metaphor for life. “Surfing through life” gives the impression that everything is easy and ok.
The Life Lessons Surfing Taught Me
If you are a surfer, it would appear that you subscribe to this belief. If you’re not, it certainly is the attraction. I started surfing in my teens, and it has been an experience I’ve taken with me throughout life. Here are the top 10 lessons the sea has given me.
1. Respect
Respect is an essential lesson to learn in life. As a surfer, you learn respect for the water as the metamorphosis of the ocean is constant. It is never the same on any given day. There is no place for “ego” in surfing. The waves pound you into submission if you get too cocky and all-knowing. It is also a lesson in humility. Respect is the underlying glue that holds the world together. Surfers have an unspoken code. Respect the line-up. Respect the locals. They are the foundation of any surf spot, and they set the rhythm. Follow their lead. It is also a lesson you could apply to life. New at your job, just starting in a new field, or learning the ropes in a new profession? Hang back. You will always benefit if you observe. Learn from others. Learn what to do and NOT to do. Along with communication and awareness, respect is the common thread of any relationship.
2. Growing inner strength
The process of mastering your inner struggles is an important part of becoming and knowing who you are. Conquering fear, anxiety, and pre-conceived ideas can be a life-long process. For example, surfing is an inner struggle. Although you may be surfing with a pack of guys and gals who loved and adored the sport, ultimately, it is a competition within yourself. It takes persistence and passion. Boosting our inner strength takes a certain amount of trust, believing in yourself, and finding confidence. The belief in ourselves is important for our emotional growth. The balance of humility and trusting in our abilities provides us with better clarity and pride.
3. Paying attention
The present moment you’re in is the only place your mind should be. How often are we physically doing something, yet our mind is in another room? The heart of a surfer’s life is the connection between the stillness of their board beneath them and the sea that moves about them. This is the one constant in a world that changes minute by minute. Staying present in everything you do, gives you the greatest edge. The mind needs to be trained to focus on the current moment, or it tends to drift. When you pay attention, you live life “at the moment.” It is the one place you can make a decisive decision.
4. Finding calm within the chaos
There will always be chaos within our lives. That’s just a given. But, how we choose to handle that chaos is our responsibility. When there is distraction and turmoil all around, you must go inward. Tune out the noise and pandemonium and focus on your breathing. Follow the rise and fall of your chest. Mastering your inner peace will allow you to handle any external chaos about you. This is a learned response and is something you can work on every day. Although we may not be able to control the environment around us, we can certainly control how we choose to deal with it.
5. Our moments of struggle define us
How we perceive something, approach something, or cope with a situation when we are in crisis defines our actions. How much energy we give to something will determine its value. In surfing, we ask: “What are you paddling away from? What are you paddling towards?” The more energy we give to a situation, the more we allow it to define our beliefs. Whether it is good or bad, how much you allow something will define your choices.
6. Pain furthers our growth
Pain has one indelible truth: at some point, it is inevitable. To overcome pain, you must find a solution as you allow it to pass over you like a wave. With physical pain, it is struggling and resisting that often makes it that much worse. With emotional pain, stuffing it further down in your mind or ignoring it manifests as physical pain or hidden trauma. With both types of pain, you can find a solution by acknowledging the situation, exploring the process, and accepting its presence. The waves of hurt, grief, or sadness will pass over you, and you will be given a new outlook. Learning how to cope with pain is an important part of knowing who we are and essential for defining how we move forward.
7. Your outlook on life will always depend on where you are standing
Don’t like the view? Change your perspective. Unhappy with where you are in your life? Find another road. Your outlook determines your path. You determine your path. No one else. If you don’t believe it is, you’re looking at it from the wrong vantage point. If you assign your happiness to external circumstances, you will never find the one thing we all deserve, joy in life.
8. The soup changes every day, just like life
The ocean changes every day. As with our day-to-day lives, you never know what to expect. Keeping an open mind and being flexible are two very important lessons the ocean has taught me. The minute you assume, expect, or anticipate what a situation could be like, is the moment you could be very disappointed. It’s better not to expect anything, and your possibilities can be endless. Lowering your expectations can ultimately give you endless possibilities. No expectations and endless possibilities are words to live by.
9. Change is the Universal wake-up call
We often think that it is a setback when drastic occurrences happen in our lives. Of course, there are two sides to this coin. It comes down to how you look at it. If you follow the positive path, it can be a real catalyst for change. Change is the one constant in life. When we look at our experiences from the past, we may realize that the hardest parts of our path are the transitions. Transitions are forks in the road which make us choose which direction to move in. These decisions usually force us to make a choice. Sometimes it will be the right choice, and sometimes it won’t. The “wrong choice” is often not wrong at all; it’s just a greater challenge than we expected or a different way of going about something.
10. There is no perfect time to do anything
No matter what point in your life you’ve reached, you can always find a reason not to do something. “I’m too old. I don’t have enough money. I don’t have enough time”, or any other deterrent we could find to derail a life. Our life is in constant flux. The water taught me that. It changes daily, and if you keep saying you’ll do something eventually, the tide changes, and so does the window of opportunity. So act on your dreams, starting today!
Inspired by Andrew’s new book, Barefoot ~ A Surfer’s View of the Universe. Learn more about Andrew’s newest book, Barefoot ~ A Surfer’s View of the Universe
You will enjoy Barefoot ~ A Surfer’s View of the Universe
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About the Author
Andrew Pacholyk MS L.Ac is the author of “Lead Us To A Place ~ your spiritual journey through life’s seasons.” He has been in the health industry for over 20 years. He is an expert in treating infertility, muscular-skeletal pain, and related aging issues with acupuncture and herbal medicine. Andrew is an educator. He has taught over 100,000 students in his accredited certification courses in the alternative, complementary, and metaphysical healing. You can access his life’s work and teachings https://peacefulmind.com
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