Let me start by saying I am not a natural. lol And I'm not really sure what exactly attracted my spirit to surfing in the first place. I didn't have the desire to be pro necessarily (at some point I may be and that would be uber fresh!). I guess there are some people who can get on a board and ride instantaneously but not me. I love it, though, crazily enough. I always have, before I even started learning, I knew that I was going to love it. The first time I went out I was so frustrated because I could not paddle to save my life, for real. I know how to swim but I was getting nowhere fast and got so pissed about it. It used to, and still does sometimes, frustrate the hell out of me when I can't do something straightaway. I guess it's that damned perfectionist in me. Zero patience but I'm working on it. :) After a few more attempts I got better at paddling because I found out it was all about the balance on the board. Making sure you center yourself enables you to work your arms in a more efficient way.
In any case, this past Sunday I went surfing again. It'd been a long while. This last time out, though, I finally got used to falling. I was ok about it at first and then it started to just get downright ridiculous. The guy who was helping me asked me how I was doing periodically and one of those times I responded "Frustrated" after spitting out salt water and pushing my hair out of my face. Then he told me with a smile, "Well, surfing is a frustrating sport." Ain't that the truth. I had to smile. Isn't that the essence of life? It's frustrating until you find your balance. Although, I'm getting better at getting my balance while lying down on the board, I still have yet to sustain it standing up. I've only ridden a wave once while standing. I got my behind kicked by the ocean this past weekend and... it was awesome! lol For real. I was exhausted afterwards and still had sand in my ears 2 days later but I felt like a winner. Getting used to falling is like a fail in life...It's all about giving it your best every time out and getting back up. As long as I learn from every trip out I'll keep getting better. Moment of hilarity: I actually got better at falling. lol Isn't that something? Knowing how to fall helps you keep more of your energy and not get hit by the board. To get out there to catch a wave you go against the current. There is water coming at you all of the time..all of the time. I know now that it's the challenge of getting better that I love. I am working to be in tune with this amazing element. To get back out you have to dive under a wave so as not to get pushed back to the starting point, other times you have to stand sideways and lift up your board to limit the amount of impact of the water so you don't (once again) get pushed back. Flowing through the obstacles is the key not avoiding them. It's impossible to avoid obstacles if you want to ride a wave, even if you only get to ride it on your knees. lol If you don't want an obstacle, sit on the beach and watch. Seriously. To get anything worth having, you have to be in the water, on the field (like Shak says), or on the court. Get me? Challenging my frustrations head on and accepting help gets me better in life. Point blank. I didn't ride a wave standing up this weekend, only on my knees a few times and a partial stand (lol). The other thing I noticed is being committed to standing everytime, whether or not it actual happens, is a key component. Creating the vision and committing to the vision of your goal is the only way. In my earlier tries I realized I wasn't always holding the vision of me riding the wave. I was just on the board hoping I'd get there somehow. What?! How did I think I was gonna get up there? The wave would magically scoop me up and place me upright? No, I have to see myself pushing up, popping up and standing up all while remaining centered on my board from head to toe. Shiiiiit. That's a lot to see while you're making sure your board is also pointing straight towards the coast, and I mean not even kinda sideways.
Balancing in life to me at this juncture is making sure I challenge myself on the daily. It keeps me sharp and makes me grow constantly. I have to remember to remember to sharpen skills everyday, keep my self grounded and see my dream, live in it everyday. Play, too. But play with people who want more, do more, see more from themselves and life. Play with people who have my best interests (and I have theirs) at heart. All of this makes daily living productive (and fantastic). Balance also means... Keep getting up, accepting that I'll probably fall again at some point, and by probably, I mean I will. Not beating myself up because I'm not perfect just yet. This used to be a huge thing for me with regard to Directing. Just not wanting to suck, man. lol But just like surfing, and like Will Smith said, it's about beating on your craft. I can't get better at anything unless I get out there and work at it. I can't watch a show on surfing and get it, just like I can't read books on Directing and be fantastic at it. Like Nike, "Just. Do. It." And like Nike = Victory, so too, shall Victory be mine. :)
Always winning....
100.
Bright
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