Sometimes it’s a dash to the end of the street and sometimes a voyage across continents. Deciding when and where to surf is integral to every surfing experience. The surf check can be as hands-on as driving to the beach at dawn or as detached as scanning a long-range forecast on the internet. Using a combination of knowledge, intuition, technology and luck, surfers tirelessly seek the location – and waves – that will provide an optimal surfing experience.
When you feel a longing for new challenges or yearn for something more from life, .
As humans we are consciously and unconsciously always seeking pleasure and avoiding pain – it’s the most basic element of our nature. This worked well for hunter-gatherers but in the industrialised world where death and scarcity are often not direct concerns, results in a lot of aimlessness, dissatisfaction and regret. Understanding what we are searching for is one part of life’s journey and understanding why is another. Finding clarity through having a vision helps bridge the two. Surfers conjure up images of their perfect waves with fetish-like detail. The cylindrical shape, colour, dimensions, lightly-feathered peeling lip.
Take some time to consider the waves of opportunity you dream of riding in your life. When you can visualise them your search can begin. In the future you may discover how, at a certain point, you no longer need goals because life becomes a goal unto itself – but, for now, a vision is a good place to start. This vision – and understanding of what you really want – imbues a sense of purpose and direction, which gives life meaning.
And .
There is an ocean of opportunities constantly swirling around you. Some are small and seemingly insignificant, a rare few are perfect and many are daunting or downright terrifying. Sometimes you may feel you’re experiencing a lull – no job, no dates, seemingly no prospects – when at other times you have too many options. This is all part of nature’s interminable rhythm.
The essence of the surf check is that you get yourself out there and look around. Stop. Breathe. Use your intuition, your knowledge and technology. Remember to distinguish between what you want and need. They are very different things, so invest your energy wisely. Material desires are fine but objects rarely fill the spaces in your heart.
Living with passion, finding love and experiencing flow will.
Search regularly and be open to opportunities that might not look as good as you’d hoped. Waves are much more fun when you’re in the water than while you sit on the beach deliberating. Be persistent in your search because there will be special days when the wind is still or offshore and the ocean turns silky… when the wave energy begins to pulse towards your little stretch of land. And when the elements align with your desires and willing presence you will find dream waves to provide you with life’s most exhilarating and fulfilling experiences.
Perfect waves are always breaking somewhere and the perfect wave is different for everyone. Getting plenty of practice means you’ll be prepared when your dream waves come along.
The best surfers are often the most intrepid. Guys and girls who are prepared to venture beyond their local break are usually the same ones who surf best when they are back at home. Exposing yourself to a range of opportunities gives your life depth. If you always check the surf at the same place you’ll get pretty good at riding those waves but life is extreme and there is so much beauty, danger and richness out there to be explored. That’s not to say you shouldn’t just surf at home if it makes you happy. Right now you may be waiting for the perfect opportunity – to meet “the one”, to land the dream job, to get healthy… but if you’re not at the right beach you’ll never get the chance. Einstein said that . He is, of course, right (and, incidentally, had a fascination with waves).
Sometimes as surfers we venture far from our local beach only to end up back at home several tedious hours later… just as the wind changes direction, rendering the surf a mess. There is always the risk of falling into the grass is greener – “waves might be better just over the next headland” trap. If it looks good sometimes you just have to get out there. Don’t over-think the situation. You meet a girl: she’s funny, cute and lives next door. Are you really going to forsake asking her on a date because you may meet a supermodel later tonight? Don’t over-think.
But also be prepared to get fit, learn a new language and fly to Hawaii so you do get a shot with the supermodel. If you don’t someone else certainly will.
If you’re not finding the right waves maybe you need a geographic change, to get out of a dead-end relationship or to leave a stagnant job. Maybe you just need to re-evaluate what you really want and need. .
The surf check is where you get excited about life. Use your intuition, assess the conditions and go searching.
Surf Check is the first chapter from Surfing Life Waves, a surf book about life, by Bradley Hook.