A fish can breathe under water, swim to depths which would kill us and (most fish) have taste buds all over their body, however you ask a fish to climb a tree and it can't, worse still by focusing on its inability to perform this task you ignore its actual talents. What am I getting at I hear you ask? Well simply this, that when we categorize someone based on their ability to perform one task we stop seeing their actual abilities.
Whilst I'm a big advocate of education (I studied Wildlife Conservation Science at university), forcing people to fit into an academic box can sometimes squander all their potential. Whilst I'll never regret the opportunity to study conservation in uni (in the beautiful Lake District) some of the achievements I'm most proud of don't come with a grade or statistic measuring my worth.
This blog, the land locked surfers club, yoga teacher training and the fact that I surf are all things that came from me, through steady realizations I gained through life experience. I've had jobs as varied as my boyfriends, everything from being a zoo keeper to a baker. What I've learnt through it all is that if you are good to people, treat everyone as equals and really listen this is where you'll learn the most lessons in life.
In many ways I am a failure. I don't have a high paid job in the subject I studied, I still live at home and I have little or no savings. I am however happy. Deliriously happy sometimes. I get to write everyday to you guys on this here blog, I sometimes get to go surfing and best of all if I want to be happy all I have to do is think positively, I have the power to end my own suffering through actively changing those negative emotions into positive ones.
As much as I love pro surfers (and follow them voraciously on Instagram) I am more intrigued by the surfers who have day jobs, people like Wilma Johnson an artist who tried surfing at 50 and became Surf Mama, Maui Goodbeer who founded street waves to help inner city kids overcome disadvantaged backgrounds through surfing. Easkey Britton not only a pro but an empowered woman who has a PhD and is helping people in Iran through surfing. I don't like the word 'should' as its shrouded in insecurity don't stress about what you 'should' be doing i.e. I 'should' have a good job, I 'should' have lots of money, I 'should' have my own house, I 'should' be married, I 'should' ride a short board- do what you love, because you might just excel at it!
*And on an unrelated side note, meet Brownie...I voraciously follow dogwatchuk hoping that eventually I'll be in a position to adopt a dog from there. They help British & Spanish dogs which get abandoned and have other gawd awful things happen to them, one such example being Brownie. If I get a suitable house in time I would love to help him look at his smile!
Until next time
Stay strong, Surf well
Love
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