The secret of speed
Introduction
Have you ever surfed in the mist? It is a crazy experience, magical almost. I remember going out in waves that I could not see. I went with a friend and after two meters he became invisible too. Was it smart to walk in the water in these conditions of uncertainty? Maybe not. But I had checked the forecast well and knew that the waves were an easy to manage size for me. I had also checked in with myself and knew that I trusted myself. So I went and I enjoyed. Because it is these experiences that make surfing so magical, so special. Getting to experience nature in a different way than most people. Face first.
Dealing with uncertainty
I am sharing this experience because I think it is exactly how I feel in life at the moment. I cannot see ahead of myself. I feel like I am in the dark grasping for the light but I am not sure where it is. Now it starts to sound very pessimistic but it does not feel that way per se for me. It just feels uncertain, unclear. So I am writing this blog partly for myself because how to best deal with the waves of uncertainty applies to me and to everyone at certain periods of their lives.
Let’s first talk about uncertainty a bit. I think another way to see uncertainty is in-between phases. You are somewhere and you are heading somewhere else, but you are ‘stuck’ somewhere in the middle. In the middle you are reflecting back on the past and looking forward to the future. An important period in order to fully step into a new period of your life. So what can we do when we are facing such a period in our surfing or in life?
First things first
I think it is important to first realize the importance of uncertainty. Imagine we were always certain in life, we were always progressing in our surfing. Can you imagine the consequences? You would not enjoy progress anymore, you would not be so motivated to really put in the work to make things happen and you would not be so proud of yourself when you actually transcend the challenge.
Uncertainty is thus, whether we like it or not, of crucial importance in our lives. Uncertainty allows us to become more certain about the things that we find important and let go of the things that are holding us back to move forward with ease. I will take my own life as an example once again. The last few months I have been working my ass of in the Netherlands. I was always making a living on the road but this time I came back with only 200 euros. Not enough to even book a flight ticket so I decided to work as much as I could and take it from there. And suddenly, after 12 years of travelling, I am living quite a normal life. I am going to work, I know what I will be paid at the end of the month, I am heading back to the same house every day and I have some kind of order and rhythm to my day. And to my surprise, I am actually enjoying it a lot. It is nice to see the same faces every day. It is nice to be able to make a contribution where I live. It is nice to have some certainty and stability in my life again. And this realization is exactly what causes the uncertainty.
Because I have invested everything in building up this company organizing Surf Retreats all over the world and my other company The Healer Academy so that I am free to roam wherever I want with money in my pocket. And suddenly I am enjoying the life that I always despised. It is obviously leading to questions, to confusion.
What helps me at this time most is to put first things first. To take it one step at the time. I simply do not know what my life looks like one year from now and I also realistically do not know what I find important at that moment in my life. I only know what I find important right now. That is the only question I can answer and that is hard enough in itself. So keep things simple and place first things first, would be my first tip for myself.
When time comes, clarity comes
Just like the mist clears up by itself in the ocean, the mist in our heads also clears up spontaneously. My dad always said ‘Komt tijd, komt raad’ in Dutch which could be translated into ‘when time comes, clarity comes’. Sometimes the best thing is simply to wait, to be patient and to enjoy where you are right now.
Maybe you are at a point in your surfing where you are not progressing. You know where you want to go but you do not know how to get there. Then, the best thing is to simply wait until the information simply presents itself. And then the step forward suddenly becomes much more easy to take.
Patience really is a virtue. Cultivating patience means cultivating trust in yourself and in the time ahead. Life is always supportive of us, even if we do not see it straight away.
Be grateful for where you are
Above you see an image of the retreat last fall in Portugal. I felt a feeling that I had not experienced before. I felt deep gratitude for having been in Portugal but I also knew I would not miss it. A strange feeling. A new feeling. The joys of the memory and not the sorrow of leaving something behind.
I think this attitude is really helpful when faced with uncertain periods in your life. Try to be grateful for where you are RIGHT NOW. See all the things that you can be grateful for and save them in your heart. Simple as that. Even writing that gives me peace, relaxation, trust. Imagine actually putting in a gratitude practice!
Boom boom
And then suddenly you are there. The new period is there. You have transcended your plateau in surfing and reached new heights. You have almost forgotten that you were stuck in the first place.
Life is funny isn’t it? As humans we have a negativity bias, which simply means that negative things have a bigger effect on us than positive things.
So take it in fully and know that things just pass, just like the mist makes place for sunshine.
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