Pushing Through The Storm To Get What You Want
Yesterday afternoon, I went out in the ocean with our surf instructor, J. Luis at Witch's Rock Surf Camp.Fifteen minutes in, it began to rain.Not just rain.POURING rain.In the words of Forrest Gump, "sideways rain."It beat on our faces so hard and in such quantities that Kirsten (my friend who I came to Costa Rica with) and I could hardly discern the coming waves from the clouds.But we came here to surf. And surf was what we were going to do... because we love it, and nothing else mattered but our passion for surfing.Though we were nearly blind, a little cold, and to be honest, scared, we kept going.After the hour and a half session, we were wiped out, but exhilarated at the same time. We had conquered our fear and achieved what we had set out to do that day, and thrived through it!When you're faced with a frightening change in weather, metaphorically or in actuality, how do you keep your focus to achieve what you want?Here are the factors that I focused on to help me weather the storm, and they can help you too. You don't even have to get wet!
Listen To Your Teachers
J. Luis was the voice of guidance in my case."Listen to me," he kept saying, though we could barely hear him through the sheets of rain separating the short distance between us.Every time we could hear him and applied what he told us to do, however, we learned something new about our form; a tweak that allowed us to adjust to the conditions we found ourselves in.Teachers come in many forms- people, events, mistakes and accidents.You have the opportunity to learn something new from every situation, every person, but the choice is yours to make:Will you learn from and juice this person/experience for everything you can, or will you sit back and consider it as something happening to you?Look at everyone, everything as a chance to grow as a person, as an opportunity to make your situation better, and you will.
Be Flexible
Obviously, we couldn't keep trying to surf the way we knew how in the sun. We had to adapt.Life does not come at us and give us exact instructions on what to change when; we have to change when the time calls for it by learning from our teachers, and applying what we learn.For this reason, we have to be flexible. Take the information, the lessons from all around you and ADAPT.
Focus On Your Passion
What are you here to do?I mean, what are you here on this earth to do?What are you so passionate about that, no matter what anyone says or does, you'll do it anyway?In our case, we were in Costa Rica to SURF. Hell if blinding rain was going to keep us from doing it!If you keep focusing on your motivation, that thing that lights you up inside, you can get through the toughest scenarios.It will give you strength, it will empower you. With it, you are stronger than any obstacle.Let yourself be driven by it.
Accept Help
Costa Rica was deemed Happiest Country in 2010 by the Happy Planet Index, and you can tell by the way the locals act that it's not just a frilly title; it's the truth.Everyone in the water was so helpful and encouraging.An off-duty photographer–Rafa Sandoval–jumped in to help us catch waves and offer tips. More than anything, we appreciated his encouragement and comforting presence."You girls are doing good!" he kept repeating to us when we started to look beat down. Every time, it raised our spirits. He knew that to hear it from a local was probably the best encouragement we could get.When the going gets tough, take help when it is given to you.Help is NOT a sign of weakness as many think.Help is a sign from the forces that be that you are doing the right thing, you are going in the right direction.******After employing all these tips, we actually had a great session and even got up a few times!We also came out of it with new friends and more confidence.Zapped of energy, we fell asleep at 9 pm that night, but woke up ready and excited for our 6 am session the next morning.Invigorated, more confident, and embodying Pura Vida as much as 2 girls from LA could after 2 days in paradise, we kept going.The weather hasn't been that bad since, but you know what? If it was, we'd still go out.After our experience, our fear lost its power; we realized that it wasn't insurmountable. Hardly anything is as long as you make the choice to dedicate yourself fully to it.Because in the end, nothing can take away the fact that when I close my eyes, I dream of waves.The next one's mine, no matter what the weather throws at me.