What you can learn about challenges from surfing.

At the beginning of the month, I faced certain challenges that threatened my mental health.

One of the days I was meditating as has always been my custom, I remembered an event that happened during my first time out in the ocean.

I was with my Dad and a couple of other families who were also there because their father or mother works in the company my Dad works for.

Each year, Dad’s company organises a vacation for select members of their workforce and their family.

As a kid growing up then, I always looked forward to that because it meant I could spend more time with my Dad.

That year’s vacation was to a holiday resort located on the edge of the Atlantic.

One of the days while we were there, I and the other children decided to go surfing. While we were getting ready to start, our instructor said something profound that I will never forget.

He gathered us around him and pointing to the rising waves said, “the waves could be your friend or enemy. It could lift you or break you. It all depends on how you paddle.”

Remembering this, few weeks back, I said to myself, that does not only apply to surfing but also to life.

The waves of the oceans can be likened to the challenges of life. Challenges as we know come regularly. There is no one who is immunised against challenges. Challenges are part of life.

While challenges break some people, they become the lifting of so many others. I know few persons I have met and they told me they loved challenges coz they bring out their best.

There are still many others I have seen that try as much as they canto avoid challenges because challenges break them easily.

As I thought more about this, the words of my surfing instructor became clearer.

Those who excel in challenges or come out stronger from challenges do so because they were able to paddle through them efficiently.

While those who don’t, do not know how to paddle.

Paddling here refers to your attitude as an individual. In challenges, what is your attitude?

How do you see your challenges?

As a friend of as an enemy?

Remember, whether you are lifted or broken by the waves all depends on how you paddle.