It's easy being positive when things are going well

Wow, the surf just keeps on coming! What an amazing

east coast summer lots and lots of surf. People are

getting used to surfing almost every day. Spirits seem

high and not too many people are getting too upset if

for whatever reason, like work or family obligations,

they miss a session. Surfers are smiling and some

feeling muscles aching. The mood in the lineup seems

significantly lighter and more friendly.

A client of mine was telling me how happy they were

over these past weeks. The client is not a surfer or even

one who loves the beach and ocean. What the client did

say struck me "it's easy to be positive when positive things

are happening, when things are going well". They weren't

sure if they felt that because they'd been working

hard on reframing the way they looked at the world and the

way they spoke to themselves, or that nothing negative had

happened. Interesting way to look at it, kind of a chicken

and egg thing.

Wonder if the same applies to surfers. Is the lineup friendly

because we've had surf? Humm

It's not the obvious

Back in the water! It's difficult to describe just

how wonderful it is to be back surfing. I realize that

seven weeks is really not much time in the big scheme

of things. My seven week hiatus has taught me a bunch

of interesting lessons about myself, about surfing, and

about life.

Sitting in the lineup talking to my friends is somehow

very different than sitting on the beach or in someone's

yard. The feeling of being amongst old friends laughing,

teasing, watching each other is special. Most people who

don't surf see a break with lots of people in the water.

That's the obvious but it's not the obvious that I missed,

not the just simple act of riding a wave. It was the whole

experience that I longed for. The feel of the water, the

ebb and flow of the swell, the fish, the warmth of the sun and

of friends.

Many people look at life and see what is the

most obvious, most observable. They notice

what kind of house you live in, your clothes, or the

car you drive. They often get hung up on appearances

yet never realize that what is not so obvious can be

more important, more fulfilling and satisfying.

Passing it on

Do you have something you love and want to

share with the ones you care about? What do you

hope they'll get from your sharing? What lessons

and experiences are you hoping they'll learn? We

Surfers love to share the stoke. Why?

Two recent experiences put me in touch with our

desire to "pass it on" to others. I took both my grandkids

to the beach the other morning. We strolled along the sand,

looked at shells and sand crabs, and Simon (my grandson)

walked on the deck of a surfboard. He smiled as he walked.

Thanks to the boards rocker, as he approached its' nose,

the board bounced a bit. Rather than getting scared he laughed

and moved closer to the nose bouncing as he went. As soon as

he reached the end he put his little toes

over the edge, spun around, and walked back to the tail laughing

all the way. Simon walked and bounced about 10 times before

it was time to go home. He didn't want to leave. It was too much

fun, this walking on a board. I thought a lot, as we headed home,

about just how much I want to "pass on" surfing and all its' lessons

to my grandkids.

There is a photo and podcast posted on Jim Moriarty's blog

Ocean Beaches and Waves (www.oceansbeachesandwaves.blogspot.com)

of Norman Ollestad. Ollestad is the author of the best selling book

"Crazy for the Storm". The photo, podcast, and the book all

touch upon the same theme "passing it on". Ollestad speaks of the

lessons his father taught him in the surf and how those lessons saved

his life. He also spoke about his wish to "pass it on" to his own children.

Surfing and our love for all it has to offer touches us in ways we feel

compelled to share. Despite the crowds, despite it's popularity we

still want to share not only the stoke but the real lessons to be learned

from the surfing life.

Sustainability

I love Yvon Chouinard the founder of

Patagonia. He is a surfer, fisherman, hiker,

climber, a businessman, and an environmental

hero. If you aren't familiar with Patagonia and

the company's philosophy you should be. Do some

reading and get Chouinard's book "Let my people

go surfing" and it just might change your perspective

on your own habits. Check out some of the talks he's

given that are posted on YouTube. "Live an examined

life, examine everything you do" is Yvon's credo.

In my office I call it mindfulness or intentionality.

You might also see it as doing what you do on purpose.

Living an intentional, mindful life can make you happier

healthier, and give you more peace. The Patagonia philosophy

asks the same thing of business. Act intentionally, live, consume,

and even manufacture in an examined purposeful way.

The best consumer is one who consumes less. Simplify

your life in order to make it sustainable. You'll feel a nice

sense of freedom when you do. As I've written before,

resources, whether they be our human resources or the earth's

are finite. Make them last.

Healing

The human body has an infinite ability to

heal itself. The human psyche is also an amazing thing.

Working together the mind and the body can work

what some might think are miracles. They can't

however, work their miracles without action on your part,

without your help.

A wound will heal if you keep it clean and bandaged

properly. A bone will heal if you help it along by

proper rest, nutrition, and time. A spirit can heal

with the help of others, a reframing of how you

look at a problem, and a belief.

My cast came off today! The healing of my broken ankle

continues. My spirit is soaring knowing that I can return

to the ocean. My doctor told me I can swim, paddle, bike

ride, kyak,fish and return to pretty much everything that does not

require impact. "Let it heal a bit more before popping up

on your board" he told me. "No worries" I replied with

my spirit high. Can't wait to get wet. How do others do it

I wonder? How do they heal without the ocean, without surfing?