Facing Fear on a Surf Board

We took our family vacation right after Christmas 2010 in Oahu, HI this year and on New Year's Day 2011 we had surfing lessons with Ty Gurney Surf School in Waikiki.  I was so scared and wasn't really sure that I wanted to risk getting stung by a jelly fish, bit by a shark or step on a sea urchin while getting smashed by a huge wave. But I also really wanted to try surfing and see if it I could do it.  My goal was to see if I could stand up and surf! My fear was really strong though.

photo by 83 East Productions

But I didn't let my fear get the better of me and I followed the instructors' directions while we were on dry land and then after I fell a couple times, Ty Gurney showed me where I was making my mistakes and so I corrected my technique and stood up the very next time.  I was not graceful or pretty but I was surfing.  I had the time of my life!!

I also realized that I wasn't very strong and I needed to be towed out to the waves.  I also needed to be shown what waves were good and be given a big push in order to have the speed to catch the wave.  I was not good that day but I succeeded at standing up and that is all that mattered.  I can work on strength, technique and form later.  I achieved my initial goal of standing up.

So much of life is about facing the fear, overcoming the fear, stepping out in faith and then celebrating when achieving the initial goals. Sometimes we don't start a new business, make a new friend, take a trip, etc. because we let fear get the better of us.  Think of all the amazing experiences we miss out on because of fear.

My daughter, Emma, in Waikiki

Here is a darling poem that my 10 year old daughter, Emma, wrote last night when we were hanging out together.  We usually read together but last night she wrote poems and I was so impressed when she read me this poem that it inspired me to write this blog post.

 Take a Risk

by Emma Andersen

There are goals

and achievements

and successes

and fear.

But you can never achieve

achievements with your fear

or create goals with fear

or make success with fear.

Only confidence gives you those things

only courage has those things to present for you.

So try something new today 

with courage and confidence.

Here's a video of our surf lessons with some pretty epic wipe-outs on my part! Loved every minute of it!