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Shutting Off Your Brain

posted 18th January 2010    Written by: Robyn    CATEGORY: All Posts, Life Lesson, Robyn, Season 1

One of my last stops in Costa Rica was a small coastal town called Dominical. I spent a couple days there hiking on the beach and playing in the ocean like I was five years old.

I was having so much fun playing in the huge waves that I decided to take a surfing lesson. I had tried surfing a couple years ago during my travels in Australia, but I had only managed to stand up a couple times then and hadn’t impressed myself too much.

Still, the feeling of catching my first wave was with me, and I wanted to have that feeling again.

This time I took my lesson early in the morning with a guy named Bob, who had recently retired from a long career in pro surfing. I immediately liked his teaching style and was especially intrigued when he told me that the secret to being a good surfer is shutting off your brain.

“No thinking allowed–it’s all instinct and really feeling the ocean and the wave as you ride into shore,” he explained to me.

Once I was situated in the ocean with my board attached to my ankle, I shut off my brain. Bob told me that the waves and the rip tide were especially strong at the moment but that I should be able to stand up as long as I went after each wave with the right attitude.

“Once you pick your wave, you must go for it. Choose it and make it yours and then take it. Never turn back  or hesitate,” he said.

I watched each wave roll in and found the one I wanted. I climbed on my board and laid on my stomach. Bob helped me get centered, and once the wave was almost behind me… I started paddling like crazy.

I shut off my brain.

I felt the wave moving under my board. I took two more long strokes with my arms and popped up. I rode the wave until I hit shallow water. Just like that. Thrilling!

Of course there were plenty of wipe outs and failed attempts after that, but there were at least 15-20 other waves I caught.  Bob actually let me keep the board for an hour after my lesson. I stayed out in the ocean catching waves all by myself until I was too sunburned, thirsty, and sore to continue.

It felt great!

Just as I did during my surfing lesson, I managed to turn off my brain many times during the rest of my travels, and it felt good not to think for once. I didn’t worry about my lack of work back home. I didn’t worry about bills or finances. I didn’t even worry about that great “life plan” I’ve been attempting to organize for the past few months. I just enjoyed the moment and concentrated on what was right in front of me–flawless ocean, endless beach, and perfect streaks of sunlight.

Currently, I am on a flight back to Chicago. Even now, after all I’ve learned, I find that my brain is completely turned on and clouded with the many things on my list of things to do upon my return to the “real world.” Urgh.

This reminds me of how important it is to take a break from your routine sometimes–just to make sure you are living life right, just to give yourself a chance to recharge and find new inspirations. This trip was definitely a gift to myself, and I have taken something from it that I hope to apply to my life in Chicago.

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