February is almost over and March is just around the corner. It’s time to think about my next experiment. I’ll publish more about my psilocybin experiment soon.
I’ve been debating whether I should go gluten free for a month or learn how to surf.
In March, I’ve decided to learn how to surf. I’ve been living in Puerto Viejo for 2 years now and still don’t know how to surf. I have no excuses not to learn it. And now that my older son is 3, hopefully I’ll be able to pass on some of the teachings to him and we’ll be able to surf together.
Why surfing?
I wanted to do something more physical for once. I’m not so big on sports and I know that keeping my body in shape will help me in the long term. I’m feeding my brain with books, I try to keep a healthy diet, the only missing item is to exercise more. And since I’m not always so comfortable with my body, that will push me outside of my comfort zone.
Every day I pass by the beach, see people surfing and think to myself that I should learn it as well. It’s fun or at least I expect it to be, otherwise people wouldn’t be there for hours waiting for the perfect wave. It’s inexpensive. Once you learn and own your surf board, the ocean is free to access (as of March 2020, you never know what new taxes the government will come up with.)
One reason I haven’t taken any lessons yet is that it feels kind of intimidating to be a newbie surrounded by all those professional surfer. It’s daunting. You get the same feeling when you hit a gym and don’t know what to do or where to start. I feel that this is the reason why many are not doing anything to get in shape. Not knowing how and where to start and fear of being judged. Time to adopt a growth mindset!
My Approach
Although I want to become a superhuman, in order to learn I won’t simply rent a board and run towards the water. I’ll get nowhere without knowing the basics. That would be counter productive and take many more hours than necessary.
My approach is fairly simple. I will start by taking surf lessons like any beginner should and practice on my own. I will probably start with a couple of lessons and then maybe a weekly one to see my progress and how I can improve. Having someone more experienced watching you is a great way to get feedback that you could miss while on the board. And it will be a good time to ask any questions I may have.
Of course I will commit to 31 days of learning (subject to climate and waves), but my plan is to continue afterwards. Hopefully it won’t rain too much, I don’t want to get wet.
I’ve found a good local surf instructor at Caribbean Surf School and am looking forward to my first lesson. Hopefully I’ll be able to catch at least one wave.
I’ll be sure to share my progress with you. See you in a month.
