lost the stoke

true dat.... I remember reading on Andy Irons and he said even he lost his stoke on surfing and went through something like 3 or 6 month period where he didnt surf once....

 

My quick advice is this: Just FORCE yourself to do it. No matter how bad the conditions are or how much bigger the swell is that you anticpiated. In 20 years of surfing, I have NEVER, EVER been disappointed after a session. Just bite the bullet, wake up early, put the cold out of your head, go to the beach alone and regardless if the ocean is empty, or there are 50 guys on it... Just paddle out. You will be "stoked" immediately...

It does get harder as you get older. I am 32. You are 25. So you have to keep the stoke going before you lose it all together. I have seen many friends and surfers let everything fall to the way-side. Now they are fat, out of shape and couldnt paddle out if they wanted to....

Just go... Words to live by: "Eddie Would Go"....

Think about how lucky you are to have the choice to make every day... To go or not to go... Just go. Its always worth it....

I moved from San Diego, where I surfed damn near perfect waves every day... Now I live on Hilton Head Island, where a few times a month, there is a ripples, waist to chest high... I have to motivate myself to get up and go... I get to the beach... No one is out... Your mind starts playing tricks on you... No lifeguards... I hope there are no sharks out today.... blah blah blah... All I can say is just go... Just suit up, paddle out and do it... before its too late. You will feel better every single time.

 

You think it's tough to go now....wait til you get into your 60's.

Kind of a bad joke there.
Not in my 60's....just sayin', wait til you get into your 60's. Bada boom.

But seriously, what Zach & others have said rings true. Just go, shut the mind down from all the noise of life & just go. And then you're right as rain once you're in the ocean.

One other note: the booze at night isn't helping. It makes you weak, it seduces your mind & saps your will, it makes it easy to stay inside, makes it easy to rationalize not going to the effort of getting the gear, makes it easy, so easy to basically, gradually, gently let John Barleycorn become numero uno & everything else fades to second place.

Been down that road. You're young. Fix it now. It's not a road you want to travel. One man's humble opinion.

I enjoyed every single one of these posts in this thread. Good stuff.

 

The posts in this thread have recharged my stoke.

Good work, bras.

 

Life has a way of getting in the way of your surfing if you let it. The key is to not let it happen to you. I got side tracked before with work and everyday life and almost lost my stoke a few years back in my early 20's. I was chasing a dollar bill and trying to be "successful" and ended up losing my love for life and stopped doing the things that I love to do, and surfing is one of those things. I find that no matter how much money you make, it won't change how you feel about life. It's good to have some money sure, don't get me wrong, it's the constant chasing for more that is where things go wrong. I thought if I worked hard enough i'll have enough money to retire young and surf the rest of my life but that just wasn't realistic. Now i'm 31, going to be 32 next month, been back in the water for a few years and stoked more than I ever was in my teens / early 20's.

I took a few years off from surfing, not because I quit or because I chose to one day stop, because I never did, I just looked back one day and realized I had not paddled out in forever. It happened gradually, you'll always find an excuse not to go if you are looking for one. I know I sure could, but now I just put life aside for a few hours and then when I return life is still there waiting for me to tend to, imagine that....

 

when your at work get on surfline or another website with cams and just check out some spots with swell, i know that works for me

 

inland college,then.raising small children at the same time holding a job, severely limited my time surfing.now the boys are grown and i'm back. then,the hips go bad and i'm a crippled old man who can barely get up on my board.I appreciate every wave i get,now,and don't take for granted anymore.swells where you don't score the right break/tide are frustrating when it's cold especially,but helps appreciate when you get it good.

 

Bras are great for lifting you up when you're feeling down and saggy.

 

I'm 43 and probably as stoked now as I was in my teens. Don't get me wrong, there was a lull there where I might get on my board 5-6 times in a year in my late twenties, early thirties. The last few years the desire has definitely come back, especially with my daughters catching the bug as well. Last summer I was in the water just about every weekend, waves or not, with my girls. My oldest pointed out, "Dad you have to keep surfing, because you are always in a much better mood when you have been in the water." Now, I am surfing year round for the first time in ages, and appreciate every session I have, good or bad. Sometimes, I have to force it, but I know the end result will be a smile. A lot has gone on in the last few years, and I agree with Lee, "the stoke is the only thing that keeps me sane." Can't imagine my life without it.

 

I like Uncle Irish's post. Nice.

 

Wait til you're in your 60's?! Hey, I AM 62 and out there every weekend no matter how good or bad the conditions are! I just say "just do it!" like the Nike saying, even on a cold morning. Once you're at the beach and you are paddling out, the stoke comes right back if it doesn't, maybe Prozac can help....

 

Yeah but your in Florida arent you? Also how long have you been surfing. Im 47 and have beed surfing for 35 years. I know a lot of women who surf but most wont go out when it's big or they consider waist to chest big. They wont go out when it's cold and are usually there 2 days after the real swell is past to enjoy the clean small left overs. My point is it's easy to be excited 2 years in, it takes more than passing interest to do it for decades.

 

This is a great thread. Occasionally I get bummed when I chase a swell around or put off obligations only to get skunked. Or frustrated when the crowd is too thick to truly enjoy a session. But I surely agree that sometimes all it takes is a good wave to wash all that away. Even just a bit of time in the ocean, regardless of wave quality, does wonders for my well-being.

How bout Occy! The epitome of loss-of-stoke. Fat on the couch for years starting in the early 90's? Followed by the ultimate comeback and a world title in '99. There are tons of stories like it. Guys finding surfing again (or for the first time) and turning their life around. Look at what it does for veterans. That wounded warriors program that gets soldiers surfing is one of the most inspiring programs going today.

 

Point well taken Zippy. But the kids only 25-- seems young for burning out?

 

I'm starting to feel that too...and I'm only 14!!!!!!1!

 

I just think its weird how everyone who starts to surf feels like they have to continue to play the role even after the glow is gone. I know people who surfed for 4 years 20 years ago and they still talk like they are surfers and complain about loosing the stoke. It's as if, if they admit it wasn't they're thing they're admitting defeat. It's not for everybody and that's fine, just drop out, I don't understand having to ask for ideas to get the drive back.

I raised salt water corals and fish. I did it for 10 years and was fairly well known for propagating captive corals. Eventually I lost interest, sold all of my equipment and moved on. I never once thought about going online to reef central.com to ask how to get the excitement back. I think it's fine to ask for advice, I personally don't understand it.

 

hahahahaha DONT HATE NANCY

 

I can tell you how to get the stoke back. One problem most of you guys do not want to listen.


Impacting the coast for -----


Wayne

 

WazzzzzUp!