If You Don’t Go, You Don’t Know

One of those mottos that actually works for everything in life as far as you ask me. Whether you are headed to a job every day that you don’t like and flirt with the idea of quitting, whether there is a six ft. wave approaching and you’re overwhelmed by it’s magnitude, or whether there is that someone you like but are in doubt whether it is mutual. If you don’t go you really don’t know.

It is all about taking a risk once in a while. Asking that question: “Will I regret it later on?” Most of the time you will (or at least I do) and in the end what is the worst that can happen: you have to find a new job, get washed and get smashed by a couple of big sets on your head or be rejected by someone. We mainly make the safe decision out of fear, self-doubt and/or insecurity but do you really want these emotions to decide for you where you are headed to in life. Nope, right…?!?

I reckon there are way worse things that can happen than finding a new job, getting smashed or being rejected. Bigger failures were survived and as mentioned quite some times before, you get back up, you will really get back up. The fall will only make you stronger and grow. So I decide to just go, because you never know what can happen: A life on an island, the biggest wave of my life or closer to the person that you really like.

That New Surfspot

It’s 4:45 am in the morning and my alarm goes off. I grab my stuff (wetsuit, board and towel), start my car and head off to Frances Town. I really want to surf today as I am pretty busy during the week so it better be working. With heaps of anticipation, I arrive and unfortunately not welcomed by peeling lefts and rights…it is flat. I will have to head off to Mainbreak then.

20 minutes later I arrive. There are waves and there are about 15 locals out already (note that it is only 5:30). I watch and watch and watch. I feel anxious and doubt. “Am I really going in now? “, “The waves are not that great?” is going through my mind. This insecurity creeps up on me and I question whether I actually belong here. And the thought that keeps holding me back is what other people might think. And then I manage to switch all these twisted thoughts off and start putting my wetsuit on. I can do this, I managed 6 ft Uluwatu so this is a piece of cake, right. I paddle out, am greeted by some 60+ surfers and start getting into it. When I get my first wave all is ok. It is really that newness of a surfspot you have never surfed. The people you do not know. But being back in the ocean feels great and even though it was not my best session ever, getting salty cleared all the doubts away and I am ready for the rest of the day and surf this spot again (and again and again).