What is it about surfers? Relaxed, easy-going, they seem to be the epitome of “chill”.  Although movies have streotyped surfers as lazy and as hapless potheads, the surfers of today are all but stereotypical. Look at today’s line-up and you will see doctors, lawyers, professionals, teachers … all kinds! The thing that makes them surfers is the pursuit of the “stoke” … that feeling of soulful release.

But you don’t have to live on the beach and surf all day to get some of that laid-back karma into your busy lives. A few simple principles inspired by the surfer lifestyle will help you to reduce stress, deal with problems and give you that ‘all’s well with the world’ feeling. So here are five ways to bring out your inner surfer, man:

1. The ocean is unpredictable. Surfers never know what’s going to happen next so they just have to go with the flow. You don’t command the wave, you work with it. The unpredictable happens in everyday life. So just go with the flow, don’t get wound up if things don’t go as planned. Stay alive to possibilities and be prepared to go off in new directions.
2. Contrary to popular belief, not all surfers are lazy beach bums! Many surfers  work their butts off for 6 months during the spring and summer and save like mad so that come winter, they can make a surfing trip to warmer climates. Working towards a goal that is really important to you will help you get through the difficult times. Don’t wait twenty years to reward your hard work with an enriching personal experience.
3. Out in the line-up, beyond the breaking waves, no-one cares how much money you have or how many degrees you’ve acquired or how expensive your car is. All that matters is how well you surf and how you treat others in water. It is far less stressful simply to accept people on level terms and not to be blinded by social status. Focus on what you have in common with people, not what sets you apart. Hang out with people who are accepting rather than competitive.
4. Surfers have a great respect for nature and the power of the ocean. They spend much of their time outdoors in beautiful surroundings. Being outdoors is a great mood-improver and the power of nature has a humbling effect. Relive stress by getting outdoors as much as possible, preferably in beautiful surroundings. Oceans and mountains are particularly good for putting everything in perspective!
5. There is a truth universally acknowledged by surfers: everyone wipes out sometime. You take your pounding and you get back on your board and paddle out to do it all again. That knowledge that you are going to fail but try again and again is a very positive attitude. It’s easy to go into something expecting success all the time only to be completely cut up when you fail at something. Life is easier if you accept that things are going to go wrong at times but ultimately believe in your ability to conquer them.

What do you do to reduce the stress in your life? Who do you look to for inspiration?

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