We all search for a place that feels like home. A place that will give us a sense of belonging, belonging to something, belonging to someone, belonging to somewhere. We experience the feelings of sadness and loneliness when we feel like we don't belong somewhere or aren't part of something greater than ourselves. The truth is, the only place you WILL ever belong to, is within you.
"You only are free
when you realise you belong no place,
you belong every place,
no place at all,”
~ Maya Angelou
It is belonging so fully to yourself that you're willing to stand strong and stand-alone far from the crowd. It is being true to yourself and your own values.
Leaving the safety of my country at a young age, I used to feel lost in the wilderness. It has taken a long time to find my home away from home. My safe place, a place where I feel I belong, my no place. It took me years to find the self.
My Safe Place
The only place I can run away to when I feel helpless
My best kind of meditation
My happy healing place
A place where all the magic happens
A place I can always go back to
A place I love and that loves me back
The kind of love that doesn’t break
My Happy Place
I thank the ocean
For giving me a sense of belonging
And thank you waves
For being my home away from home
For being a place I can cherrish
A place I take with me anywhere
Surfing and yoga have helped me to find contentment, they helped me to connect to nature and connect to myself. When I don’t surf I practice yoga, when I don’t practice yoga it’s because I’m surfing. Completely alone, yet fully complete.
Surfing and yoga have helped me to find contentment, they helped me to connect to nature and connect to myself. When I don’t surf I practice yoga, when I don’t practice yoga it’s because I’m surfing. Completely alone, yet fully complete.
What is Your Safe and Happy Place?
Forget the people, the material things... now think. Where do you feel free, where can you be fully yourself. Standing totally alone yet completely filled.
Our happy place lays within us. All you need to do is find it, this is HOW:
> LOVE the self unconditionally
Now, this is a tough one. I don't mean to love yourself in the ego-driven ways of having expensive clothes and tons of make-up. Instead think of true self-love, carrying for the self and spending some quality time yes, with yourself.
> Be YOU
Forget others, people care a lot less than we often think. Be yourself and be comfortable with it. Know that it's ok to be unique and to be different. Don't try to copy others or be like someone else. Find your own way of being, while feeling comfortable with it. If people around you don't like it, it is really not your problem, we cannot be loved and liked by everyone. We all have different tastes and preferences. And THAT is OK!
> DROP the expectations
Expectations can be great but also painful. We often have expectations from people, not to mention these are often too high. When the expectations aren't met, we become disappointed and upset. The only person for who you should have expectations is you. As always you want to think moderation, so set some kind (and realistic) expectations for yourself.
YOGA is a great pre and post-surf activity. Through Yoga, I can gain overall strength but also target areas such as lower back, core, shoulders, quads and ankles that I need to stretch and strengthen. Becoming strong also helps me improve my balance and therefore improve my surfing, from stronger and more efficient paddling to faster pop-ups and better balance on my shortboard.
Using Yoga after a surf session helps me put my body back into balance after strenuous hours in the ocean, where the back comprises and shoulders, hamstrings and hips contracts and tighten. My precious yoga practice also helps me connect to my body so that I have better control over it in and out of the surf.
SURFING gives me a sense of freedom and self-trust. It is always a humbling experience, being able to connect to and experience the full power of nature. It is not a team sport, just like yoga, you have to rely on nothing and nobody, but yourself. You have to be brave, you have to trust your own knowing, your full potential, your skills and strength. It is a place where you have to stand strong and stand alone but not lonely. It is a place of my true belonging.
Find your happy place...
"It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. The wilderness can often feel unholy because we can't control it, or what people think about our choice of whether to venture into that vastness or not. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it's the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.”~ Brené Brown
