Surfboard Reinvention!

If you nurture your mind, body and spirit, your time will expand. You will gain a new perspective that will allow you to accomplish much more.-Brian Koslow, business coach.

Your Good Side

Everybody has that side of their face they favor when they pose for the picture. We all know just how to turn to hide the nose bump, the droopy lip, the cowlick in the hair…whatever it might be. We have a certain ideal self-image that we strive for on a regular basis and we work hard to maintain it. Some of us even become obsessed about it to the point of going under the knife to achieve it.

Unfortunately what we all eventually realize is that it’s just not good enough. There’s always that ugly spot that just keeps showing up. There’s always the bad hair day. That’s precisely when the sense of exasperation sets in and we become depressed. No matter how much we primp, we continue to fall short. The worst part of this side of us is that it extends well beyond the pure physical failure. We’re really putting a dent in our self-confidence.

Wave Riders

Even the strong get worn down. Those with a strong sense of self-worth might ride that wave for a long time, but eventually it peaks and begins to crash down on the shore. Once able to paddle back out into the ocean and do it over and over again, they suddenly feel weary. The younger riders seem to be passing them by and seem invincible, but the question remains, what happened to that once strong self-image? How did it just suddenly disappear? Maybe there has in fact been physical changes, but what happened to the self-belief? Is self-doubt really that powerful, that one little down moment can create a small crevice and in slips this disease that strips us of self-confidence? It can’t be that we’re that fragile. Impossible! It must be as simple as seeing things from the wrong perspective.

Let’s start off with the original viewpoint. Our first hurdle in life is when we face struggle or controversy for the first time. Don’t belittle that moment as insignificant, it matters. That time when things just don’t go your way. What you do in those moments is very important as to what path your life’s journey will take! If you choose to confront challenge, then you quickly discover that you’re more capable than you ever thought. You realize that you’re well equipped; smarter than you ever thought; stronger than the world expected. If I’m wrong, then explain the mother who suddenly has the power to lift a car off of her child trapped beneath.

Dubious Advantage

For those who have chosen to fight on, they realize that not only can they battle through the fire, they also discover that there’s a toolbox which they possess that they can call upon any time. They realize that a simple dose of discipline can set them apart from the rest of the pack. Some may still be motivated by fear or loss, but it doesn’t really matter. They now know they can do anything, and they forge ahead as winners.

But even for them the wave breaks, circumstances change. The world evolves new technologies that confuse them; new ideas that shake the foundation upon which the original house had been built. They wonder if they have the energy or the strength to carry on and fight once again. But what’s the alternative? Is it easier to just go with the flow. Let the other race cars speed by? Now what? There’s no doubt the veteran warrior carries the burden of knowing what war brings. The rookie’s naivete is enviable; the fearlessness commendable. But is that really an advantage? Hardly! Youth certainly lacks the understanding of the distinctions. The veteran has been there before and recognizes the pitfalls and can adroitly navigate though them.

Elderly Embrace

There was a time in life when perhaps I feared growing older, but I never realized how wonderful the accumulation of knowledge would feel. I can now laugh at the silliness and rise above it like never before. The view seems to be much clearer; the path more visible from many more miles away. I feel like I have the ability to read expressions and see life stories revealed. People and their struggles now matter to me more than ever before, yet in the same breath I have come to realize you can’t help them all.

So what happened to me? A new angle? A new perspective? Certainly like anybody else, the unbridled energy that would awaken me in the middle of the night, now takes a back seat to a good night’s slumber. Like a professional athlete, I’m finding it easier to call upon a laser focus. Perhaps it’s necessary to compete, but I think it was the key all along. Knowing precisely what’s important and going for it while turning down all the rest of the noise. There seems to be less and less time for trivial pursuit…and I don’t mean fun…that’s what I’m finding more important than ever.

Okinawan Surfers

But ultimately, this is about all of us and our journey. Things change. As “they” say, and “they” are right, nothing lasts forever. Even though the sun might drop into the horizon the same way each day, the way we see it is very different. Sure it might be because the external things around us have changed, but I would argue that our own perspective has changed and in fact it should. Call it your own personal evolution.

We need to start expecting it and look for its calling. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with the next phase. It also matters not whether the spot your in feels like the worst you’ve ever experienced. It’s forming your new view. It’s challenging you to get up and take a different seat. A fresh look is healthy. The same old same old is great, but it doesn’t last. However, when you feel that change, don’t fear it. Don’t let it breed self-doubt. It’s simply telling you that a new opportunity is upon you, regardless of how old you are or how tired you feel. Stop fighting it. I remember reading that some of the oldest living people in the world came from the island of Okinawa. The key ingredient in their longevity was their ability to reinvent themselves by building on past experiences and seeing opportunities from a new and better angle!