I am actually terrified of being in or on the ocean, but I DO SURF!
It takes a lot of practice to "surf" well. It is not for those who are weak-kneed, you have to have a well developed "core." You need to be brave and willing to get wet.
The conditions also have to be right. You can't surf if there is nothing to surf on. You NEED some movement; a bit of turbulence somewhere, so the waves can build up. There needs to be a pull and a push or an ebb and a flow. Surfing is best observed by others if you have a "bomb wave" to ride on, one of those big ones. Those 25 foot ones can really catch your heart pounding.
It can take some people years to perfect riding the sweet swells without looking like a kook. Those veterans may look a bit weathered, skin parched by the salty waters and darkened by years in the sun; squint lines etched on the face and a quiet knowing focus in their eyes. Then you see the young ones out there, looking part dolphin part shark, totally fearless... totally amped and checking in with others, wanting to know if their arial had been seen. They have so much energy all day long. I have observed all of this on the famous North Shore of Oahu's coast.
This is where I became aware that I am a seasonal surfer.
WAVE AFTER WAVE
It took coming to Hawaii again, to realize I have developed a "surfer" ability over the last few years. But I "surf" a different type of wave... maybe you do too.
I realized on this trip to the Islands of Aloha, that the waves that I have learned to surf are the emotional kind.
You may have heard of "waves of emotion?" Or how about "the ocean of emotion?"
I believe that within each one of us there are oceans of sorts, that carry waves of emotions that have been formed from all the different places that our life has taken us.
Some"oceans" may appear deeper than others.
Some are dark and mysterious where others appear more shallow and translucent.
The translucent ones are really pretty to look at, you can often see what is beneath the surface quite easily.
Maybe a deeper ocean comes with more years on the planet or maybe it comes with the intensity of one's life experiences. Yet again, sometimes an ocean becomes deep because of the weight of what it carries.
Whatever the depth or width of your ocean/oceans, its colour or clarity, you do have at least one ocean within.
HOW WET DO YOU GET?
There are so many parallels between a person's life and an ocean, it makes my creative mind swirl with all of the possible analogies.
Some people like to stay on the surface of emotions, playing around and splashing about but not getting "enveloped" or "drenched" by them.
Others enjoy the deep dive not fully knowing what awaits them in the depths, but curious as to what they may discover within.
What is exhilarating for one may be terrifying for another.
Some people like the "ebb" and some people like "the flow."
Some people like to stay on top of their "wild and fierce" feelings and what they are processing in their life and ride it out for all its worth. They see the opportunity to jump into the emotional waters, paddle out on their "surfboard" to where the"wave"is cresting, find their footing and stance as they master "the beast" with invisible reins. They overcome it, run it ashore and make it yield to their command.
Other people prefer to lay low on their life "bodyboard" and not risk standing up and possibly losing their balance. They don't mind watching the epic crashing waves a little further out but they prefer the more gentle rhythm of letting the smaller waves carry them in and out, close to shore.
Most of us will also recognize those who like being near "the waves and the ocean" but feel quite content on the sandy beach getting their feet wet once in awhile but not sensing the need to go any further. They might explore a tidal pool or two but are quite aware when they believe it is time to head back to a more secure ground when they sense the tide is turning or starting to creep in.
YOU GET TO CHOOSE!
In whatever way you process your life and emotions, know that your life is YOURS and your emotions are YOUR emotions to process. Whether you suppress or express, hide or expose, stay on the surface or dive in deep, YOU GET TO CHOOSE what you do with them.
Emotions in themselves are not right or wrong, they are merely indicators of what you are thinking within, if you really want to know the truth.
An emotion is a real response to a thought that you have, that is also connected to your biology. We can actually shift our body chemistry through our thoughts, but that is another deep area of study. (*)
Sometimes a person is aware that they are feeling something but are not sure what the emotion is that it is connected to. Sometimes a person is not able to easily articulate or describe what they are feeling. This is usually the case with an emotion that has a negative memory attached to it that the person doesn't want to relive or remember. Sometimes the person is wanting to avoid feeling something because of a fear of what might happen if it is expressed.
Maybe you have knowingly or unknowingly forced your emotional expression onto others in some form of a behaviour or attitude in an attempt to off load what you are feeling. Maybe you have had someone do that to you.
Maybe some of what you are carrying within you now is not all your stuff, maybe a healthy response is for you to offload it.
Sometimes, a person has not learned or discovered a healthy way to offload or express what the waves of emotion are bringing up from the places your life has taken you.
WHAT IS HEALTHY?
What is "healthy" might look a little different for you than it does for me. Maybe you need to be moving or expending physical energy to be able to process your feelings or emotions. Maybe you need to do it in a creative way like writing, painting, dancing, singing or acting?
For me, it is FIRST praying and talking with God: Holy Spirit, Jesus or The Father. He is the safest one to share anything with. ("They"are One and The Same and are always listening and will always share the Truth. Even when He corrects our thinking, He will always speak with Love.)
I like to journal our conversation because it often brings revelation and clarity to the what's, the why's and how's of life. Talking with God helps me to process in a way that brings order to my thoughts, helps me sort the Truth from the lies or misconceptions I may have picked up here and there.
An additional way is to be able to talk through my emotions, feelings, and my thoughts with another Christian Life Coach that I trust. This is someone that I have usually built some relational capital with. We are a good and healthy fit personality wise. There is mutual respect and honour.
The coaching process usually confirms what God has already communicated with me personally on some level, but He is okay with that. God loves to be part of our conversations with each other too. A healthy coaching session just adds to what I am already learning with Him as my #1 Life Coach.
NOW YOU!
Whatever way you have learned, chosen or experienced in your past or even in your present, know that YOU have the power, the grace, to change how you deal with your whatsoever.
Just because you have always viewed your life's "oceans" one way does not mean that you have to keep that perspective.
Just because you may have believed a thing about yourself, does not mean that you can't develop a new way to be. THE CHOICE IS YOURS!
I believe that The One who created you, has provided you with the freedom to choose. He is The One who lovingly thinks of you more times than there are grains of sand on every shore. He is the One Who knows what is ahead for you and has provided for your every need. He is standing by to help you choose wisely but you do need to ask Him for His help. He loves to have us partner with Him in our journey. You can trust Him with every wave. He knows every inch of your ocean even better than you do and He will help you learn to navigate it.
So the choice is now yours. Will you partner with Him for this phase of your life?
What if this is a time to dive in and discover the treasures within your deep waters?
What if this is a time for you to stay on the shore and enjoy a time of rest and observation?
What if God just wants to give you another point of view or another way to process?
What could I gain by learning to embrace MORE opportunities?
What might I be able to let go of, if I learn a new way to process? or a new way to see?
YOU have the freedom to be who God created you to be!
Know that you are accepted, you are worthy and loved beyond measure.
Ride the Wave. Stand on Shore.
Live Alive!
Jane
*https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology
https://drleaf.com/about/faqs/
Comentários