Photo: @micaelamalmi_photography / @amanda.kriebel
The sun is out but the ocean is icy. My breath forms in the air. I paddle to the wave’s momentum.I catch the wave and my body feels stiff as I sluggishly connect my feet to the board. No amount of yoga is going to keep my body from freezing up like an inflexible figurine. But I love this, riding on mother nature’s powerful canvas. Feeling the sensation of being frigid, the water piercing through my wetsuit, yet the warmth on my face, the limitless view before me, and the expansiveness of my breath. I am right here in the moment.
I wait with patience for the next set of waves. I overhear “Paddle with tenacity!” A friend is directing a new surfer. No matter how cold it is, how intimidating this environment is, the guy paddles with dedication to meet the wave’s power. Surfing takes persistence, you have to paddle with tenacity otherwise the wave will leave you behind, stagnant and void of acceleration from the flow forward. It reminds me of when I learned to surf and the only advice my then-boyfriend offered was “paddle really hard.” Simple. Powerful. And true. Paddle with tenacity.
The word in Latin “tenere” means “to hold” and is defined as determination, perseverance, persistence, to grip something and the quality of continuing to exist.
Where does your own persistence exist? It might be on your yoga mat, being a parent, in your career, your health, or your relationships. It’s actually happening in every thought and in every action. There are threads of tenacity in all we do. Professional athletes fall countless times in their sport only to rise and endure. As an athlete myself, experiencing wipeouts are standard. They are as familiar as misplacing my car keys – whether it’s surfing, snowboarding, skiing, or in a yoga pose. Some are adorned with bruises or serious injuries. Others feel enduring a complete breakdown and then a break up with my old self to climb through reluctance, doubt, and hesitation.
But of course, it’s not only athletes who fall hard. Oprah and Steve Jobs fell hard. They both had huge failures in their careers, yet they persevered. In physical therapy school, I fell hard too. I was a breath away from being eliminated from the program the first semester thanks to poor grades. I learned that revelations often come in the moment when something is being taken away from you. You realize how much it or even someone means to you. Becoming a physical therapist was my lifeline (and still is). I rose up with a new plan, a new attitude, and a new approach. There were numerous elements conspiring to aid in my path. I endured through three grueling hardcore years of studying, countless tests, meticulous projects, demanding internships, and an intense licensing board exam to graduate with practically all straight A’s.
I fell and then I rose.
So where does tenacity come from? Is it in your DNA? It seems like a resilient micro current influencing our being to keep taking action. To make a stronger connection to yourself. To flow more steadily, more confidently. Tenacity comes from the whispers of your soul and the grace of your being to take action. Vision and optimism coupled with faith and belief keep you in the game. Let go for the ride. Fall. Commit again. Dig deep into your courage, and your motives. Rise. Be compassionate. Take your time, slow down, have patience while healing from your injuries, the heartaches, the struggles, etc. The harder you fall, the more potential you have to rise stronger. And overcome. Again.
Fall. Be kind to yourself. Fill yourself up with positive things; a good workout, a yummy meal, a hot Epsom salt bath, your favorite yoga class, a new hobby. Engage with life through positive uplifting outlets that feed your soul. Rise. Find support. When you feel lost or helpless, call upon your squad of encouraging friends or a motivated mentor. Connect with them. Fall again and rise higher. Step forward assertively and with love.
Tenacity involves growth and creating new habits, which require determination and effort. You may fall over and over. When you get back up, you learn, and you rise stronger. You follow the pulse of existence, graduating through new endeavors and the adventures within your heart. To endure the challenges and the changes, persist with tenacity to continue onward and upward with all your heart.
Paddle with tenacity in life, the ride is really exhilarating and sweet.
With love,
Amanda
