"The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything." -Steve Jobs 2005. Let's forget the idea of being successful and think of being light with a beginner's mind...
This last surf trip was one of firsts. The first time my best friend and I went surfing together, the first time I was too sick to paddle, the first time I surfed bigger waves (I went from ankle-biters, knee slappers to hip shakers). But the biggest first is one of a beginner's mind. When I started on this journey to find out what was really in my heart's beat, I wasn't sure where it would take me. But I knew that not understanding myself would get me into more trouble than it was worth. What people don't tell you is that finding that heartbeat can be painful, but as Viktor Frankel stated "Between stimulus and response there is space, and in that space is our power to choose. And it's in that choice lies our growth and freedom."
So that is what I did, I tried to find a tool to help me widen that space. Surfing is definitely one, but meditation and staying quiet (I am talkative, so you know that was hard), is another way.
Beginners mind is another interesting notion. It apparently comes from the Zen Buddhist term Shoshin.
The idea of beginners mind from how I see it, allows you to move through space without judgement, without negative thoughts and just live, just learn. You would be surprised what comes out of it.
How to practice beginners mind. I don't really know. I just looked at the situation for what it was, a time to learn. In practice, it meant humbling myself to not think I knew the answer to everything or that I can do everything. It might be a bit dishonest if your surf teacher is teaching you how to pop up and you can already do it. But honestly, I had some bad habits (already?) in my stance that needed correcting. So starting the process in beginners mind gave me the space to be open and take in their comments. I know it is difficult to forget all that you know and walk into a situation in the mindset that you don't know. But if we can be truthful, in most situations, we genuinely don't know everything. So instead of trying to make a situation fit what we know, isn't it more interesting to see where that situation could take us? Now, of course, you will have boundaries. I am getting more acquainted with myself, so I know that there are certain things I do not like, or have a hard time accepting. However, that doesn't mean I won't allow the space for a situation to unfold on its own and then, there, I get to choose if I will continue or not.
Surfing in Biarritz was a perfect example of this. Yes, I can probably start surfing with a non-beginner board and start riding the face of the wave, but instead I just lived and learned. Surprisingly, I surfed bigger waves because of it.
Take care of your mind.