By India McCarty
Former pro surfer Bethany Hamilton shared the life lessons the sport has taught her over the years.
“4 lessons surfing has taught me,” she posted on Instagram. “1. You can choose how you face the ocean. Similarly, you can choose how you face the currents of life.”
The next lesson? Endurance.
“Sometimes you have to paddle against the current for what feels like forever, but if you stay patient, work hard and keep pushing – some of the most incredible rides come after the hardest effort,” Hamilton wrote.
The surfer shared that the sport has also taught her the importance of being present, as “surfing is the ultimate form of presence. You can’t really worry about anything else when you’re out there, and that kind of focus is so beautiful, healthy, and freeing!”
Related: Bethany Hamilton Reminds Her Fans to Find Their Joy in the Lord
Lastly, surfing has taught Hamilton that “with time comes experience and wisdom in surfing and the same is for life. Just like in life, experience builds over time, and with it comes confidence and clarity!”
“I’m thankful for what surfing has taught me throughout the years,” she concluded. “The ocean mirrors life in the most honest way — you just have to keep paddling, showing up, and making the most of the ride.”
This isn’t the only lesson surfing has taught Hamilton. When she was 13 years old, she lost her arm in a shark attack, but it never slowed her down — or kept her out of the water.
“I remember waking up at the hospital, and I was very grateful to be alive,” she said at a recent speaking event at Stanford University. “I think that gratitude really helped project me towards thinking of what’s possible instead of focusing on my arm.”
Hamilton added, “When I see the world, I see a lot of hurt and pain but also a lot of beauty and goodness. Try to take life with proactiveness and try to recognize the areas in your life that are not going well. We need to problem solve and not get stopped by those problems but adapt through them.”
Hamilton recently celebrated her 12-year wedding anniversary with husband Adam Dirks.
“We’ve done so much together and the greatest of these is raising our 4 children. There is no greater joy or gift!” the couple wrote in a joint Instagram post. “By no means are we perfect parents or perfect spouses. We’re continually learning and trying to seek to love another well amidst life’s challenges. Sometimes we feel stretched too thin, sometimes we’re able to enjoy the little things in life.”
The post concluded, “But most importantly we know that Christ is our rock through it all and in it all. We will continually cling to Him and know that we are in His hands!”
Hamilton might not be a professional surfer anymore, but the lessons the sport has taught her about facing the challenges of life still hold true!
Read Next: Pro-Surfer Share Uplifting Reminder for When Life Gets Hard
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