The Mindful Surfer

Episode 25 | Mind, Body, Stoke

One from the Mindful Surfer archives, featuring beginner and improver journeys, Surfing in bigger waves and hipster food. Will explores the Effects on different diets on his body and mind and how food variety makes a huge difference to well being. Given the last episode Will was even commenting on Liam’s hair growth way back then too!
As it is an archive show, Liam is still wearing is his ancient winter suit before his O’Neill Psycho One epiphany!
Both discuss Liam’s receptiveness to input on learning, development and growth with shared ocean experiences doubling the joy. The same going for problems. A problem shared is a problem halved.
There are musings around what makes a mindful surfer, exploring and searching for more positive feelings, acceptance and support in surfing.
Themes of Persistence, practice and perseverance in paddling out in bigger and gnarlier conditions are explored. Even though Liam is only looking to be the worlds best small wave surfer!. :) How there is a challenge when progressing in staying content and not frustrated with the conditions as they change.  The boys look at flow and stoke being higher during improver journeys and how to channel your inner Ben Gravy to remain ‘surfschool happy’ with all conditions.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4qa5EroJxnQM6Sng9WhgsQ
Will and Liam chat about smaller surf being more dangerous as complacency takes over,  whereas larger more powerful waves heighten the focus and resolve.
They guys talk about the concept of time in the ocean and taking the clock out of the surfing equation. Why Liam stopped wearing a watch and is the real world in the sea or the land.
Outside of it as a sport they look at Surfing as play for it’s own sake and why for adults especially this is so liberating. 
Beyond all that there is a look at having understanding partners in life and staying away from co-dependency. Bringing stoke home but banking and spending it wisely in real life, across relationships, at work and on land.
Will discusses how folly and fun brings lightness and positivity to a serious world. With fully Stoked and conscious surfers squeezing the best out of life.
There is even a surprise call in from a special guest and ‘Mindless’ Surfer.

Ep.24 | Instagramification. Pubes & Peacocks

Surfing takes a back seat in philosophers corner as Will and Liam are sidetracked by hair styles, hair loss and pubes. Yes pubes. Well Will is!  Connecting all the way back to the power of image and peacock mindsets. With the growing Instagramification of life and surfing. The marketing machine places a ‘life should look like this’ filter on everyone’s world .  Hiding all the rich depth and nuance of reality.
The boys discuss a recent video of Will surfing and how if you record everything and watch it back you forget how it felt. This applies as much to life as the ocean .  They attempt to Focus on feeling surf stoke and life rather than obsessing over how everything looks.  
There is discussion of How to reach beyond the idea of image. Do you surf  to look good or to feel good?
Liam and Will discuss the importance of finding out what you do and don’t like in the Ocean. Especially when it comes to wave size and power. The boards you ride, the places you go, the conditions that bring the most flow. One surfers joy is another one’s fear. However ego and showing off can lead (especially us men) to do things we are not hugely comfortable with. The duality being it can also help to push your boundaries. To bounce you into progression.
Overall it is about giving something a go before you decide. Better to work out what you do and don’t like while you are doing something rather than waiting for the ‘perfect’ conditions or thing to come along.  Waiting for perfection is a long wait and life passes fast.  Don’t let that ‘Perfection fetish’ hold you back from trying
It is only by giving lots of different things/conditions a go that you can find ‘your happy’.
After the recent social media meme the boys get on to the tricky subject of SUPs in the line up and how and why they get a bad press.
It takes true strength to be admit your weaknesses. And especially in surf what you like and don’t like and don’t be afraid to be your authentic surf self.
Liam talks about increasing comfort  and fitness levels in dealing with surf improvements and larger waves.
And again asks do male egos get in the way of admitting what you do like in the surf.
Will run’s the Mindful Surfer meditation with a chance to check in with your breathing. Helping to Drop those labels and how our minds attach a judgement to people The guys discuss how being mindful and kind does not equate to passivity, people pleasing and being a pushover. Working on building your own voice to set your own boundaries.  Surfing hard and being nice to people
In the Mind Body Stoke segment Will chats cold therapy with a twist. The guys then discuss cold therapy as a treatment for pain and depression. Bigging up the daddy of cold water therapy. Wim Hof. https://www.wimhofmethod.com/
Liam recommends Amanzisurf https://www.instagram.com/amanzisurf/ and how online tips like these and surfskating is helping his own surfing progression.
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Episode 23 | Good Vibrations

In ‘Philosopher’s Corner’,  Covid and lockdown is back and it leads the boys onto how fear, anxiety and uncertainty are all being pushed centre stage with TV News being the ‘reasons to be fearful show’.  How mindfulness and meditation can help appreciate the duality and nuance of all situations helping us to look at reasons to be cheerful. Surrendering and not trying to fight the things out of your control. 
If it is just thoughts that create the fear and the feeling how noticing our minds and the stories they build about right and wrong can help. Building love not judgement through the power of silence and observation.
Will and Liam talk about greed, as abundance grows,  across money, sex and surfing and why surfing - if you are going to get addicted to anything - is the drug of choice!
Can taking your own good vibes and high energy into the ocean create better waves? Going from flat to flow with the ‘positive vibes wave machine’.
Rumi gets a mention and the belief the Universe has got your back.  https://www.rumi.org.uk/
Will runs the Mindfulness segment of the show with a 4/8 breathing technique.
For Mind Body and Stoke segment the boys chat fasting, ketosis and energy supplies. Will runs through his fasting regime, while Liam is still trying to put down the Dorito’s.  How fasting can affect your mood and impact home life. Again Duality being everything.
The theme of altruism continues following last weeks chat with Tom Hewitt and how happiness and well-being can grow out of benevolence and love for others. Feeling happy for someone else’s happiness. Can we bring this to a better understanding other people’s points of view. Walking around in their shoes with good will and good vibes.
Finally we put Big shout outs to North Devon legend Andrew ‘Cotty’ Cotton for his Nazare bomb as well as to Conor Maguire for the outrageous Mully Monster he glided through. Amazing to see these guys charging waves that make spines tingle just from looking at the picture
https://www.instagram.com/andrew_cotty/
https://www.instagram.com/conormaguiree/

Episode 22 | Surf community and being-human. Featuring founder of Surfers not Street Children. Tom Hewitt MBE.

Tom Hewitt, legend, ripper, true altruist and all round great bloke drops In to chat, shortboarding, surf community and SUPing. With a stellar and dedicated team Tom runs an amazing organisation https://www.surfnotstreets.org/ in South Africa and Mozambique using Surfing as a hook to get kids off the streets and out of addiction. A real surf for good ambassador but one who wears this with honesty, openness and a smile.We discuss whether us surfers are as chilled as we think we are? Or are we simply a reflection of society encompassing the good and the bad elements of all that goes with that.Tom and the boys mull the ups and downs of being human, the positive vibe warriors and life during lockdown. There is conversation of underrated British surf scene, welcoming breaks and the great vibes that grom packs are bringing to line ups. Teaching grizzled ‘take life too seriously’ humans, how to rip and still have fun. Feeling the surf school happy vibe. And despite all of our passions for surfing we also have to accept when our own kids are simply not into it.Surfers not street children survive on donations, the price of a couple of rounds of drinks a month makes a huge difference to the lives of kids who really need it.. ..The Mindful Surfer is proud to support SNSC. https://www.surfnotstreets.org/To donate.https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/8299#!/DonationDetails#%2FDonationDetails

Episode 21 | Impermanence, Riding the Waves of Life and Dealing with Triggers

Will and Liam cover everything from sedentary lifestyles, not wearing shoes and how ‘office job’, ‘desk dwelling’ convention gets in the way of our bodies moving as they were intended. Is the fear of labels and kookiness preventing us practicing proper stretching, movement and warming up in public.Will talks about his dinosaur hands, T-rex style and how they catch him out in surfs and take him away from flow.There is a shout out to Luke Cederman of the Raglan Surf report who cuts through a lot of the ‘taking surf too seriously shit’ with side splitting humour.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjeccgct0UgThe boys chat about how wearing the label of happy go lucky and upbeat human, can also create unsustainable expectation and how we all need space to not be alright all of the time. It is ok to have flat days as humans. Like waves feelings pass. Good and bad. Often it is in experience of the down, the flat days, that we get to enjoy the up. Like pumping surf returning to lift the stoke levels.Why surfing and mindfulness go together so well because of this impermanence, its ebb and flow and how to build acceptance of this. That it will come as well as it will go and we simply attempt to embrace the journey, where there may not be a destination.Will talks about the importance of breath practice and remembering to use breathing techniques to bring calm and deal with stress and fear. Liam relates this to more ‘unnatural’ ‘unreal world’ sensations of fight or flight in the workplace.Surfskate practice and surf strength training feature in the body segment and Will talks Laird Hamilton quotes and the impact of having close friends around increase joy levels.Will and Liam also explore how we can learn to enjoy our surfing more by embracing unplanned moments and dropping the weight of expectation.
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/ 

Ep. 20 | Kindness with Boundaries and the Art of giving Zero Fucks (Featuring Elizabeth Sneed, aka @curvysurfergirl)

Force of energy and good vibes Elizabeth Sneed, aka @curvysurfergirl drops in for a chat with the boys about life, surfing and wearing truth and vulnerability with lightness and laughter.
Elizabeth shares thoughts on dialling in positive mindsets, dealing with line ups, respecting the safety zones of yourself and others, as well as the importance of seeking out mentors and coaches if you are going from ground zero to surf hero.
Elizabeth shares her thoughts on being a truly Mindful Surfer and grabbing hold of life with energy, authenicity, open hearts and not simply sitting back and waiting for permission to go out and live the life you want. Never let the bastards get you down or armchair critics get in the way of getting on. She even talks about developing her own line of boards and surf kit for Curvy Surfers.
Outside of the interview Will and Liam embrace unconditional love, marriage, regional accents and bedtime stories. As well as chatting through surf image stereotypes and ocean danger.
 
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/

Ep. 19 | ‘Marketed’ Joy, Pre-surf rituals and the dangers of expectation.

Will and Liam chat everything from the weight of expectation, surfing micro mini waves and how marketed joy and well edited surf footage can lead to 'fake Yews!' that hides the reality and struggle of surf life in blown out, storm ravaged beach breaks.   
In this episode the guys also chat functional fitness and the neglect of leg training in improver surfers as well as making time to get off social media, away from false images of perfection and into long form deep content like books.
Community member Ren recommends Ryan Holiday’s book ‘Ego is the Enemy’ and Liam makes The Social Dilemma a must watch for all Mindful Surfers.
The boys look forward to sharing next week's episode as force of energy and good, Elizabeth Sneed, aka the curvy-surfer-girl, drops in for a chat! https://www.instagram.com/curvysurfergirl/ 
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27036528-ego-is-the-enemy
Will's recommends Mick Fanning training his legs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CV1CmkIsYsw
Check out Will's book "Filling the Happiness Gap"  https://www.amazon.com/Filling-Happiness-Gap-Will-Foster/dp/1781809445 
"The Social Dilemma" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11464826/ 
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website  https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/
 
 

Ep. 18 | An Interview with Sasha from Zero Ego Board Reviews

In episode 18 of The Mindful Surfer Podcast, Will and Liam start their conversation by talking about the journey of progressing in surfing. They discuss "Man's Search for Meaning", Book by Viktor Frankl  https://www.amazon.com/Mans-Search-Meaning-Viktor-Frankl-ebook/dp/B009U9S6FI At the beginning of an interview, Sasha talks about why he started making videos. Liam asks Sasha how he deals with  the prejudices that surfers shouldn't do things like running a business (or like Liam says "be a functional member of society"). After that, Will and Sasha are talking about nutrition and fitness that Sasha does to help improve his surfing. At the end of an interview, they are discussing different boards and board choices. Sasha invites everyone to join The Wave Project https://www.waveproject.co.uk/ 
After the interview, Wil and Liam comment on surfing material available online, and advising other surfers. Liam recommends "Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life", Book by William Finnegan https://www.amazon.com/Barbarian-Days-Surfing-William-Finnegan/dp/0143109391 He then talks about the duality between being a surfer and having a "serious" job, and combining two of them. At the  end of an episode, Will talks about nutrition and different opinions around it.
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/
Check out Sasha from Zero Ego Board Reviews  https://www.instagram.com/zero_ego_board_reviews/
Stay tuned for next episode of The Mindful Surfer Podcast!

Ep. 17 | Surfing as Sport vs. Stoke, Effect of Stress on Body and Thoughts, Alternative Ways of Healing

In episode 17 of The Mindful Surfer Podcast Will and Liam start their conversation by saying massive "Thank You" to all their listeners around the world. Will talks about his sense of humor in the shows, and how it intertwines with today's society. He gives tips on choosing your surfing mates, as well as ones in life. They talk about receiving critique and different types of approaching it. After Philosopher's Corner Will does a meditation exercise. He talks about stress and how it affects our body and thoughts.
In the Mind, Body Stoke segment Liam talks about how he deals with his lower back injury. They talk about alternative ways of healing and the placebo effect. Will recommends checking out his teacher Paul Chek at https://chekinstitute.com/ He discusses why he achieves more stoke when he avoids crowds, and how it connects with his ego. They talk about "feeling" the stoke and how videotaping your surfing can affect it. At the end of the segment, they discuss surfing as a sport vs feeling.
In the Surf Media Insight segment Liam talks about brand NeedEssentials, and the surfing documentary they funded. He recommends checking out The Raglan Surf Reports podcast at https://cederguy.podbean.com/
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/
Stay tuned for next episode of The Mindful Surfer Podcast!

Ep. 16 | An Interview with 'Jaws' Big Wave Surfer Adam Amin

In episode 16 of The Mindful Surfer Podcast Will and Liam are interviewing the 'Jaws' Big Wave Surfer Adam Amin. At the beginning of the episode, Liam talks about his new board and his time between surf sessions. They talk about Liams plans to improve his surfing and surfing as a self-development journey. They start an interview with Adam talking about his surfing beginnings in the UK, he describes how he got into surfing and progressed to surfing Jaws. Adam talks about his training technique to battle fear and how much time he spends training on land vs in the ocean. They talk about meditation and how to combine it with surfing. At the end of an interview, Adam talks about what keeps him motivated for surfing big waves.
After the interview Will and Liam talk about the wave sizes and how different people have different fear points. They talk about not caring what people think and how it connects to anxiety in life. In the end, they give tips on how to make your surfing dreams come true, and recommend checking out Priscila Guedes https://www.instagram.com/priscila_guedes_official/
If you want to follow us you'll find us on our website https://www.themindfulsurfer.com/ ,Facebook https://www.facebook.com/willfosterhappinesscoach/ and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/themindfulsurfer/  
Stay tuned for the next episode of The Mindful Surfer Podcast!