Go Where You Are Loved

Around Valentine’s Day I have noticed people get really hung up on LOVE, who’s got it, who hasn’t, do I have enough, is it the right kind, are they the ONE?

Since learning the ‘Surf Goddess Way’ many years ago, I don’t get flustered about that sort of thing. I realize that there is no shortage of love, in fact it is in abundance everywhere if you know where to look.

I’d like to share the secret to always having enough love in your life today, by passing on one of the most significant pieces of advice I have ever been given. 

It’s simple wisdom can profoundly change your life if you follow it. It changed mine.

“Go where you are loved”

How often do we stay in relationships and situations that don’t honor ourselves. This doesn’t just mean romantic relationships. It can include work places that take you for granted, friends who treat you shabbily or family that criticize and put you down.

Take a moment to reflect on your current relationships. Do you have any that are, quickly or slowly, breaking your heart or your spirit? 

Another way to look at your relationships is like two people in a row boat if you were to look up would you be the only one rowing?  Worse yet has the other person jumped ship and you just haven’t noticed it yet?

If this is true then it’s time to move on and go where you are loved.

So how do I do this, you ask?

Take another moment to reflect on the people in your life who you know care about you, who you feel great around and have a wonderful rapport with. Those are the people who deserve to be at the center of your life, the ones that you need to ‘shower with love’, as my favorite James Taylor song goes.

Receiving love starts with giving it.

It just makes sense that you aren’t going to have much love in your life if your giving all yours away to those who are incapable of, or aren’t interested in returning it. 

It takes self-love to leave these situations, but ultimately it’s a lot less painful than leaving nail marks on relationships that are over. Most times it’s as simple as just letting go and stop ‘rowing the boat’.

Those who don’t really value (love) you will usually fade quietly into the background as you turn your focus to all the wonderful people in your life.

Go where you are loved and when you arrive, don’t just sit there and ask those wonderful souls to love you, it’s a two way street, so give out your love and care in as many ways as you can.  

When this happens you will experience profoundly rewarding relationships where everybody involved feels great and helps each other grow on many different levels.

So don’t wait…go where you are loved today and enjoy a wonderful journey!

Copyright Surf Goddess Retreats 2011

Over 4,000 females participate in Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day over the weekend

Surf Goddess Retreats partnered with Rip Curl School of Surf to develop the first women only Surf Program in Bali and is has been a match made in heaven.

We just had our Girls Go Surfing Day here in Bali a couple of months ago and now it was time for the Aussie Girls to jon the fun...and boy did they ever!

Although final numbers are still being confirmed, the 2010 Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day is estimated to have attracted over 4,000 females over the weekend. Under the guidance of qualified Surfing Australia instructors, participants either got their first taste at surfing or gained a few tips to improve their current level.



2010 is the 21st consecutive year the program has run, making it the longest running and largest participation based all girls surfing program in the world.


“We had an excellent weekend with a big turnout at all locations. It’s fantastic to see so many girls participating in the sport and there’s no better way to get you started for surfing this summer,” said Marine Cole.


By the end of the weekend, most girls had stood up for the first time on a surfboard and more importantly all were smiling. After each session the participants receive their official Girls Go Surfing Day ‘goodie bag’ with a limited edition singlet and other assorted gear.





The Rip Curl Girls Go Surfing Day is proudly presented by Virgin Blue with partners Surfing Australia, DOLLY magazine, WIN TV and The Butterfly Foundation.

Choosing the Right Surf Board

The board you ride makes all the difference to your surfing. Choosing the right board for the waves and your experience can affect whether you have a great ride or a frustrating time in the surf.

One of the most common mistakes that new surfers make in choosing a board is that they want to start off riding short boards similar to the ones they see professional surfers ride. Short boards usually have a very pulled in or pointy nose, are not very thick in the body and are usually 6 foot or under in length.

The problem with a beginner or inexperienced surfer riding a short board is that these boards are designed to be very responsive in the water, their reduced surface size makes them turn easily to do ‘cut backs’ and other maneuvers; but what this means for the new surfer is that they are really hard to balance on for both lying on the board and also for standing up and riding a wave!

Also, because they are light and thin, when they are paddled in the water, the surfer’s body is half immersed in the ocean rather than lying on top of it, so it creates a lot more drag and they need a lot of upper body strength to get up the speed to paddle onto most waves.

So what happens to inexperienced surfers who ride short boards is that they struggle to catch unbroken (or ’green’) waves because they can’t paddle fast enough and when they do get up they find it hard to stand up to ride the wave and fall off very easily….not much fun really!
The best boards to ride when you are first learning are long boards which are also commonly known as Malibu boards (named after the famous long boarding surf break of Malibu in California).

Long boards are generally wide overall having a full nose area, are long, starting from around 8 + feet, and are 2” to 3” thick. They are perfect for learning as the board is very stable for riding and because they float high in the water it makes them very easy to paddle onto waves. I think of them as the ‘instant gratification’ surfboard as its is so easy to catch waves and have a fun ride in most conditions. They are great for learning the basic skills of surfing because you get lots of practice when you can paddle successfully on to waves and also once you catch the wave you can work on improving your skills instead of having to put all your focus on just trying standing up on the board!

After mastering your balance on a long board and developing the basic skills, many surfers often move onto Fun boards, Mini Mals or Hybrids. These are either a shorter version of a long board or a hybrid / combo of long board and short board features. They are most often between 7ft to 8ft long and are still quite thick (around 2” ).
There is a reason they are often referred to as ‘fun boards’ as they are ideal for most recreational surfers as they have a high degree of manoeuvrability on the wave, while still being stable to balance on and floaty enough to keep it fairly easy in paddling onto waves…so your pretty much going to have a good time when you go out surfing!

The important thing to remember when choosing a board is start BIG and move your way down in size as your skills improve. Even for experienced surfers, smaller doesn’t always mean better, there are many surfers who love to ride only Malibu boards and skilled wave riders turn surfing these boards into an art form with graceful dance like moves that require amazing balance and timing.

The main thing is to have fun and the simplest way to do this is to ride boards and waves that are suitable to your surfing level, fitness and experience.

Live Well, Laugh Lots and Surf with a Smile!


http://www.surfgoddessretreats.com