(Photo used with permission by Shannon Marie Quirk)
This post is to hopefully inspire you to never give up on your dreams. I am a professional big wave surfer, a writer and a coach, focused on helping people live a life of Abundance in all levels.
A year ago I suffered an accident while surfing big waves at a contest that lead me to a concussion that lasted a good 10 months.
The first four months I couldn't even read an email. My brain was fatigued and I couldn't do more than be in bed and do nothing.
It took me five months to be able to walk my dog for one block only, before I would get nausea and feel weak, about to pass out constantly.
I could barely make myself a meal a day, had little to no help at home, it was truly hard. I had to stop doing my work and focus only on my health.
As I was starting to feel better in July, my husband and I decided to call our marriage quits. We got divorced.
To say that my life went to shit is an understatement. I've been in survival mode, trying to find a place to live, dealing with the shock of the separation and the concussion symptoms that were always there.
I've got to a point that I just gave up and decided that I wanted to step off the role of "Abundance Coach" because my life was so far from that, that I felt like a total hypocrite.
So there went my career, but it felt aligned with my truth. It actually lead me to follow my true passion: to write. So now I write only when I feel inspired about the ups and downs of life and how I connect to the energy of Abundance in my life through those highs and lows. I also share about Abundance through an online course and public speaking.
Then there was the surfing... I get paid by an amazing company (Patagonia) to surf representing their products around the world. Well, as of last October, I couldn't surf a three foot wave, because my brain was so rattled and weak, that just having a wave break on top of me, would lead me to two weeks in bed with headaches and fatigue.
I've built a career on being one of the few female big wave surfers in the world, and suddenly I couldn't even surf a beginners wave. And when I could, I would lose my balance and fall, as my equilibrium was so bad.
I had to let it all go and started to love myself and care for myself, until I slowly came back to my health. It took me 13 months to feel strong again.
A few days ago, a nice swell hit Hawaii, the "end of season last swell." I went out to my favorite spot, Sunset Beach, and got wave, after wave, after wave. I felt free in the water, as if I was part of the ocean.
Some people told me it was the best performance I ever had at Sunset, a wave I've surfed every swell for 10 years, when I was at my peak of my big wave surfing career. I think that it is because after so much grief, I now know how precious life is.
I now want to soak it to the fullest and do only what I love. I want to take (calculated) risks because I know that we only have today to live to the fullest. If a good wave comes my way, now I want to get it! I don't want to miss a moment in life.
Thirteen months ago, I never planned to have my board hit my head and change my life. But it happened. So I now know that plans are just an illusion. It's great to hold a focus for our desires, but ultimately we only have this exact moment. This breath...
Today, I am living my dream of surfing big waves again. But this time is more joyful than ever before. This time I appreciate every single wave I get in pure gratitude and joy. This photo is of this last swell a few days ago with one of my favorite pink boards.
So if your life is now not the way you want, if you feel like everything is hard and you can't seem to get out of the dumps, just be patient. Love yourself to pieces. Love yourself one breath at a time.
That love will eventually come back to you, like a big wave. You just sit in position and wait to meet with it. And when it comes, you paddle your heart out, trust that you will make it and take the drop of your life.
Mercedes Maidana is a Motivational Speaker and Business and Abundance Life Coach who guides women to launch and improve their businesses, go for their dreams, and take action steps to live life to their highest potential. Continue the conversation with Mercedes and learn more about her work on Facebook and Instagram.