“...and then you surf. Wooh, you surf. Bang, you surf, and ride, then you crash! And then you’re underneath, then you surface, [and] it’s the best feeling ever ‘coz you know you’re alive. And you paddle out again, go back sa line up, get your wave, ride again, you crash again, you go back, and you never stop. You take on that wave, you pop up, and then, you keep riding... living. You keep living.” - @jerichorosalesofficial, Siargao (2017) 🎥 @ikechan1112 .
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It’s been a year since I first rode a surfboard. And I would say that I’m definitely not at my best at it yet even after so. Surfing is a slow grind of learning, and it definitely teaches you a lot of lessons that you can directly apply and relate to life. Paddling out to the sea is like putting yourself out there in the world full of opportunities. The waves, the sets, are the events, moments, chances that you can get in life to improve and become better. So you ride one, ride it until it’s there, then obstacles come, be it a backwash, a reef, a co-surfer paddling up, or even just yourself losing balance and control, all of which could cause you to crash... So you crash, only to find yourself learning a whole lot from that ride. How you popped up, how you rode that opportunity, how you conquered the barriers to make the most of that wave before you crashed. But even though you got wiped out, you still paddle back out to the line up, because you yourself know that there are more chances out there, more waves that life will bring forth to make yourself better, to improve yourself, to be the best version of yourself, one wave at a time, one ride at a time, one wipe out after another. So bless up, ride on, and keep surfing!🏄🏽♂️❤️🤙🏽 (PS. Surfing ain’t easy, yo! Swipe right to see videos of me failing to catch waves. It happens 99% of the time vs me actually catching waves. LOL)
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On the same note, do check-out my blog! I posted new content today about the New Year and Resolutions! https://charlesnicolei.com/
“Sometimes, I paddle out to the sea not only to surf, but to get away from chaos. Takas sa gulo. Because out there, nothing else matters. It’s just you, and the water, right? Kahit yung kaguluhan ng isip mo di mo maririnig yun. Maririnig mo lang yung alon, tsaka mga tunog sa paligid, and you sit there.” - @jerichorosalesofficial, Siargao (2017)
1/15/18
🎥 @ikechan1112 .
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It’s only but fitting to have my first travel of 2019 in La Union, the place where I first fell in love with the beach, the town where I first learned how to surf, my homebreak. Also my very first time to have someone take pictures and videos of me in action! Thanks to my new friends Mr. Suzuki @infinity_surf and Lei-san! @ikechan1112. Definitely one for the books!
Enjoying the struggle of the climb. 😛✌🏽
12/25/18
📸 @allennermal
2018 was a lay-over year. I didn’t know where I was going, I wasn’t sure if I was making the right decisions, and heck did I know that I’d finally take the leap of faith to quit my day job to be a freelancer. .
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A lot has changed since 2017. Would you believe me if I told you that I hated going to the beach and leaving the city for long roadtrips? Enter surfing: it opened up a whole new horizon for me. I got to explore the simple lifestyle miles away from the urban jungle, learned to spread my wings and became an extroverted monkey by meeting new people through @thecirclehostel, going on my first ever solo trip, and just being in the province every single weekend after I left my 7-4 transformed me into who I am today. .
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In 2019, I still have a lot of paddling and maneuvering to do for myself for my board to get to the right spot, the right line-up. I’m effin’ claiming it: A HUGE SWELL IS INCOMING THIS 2019 AND I’LL BE OWNING EACH EVERY WAVE COMING MY WAY (joke lang magsshare ako syempre).
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Can’t wait for the New Year to unfold! Cheers to everyone and I hope you all have an optimistic year ahead of you! Peace and Love. ✌🏽❤️
https://charlesnicolei.com
