Getting Outside Of Your SUP Comfort Zone

Stand-up paddleboarding is one of those sports where in order to progress, you need to continuously step outside of your comfort zone. Once you’re up, standing, paddling away on flatwater, getting outside of your comfort zone can be challenging because you get ‘comfortable’ with what you know. However, it’s not until you take that leap, that you realise what lies ahead. A whole new world of endless SUP opportunities in new conditions, or new locations, that now you feel confident tackling.

This year’s She SUPs South Coast SUP Retreat was one I will never forget… partly due to the rain/floods, and crazy logistics that the conditions caused, but mostly due to the buzz in the group as everyone stepped outside their comfort zones numerous times over the weekend.

This 4 day, 3 night trip to the Jervis Bay area didn’t quite go to Plan… well, Plan A that is. We were hit by the heaviest rain, storms and in some areas flooding, that week, meaning that the whole itinerary needed to be reworked in the 3 days leading up to the trip. I always have a Plan B, C and sometimes D for most trips, but this trip worked up the whole alphabet, as I creatively crafted a whole new itinerary but managed to keep everything SUP themed (probably one of my biggest achievements!)

Getting comfortable with going with the flow

I didn’t realise it at the time, but there was a SUP lesson for all in the way the whole weekend turned out. I’m a planner, and I love to plan and clearly communicate to our paddlers when, where and how everything is going to go. I think that’s why many people chose to travel and adventure further with She SUPs! Our feedback and testimonials always say how our paddlers love relaxing knowing they are in the hands of a professional, who has everything meticulously planned out, so that all they have to do is show up and have fun. However nothing about this weekend went to plan. The weather didn’t cooperate, the new reworked itinerary wasn’t locked in until the day everyone arrived, and we all (paddlers and host!) had to quickly become comfortable with the ‘go with the flow’ mentality, which is not always easy.

However this same story can often be applied to stand-up paddleboarding adventures. When out paddling, we are in the hands of Mother Nature. She decides whether our paddle is going to plan or not, whether the wind is going to stick to forecast or do a complete 180. And as paddlers, we need to get comfortable with thinking on our feet, adjusting to whatever conditions we are given, and remaining calm and optimistic in the process.

I loved witnessing the change of mindset of some of the women who joined us, as they changed their attitude and language from ‘Ahhh this is such sh*tty weather!’ to ‘let’s make the most of every moment and see what happens’!

Taking a leap of faith - you’ve got this!

The next moment that will forever stick in my mind is the moment many of our paddlers paddled in exposed conditions and/or entered the water with a small breaking waves for the first time. Having met with SUP athlete Amy Blakemore the previous day, we had discussed ocean paddling and how to time your entry with the swell and waves in a beach setting, but few in the group had ever attempted it.

On the final day of the She SUPs South Coast SUP Retreat I had told the group we were going to have a big day of paddling, to make the most of the incredible conditions. I mentioned we’d be doing a creek paddle and a bay paddle in the same day… but I didn’t mention how we’d get into the Bay.

Working alongside local SUP instructor (and legend) George, we led the group down to the beach, eyed up the conditions and George and I agreed, we were confident that we could get the whole group out and through the breaking waves and paddling in the beautiful calm bay.

I could see some anxious faces in the group looking at the waves (probably thinking, “I can’t do that”) but I knew every paddler had it in them to get out there - they just had to believe it themselves.

To ease everyone’s minds we talked through our approach and opened to questions. George and I would take two paddlers down to the water at a time (working 1:1 with each of them). We’d have everyone on their knees and George and I would work with each paddler to count the waves and identify a good moment for them to paddle out back when there was a little break in the breaking waves.

As soon as we saw a suitable window, we gave each paddleboard a little push (and occasionally would run alongside them for a couple of metres) as we shouted ‘PADDLE PADDLE PADDLE!’ and our hearts beat a little faster watching each paddler use their powerful deep strokes with increased stroke rate to get themselves out back quickly! As soon as each individual reached the calm waters behind the breaking waves the air would be filled with woops and cheers as we celebrated each individual pushing outside of their comfort zone.

With EVERYONE out back, and enjoying a calm and relaxed paddle in the bay, body language relaxed, and everyone spoke of what an awesome experience it was. Still to this day I have many paddlers from this trip talk to me about that beach launch. It was a pivotal and memorable step on their SUP journey and one that has no doubt helped them advance a little further.

So what’s my advice for getting outside of your SUP comfort zone?

I truly believe the best way to get outside of your SUP comfort zone is to…

Surround yourself with peers or other paddlers that are a little bit further ahead than you on their SUP journey - I hear so many paddlers ‘fear’ that they will ‘slow someone down’ if they join a more experienced paddler for a paddle, however I encourage you to change that narrative and think about what you could learn! You don’t need to go fast or far, but paddling with others who are a little further ahead on their SUP journey is an easy way to open up the path to progression and help you keep moving forward rather than getting ‘stuck’ where you are (if you wish to progress that is!)
Get support from the professionals - Of course ‘getting outside of your SUP comfort zone’ is a very generic phrase and could encompass a range of different things. However if whatever you’re aiming towards involves more risk (e.g. surf, swell, faster flows/currents, more remote locations), it is best to seek the help, support and advice of SUP professionals. This will not only ensure you’re safe as you try something new, but it will ensure you gain the confidence to keep pursuing that path by developing your skills and knowledge in this area too.
Don’t procrastinate. Hold yourself accountable and make it happen - I have to admit, I can be the Queen of procrastination sometimes, and if you’re apprehensive about something then I’m sure (like me) you’ll find a million and one reasons you ‘can’t’ do it or make it happen. However if you want it enough, you can make it happen and you WILL. If you struggle to hold yourself accountable, share your goal or intention with a friend or member of the She SUPs Community so that they can be on the journey with you and encourage you along every step of the way!
Name that emotion and respond accordingly - I’ve just been watching a series by legendary author and researcher Brene Brown (it’s called Atlas of the Heart) and the whole show (and corresponding book) is all about using the right language to identify your emotions and consequently respond accurately to what you’re feeling. Brene’s research explores how, as we’ve evolved as human beings, we often become lazy with how we identify our emotions, and more often than not we will summarise our emotions into either happy, sad or angry. When we wrongly identify our emotions we struggle to communicate them with others, and ourselves and therefore we struggle to cope with them.
However when we accurately identify our emotions, we can then react in a way that will actually help us process or experience that emotion, rather than be absorbed by it. As an example, if you’re feeling apprehensive or nervous, take a moment to think about that feeling in your belly. Is it fear? If so, what do you fear and what do you need to unpack or do in order to remove that fear? Is it actually excitement that we sometimes frame as anxiety? Are you excited about how it will feel once you’ve accomplished this goal? There is SO much to unpack here, but hopefully it’s sparked a little curiosity inside of you to explore what emotions you are feeling, and if you’d like to know more - check out Brene Brown here.
It doesn’t have to be a HUGE step. Recognise and celebrate the small steps - The majority of us actually step outside of our comfort zone in some way every time we paddle, as we experience something different, different conditions, experience almost falling but self-correcting, try a new location and so much more. So don’t forget to celebrate these incredible milestones on your journey!

Let me know in the comments when and how you stepped outside of your SUP comfort zone - remembering big or small steps should be celebrated!! I can’t wait to celebrate with you!

Take care,

Vikki - Founder of She SUPs x

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