Embracing everything life has to offer, by Garrett McNamara
Jan 23, 2024
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Guest Garrett McNamara, a legend in the surfing world, shares his journey of embracing all moments in life after getting knocked off his board. He discusses his exhilarating experiences riding massive waves at Jaws, breathing techniques, and connection to the universe. The narrator reflects on distractions and patterns of distraction that keep us from embracing the present moment. They explore practices to combat anxiety and classify the mind, inviting gratitude and reflections.
Garrett McNamara learns to embrace all the moments life offers rather than always chasing the next wave.
He realizes the need to let go of always chasing the next wave and constantly living for the future, instead cultivating a sense of contentment in every moment.
Deep dives
Embracing all the moments life offers
Garrett McNamara, a professional surfer, learns to embrace all the moments life offers rather than always chasing the next wave. He realizes that his obsession with surfing and always seeking the biggest waves is taking away from fully experiencing other aspects of life. Through various experiences and injuries, he begins to appreciate the value of being present and finding satisfaction in the present moment.
Learning to love the land
Garrett grapples with the idea of finding his passion outside of surfing. Despite his love for the water, he starts to explore appreciation for the land, enjoying good food, diving into history, and contemplating a life beyond professional surfing. With the support of his partner, Nicole, he begins to shift his focus and embraces the possibilities and experiences available outside of his lifelong obsession with chasing waves.
The journey towards embracing all moments
Garrett reflects on his journey and mindset, realizing the need to let go of always chasing the next wave and constantly living for the future. He practices being present and cultivating a sense of contentment in every moment. While still maintaining his passion for surfing, he learns to appreciate the small, simple moments in life and finds fulfillment in experiencing all that life has to offer.
Garrett McNamara is a legend in the surfing world who’s ridden some of the biggest waves on the planet. To maintain his surfing career, Garrett spends all his time and energy chasing the next big swell. But when he unexpectedly gets knocked off his board, he has to step away from doing the thing that makes him the happiest. He tells the story of how he learns to embrace all the moments life has to offer, rather than always chasing the next wave. Garrett’s television show “100 Foot Wave” won an Emmy award for Outstanding Cinematography For A Nonfiction Program at the 2024 ceremony.
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Each episode of Meditative Story combines the emotional pull of first-person storytelling with immersive music and gentle mindfulness prompts. Read the transcript for this story: meditativestory.com