Surferism
Surferism
Being an artist is a lot like being a surfer.
Every rejection — whether we admit it or not — feels like getting smacked in the face by a wave.
We catch our breath, pull up our bootstraps (or our wetsuit), and stand up again.
And then… another wave comes and knocks us off our feet.
So we get up again.
We look out to the horizon, which ironically appears perfectly calm.
We take another deep breath.
We adjust our stance.
And somehow, we feel a little stronger — simply because we’re standing again.
Then, lo and behold, here comes another wave.
Big. Fierce.
Boom.
It hits us again.
Only this time… we don’t get knocked down.
Sure, we get thrown off our balance for a moment — but we stay standing.
To all the artists who get knocked down and get back up every single time, I just want to say:
Hell yes.
Kudos to your courage, your tenacity, and your kick-ass resilience.
Don’t stop.
Don’t freak out.
Keep those arms reaching for the stars.
They’re the conduit between you and your dreams.
Side note: This photograph once appeared on a postcard sold in the gift shop at the Loews Hotel on Ocean Boulevard in Santa Monica — proof that sometimes the waves travel farther than we expect.
Wishing everyone the strength to keep standing when the waves come.
