The next stop was to be in Great Britain, but the distance was probably too far for our new gray friends and so we now have a short stop in Portugal. There’s an insider tip for Portugal surfers. No matter you are a beginner or a professional, there should be a place suitable for everyone in every season. However, it’s probably cool enough and you shouldn’t dare wear a suit. I never will either, because my middle name is “frostbite.” Still, the weather here at this time of year is probably a lot more pleasant than in Queen Elizabeth’s countryside, which is why a little rest alone should be worthwhile.

Right at the beginning I have to confess something to you: I’ve never been exposed before. At least not in this life. I don’t know how heavy the surfboard is or how it feels. Still, I wrote a poem about it. I spend all the time trying to remember what inspired me to do it. Was it a dream or a song on the radio (The Perfect Wave)? I don’t know it anymore. This is again a short poem, but I think it is very fitting for the start of the year. Because it speaks of courage. Dare to try something new. It’s about the courage you need to start the new year and the confidence that goes with it that the things you set out to do will work out. That’s why I don’t talk about it for a long time:

Wave

a wave
rarely come alone
a wave
draws us to
drop
on fingers,
salty, confused, strange splash,
air
Excited and pure freedom,
time comes,
yes just wait
There you can easily ride the waves,
Slide to new shores with your power.

From “Federgedichte” by Bine von Deckert, ISBN: 978-3754342299

So now I come to the first challenge of this year. Just try something new! You don’t have to break your neck straight away (now I can tell you how I motorcrossed for the first time in 2021 – but I’d rather let it be). I recently read an interview of Sebastian Fitzek in which he says that he always tries something new. For example, buying a book from an author he doesn’t know. They call it the 80-20 rule: 80% rituals, 20% new experiences. But the proportions are variable and everyone can try as it suits them best. It will also be possible to go shopping in a store that has never been entered before. To take a different path to work. Trying a new film genre or eating something unfamiliar while going to the cinema. Maybe you write a post here on a topic that is completely different to you. There is no limit to the imagination.

Yes – humans are creatures of habit. Well established patterns have already led to success and that is why they are automatically repeated without any question. This is how our brain works and our organism feels most comfortable. In fact, it is not even a bad system, as it simplifies everyday life and ensures that we do not have to constantly experience everything and learn anew. But if at some point we hardly get any new experiences, we get rusty. We go through life in the blink of an eye and set ourselves narrow boundaries. Who knows what opportunities we miss. Even if it involves a certain thrill and a small risk. It makes life exciting and something really good can come out of it in the end!

So ask yourself – how can I leave my comfort zone today and think outside the box? What new experience would I like to have – even if it is just a little? And then it’s time to get off your surfboard and into the cold water! Let’s see what happens. Maybe a dolphin will greet us again… 😉 – but now we actually go to Great Britain.

See you soon, your bin!