Year’s End Edition

There’s a moment at the end of a surf session when you know it’s time.

Your arms feel heavy.

The tide has shifted.

The light has changed.

You sit on your board, looking back at the beach, replaying the waves you caught and the ones you didn’t.

The end of the year feels exactly like that.

Twelve months of motion.

Of effort.

Of learning when to paddle hard and when to pull back.

Some rides were clean and unforgettable.

Others were messy, humbling, or ended in a wipeout you didn’t see coming.

And now, here you are.

Floating between what was and what’s next.

This isn’t a moment to rush through.

This is a moment to breathe, to reflect, and to reset.

Welcome to the edge of the year—Beyond the Break.

Surfing is full of endings.

Every wave ends.
Every swell fades.
Every session comes to shore.

And yet, surfers aren’t afraid of endings because endings make space for what comes next.

Mental health works the same way.

We struggle when we cling to what’s already passed:

But the ocean never apologizes for changing.

It doesn’t hold onto yesterday’s swell.

It releases it fully and trusts the horizon.

What if we did the same?

Before paddling in, most surfers do a quiet review:

There’s no self-hatred in it.

Just awareness.

As the year closes, we’re invited to do the same especially for our mental health.

Not with shame.

Not with pressure.

But with honesty.

Ask yourself:

This isn’t about grading your year.

It’s about understanding it.

Because understanding is the first step toward healing.

Every surfer knows the feeling of getting caught inside and paddling against whitewater, wasting energy, going nowhere.

In life, those whitewater moments often look like:

Endings give us permission to stop paddling against what no longer works.

You don’t have to drag old coping mechanisms into a new year.
You don’t have to carry habits that helped you survive but now limit your peace.

Let them sink.

The ocean will recycle them into something else.

It always does.

Before moving forward, we pause.

This breathing practice is designed to help you release the year gently and reset your nervous system like floating beyond the impact zone after a long paddle.

When to use it:
At the end of the year, before setting intentions, or anytime you feel mentally overloaded.

How to practice:

On each exhale, imagine something from the past year dissolving into the water—stress, guilt, self-doubt, unfinished business.

You don’t need to fix it.
Just release it.

Long exhales tell your nervous system: you’re safe now.

One of the biggest mental health traps at year’s end is comparison.

Who advanced faster.
Who healed sooner.
Who looks happier, calmer, more successful.

But surfing destroys comparison.

You can’t surf someone else’s wave.
You can’t ride yesterday’s swell.
You can’t measure your session by someone else’s ride.

Your pace is not a flaw. It’s your rhythm.

Some years are for charging.
Some years are for surviving.
Some years are for learning how to breathe again.

All of them count.

Surfers don’t paddle out demanding the ocean deliver.

They arrive with intention, awareness, and respect and adjust to what shows up.

As you step into a new year, consider replacing rigid goals with intentions that support your mental health.

Instead of:
❌ “I need to be better this year”
Try:
✅ “I want to be kinder to myself when I struggle”

Instead of:
❌ “I’ll never feel anxious again”
Try:
✅ “I’ll learn how to respond to anxiety with compassion”

Instead of:
❌ “I have to do more”
Try:
✅ “I want to live with more presence”

Intentions create space.

Pressure creates panic.

Surf smarter.

Live softer.

Waxing a board before a new swell is an act of preparation.

It’s quiet.

Intentional.

Grounded.

As this year ends, imagine you’re waxing your board for what’s ahead.

Each stroke represents:

You don’t need to know what waves are coming.

You just need to be ready to meet them.

No surfer ever says, “I’m done surfing.”

Mental health is the same.

It’s not something you complete.

It’s something you tend to through breath, rest, connection, movement, and honesty.

Some days you’ll feel strong and steady.
Some days you’ll feel overwhelmed and tired.

Both belong.

The ocean doesn’t judge rough days.

Neither should you.

As this year closes, take these truths with you:

The best surfers aren’t the most aggressive they’re the most aware.

The same is true for life.

Out beyond the turbulence, the water smooths out.

The noise fades.

The body remembers how to float.

This is where reflection happens.
This is where healing begins.
This is where new swell is born.

As the year paddles in, may you release what no longer serves you, breathe deeply into what does, and trust yourself enough to start again without rushing, without fear.

We’ll see you in the new year.
Grounded. Intentional. Still breathing.

Connecting with your soul.

Let’s Go Have a Day 🏄🏻‍♂️

Kevin, Founder

Beyond the Break by Soul Surf Wax