At he first place, SUP surfing is supposed to have all the components of a flow-inducing activity: the goal is simple and well-defined – not to fall from the board; there is immediate feedback – I am either falling or not; the activity requires complete focus and certain level of skill. So in principle, SUP surfing is supposed to be tremendously enjoyable and relaxing. Yet so far, it hasn’t been so. This was initially surprising to me, because I really enjoy SUP boarding on flat water.
I believe the reason SUP surfing doesn’t feel as enjoyable to me as I would like is because it lacks one important aspect of a flow activity – my skills are not matched to the level of challenge. The learning curve for surfing of any kind, SUP surfing included, is quite steep. Enjoying the learning process requires a certain mindset that takes be a bit of time to develop. I realize that I need a certain playfulness, a willingness to view numerous falls and tumbles as fun time in the surf, rather than as continuous negative feedback on the level of your surfing skills. When SUP boarding on flat water, if I fall from the board, that’s a clearly unintended event and something that I generally try to avoid. When SUP surfing, falling over is the name of the game. In fact, being able to stay upright and to catch a wave is more of an exception, at least at my current level. Hopefully, one day it will become a true flow – both challenging and enjoyable.
