New Year's resolutions are problematic. They put pressure on us and are rarely achieved, right? It's a bit like the promise to go to the gym at least twice a week.
But, hey, if you're a surfer, things are a bit easier.
It's way more fun to be out in the water than breathing air-conditioned air under bright white 10,000K light.
Yes, I know, for most of you, dear readers, the water temperature is 55 °F (13 °C), way above the air temperature of 45 °F (7 °C). It's tough and not inviting - surely.
However, we've thought about a few doable and reasonable New Year's resolutions for the modern surfer that don't necessarily involve suffering and hating surfing.
We've kept it fun, simple, and meaningful. How many of the following ten yearly resolutions can you tick off the list?
1. Surf at Least Once Every 12 Months of the Year
We at SurferToday.com have been doing it consistently over the decades.
The calendar doesn't get to decide when you're a surfer. Cold water, blown-out winds, travel chaos. None of it counts as an excuse.
One session per month is the minimum handshake with the ocean, even if it's small, choppy, or involves questionable neoprene thickness decisions.
The point isn't consistency for bragging rights. The idea is staying in touch with the ocean all year long.
2. Switch Stance Day
Once in a while, betray muscle memory. It's a great exercise for the mind and body.
Paddle out knowing you'll look confused, fall early, and miss great waves you'd normally make. Riding switch in an exercise of humility, rewiring your brain, and remembering what learning actually feels like.
Bonus factor: you'll come back to your normal stance slightly sharper and a lot less serious.
3. Wave Count Challenge
Instead of hoarding waves, ration them.
Set a number before paddling out - maybe five, maybe ten - and once you hit it, you're done.
The goal is to force patience, better positioning, and the counterintuitive act of letting waves pass.
Just chill: the ocean doesn't run out.
4. No-Complaint Sessions
No commentary on wind direction, crowd density, tide timing, or the beginner guy on the foamie.
If it enters your head, it doesn't leave your mouth. Bad conditions become a puzzle instead of a problem.
You'll be surprised how much better a session feels when you stop complaining about what's wrong with it.
5. Leave Ego on the Beach
We all know surfing is a show-off sport, but try paddling out as if no one is watching. Because, after all, maybe they aren't.
Go for waves you actually want, not the ones that prove something; sit and wait where you belong, not where you think you should belong.
The goal here is to surf in a way that still feels honest if no one saw a single ride. Zero ego.
6. Surf Without a Watch
Surf watches are cool, and everyone wears them nowadays.
But the exercise here is different.
Time is a land concept. Leave your wristwatch in the car.
Stay out until your shoulders soften, your breath slows, or the light shifts just enough to signal it's done.
You'll rediscover that sessions have a natural ending, and that the best waves often show up when you're no longer checking how late it is.
7. One Quick Beach Cleanup per Session
We're not challenging you to spend even half an hour picking trash from the sand.
After a session, on your way up the beach, pick up what doesn't belong in our beautiful sanctuary, even if it's not your trash.
It's OK not to be an activist, but if you can contribute to the coastline's maintenance.
In the end, it's a quiet acknowledgment that surfing doesn't happen in a vacuum, and the beach isn't just a playground you borrow and abandon.
8. The Awkward Wave Challenge
This one's fun, and you can even do it with your friends.
Take the wave no one wants. It could be the sectiony one, the wonky left, or that thing that barely looks rideable.
Try to make something out of it anyway. These waves won't make highlight reels, but they'll sharpen your adaptability and sense of play.
Not every wave needs to be impressive to be worthwhile. Surfing is supposed to be, above everything, loads of fun.
9. Sunrise or Sunset Streak
How could you say no to this challenge?
Commit to catching the ocean when it's half-asleep or winding down. Low light changes everything - pace, mood, expectations.
These sessions are less about performance and more about chilling and noticing the color of the water, the quiet between sets, the way time stretches when the sun is doing something interesting.
It's so relaxing.
10. Surf on International Surfing Day
Not because it's on the calendar, but because it's a special day. It's the surfers' day.
So, get out there, and paddle out knowing surfers around the world are doing the same thing in wildly different conditions and latitudes.
Ride a wave with that in mind. Celebrate the date. There's so much you can do.
Words by Luís MP | Founder of SurferToday.com
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