How I Rewrote My Story
(One Wipeout at a Time)
We all carry stories about who we are and how life is supposed to go. And if you’re anything like me, you’ve probably held on tightly—maybe too tightly—to a specific ending.
Last year, in a room full of Co-Active life coaches, I was asked to imagine my future self. What kind of persona did I want to embody in my life and business?
Most people came up with professional growth-oriented personas.
Me? I blurted out: “Surfer Girl.” 🏄♀️
Surfer Girl was chill. She flowed with life. She fell and laughed. She was confident, embodied, unbothered. Basically, the opposite of how I was feeling at the time: anxious, perfectionistic, pushing too hard against the current.
So I did what any narrative-obsessed, slightly unhinged storyteller would do:
I booked myself into a surf hostel in Portugal and declared I was going to actually become Surfer Girl. ✅
That’s how committed I was to becoming this new story version of myself. ✨
👇 WATCH MY FULL STORY HERE 👇
…But here’s what I didn’t expect: transformation doesn’t always look like triumph. 😫
For three days, I marched my foam board down to the beach.
I attempted the pop-up.
I Googled “surf tips for fat people.”
I practiced awkwardly on the dorm floor while younger hostel mates partied nearby.
😵💫 The voices in my head were relentless:
You’re not strong enough. You’re not athletic enough. You came here to become Surfer Girl. Failure is not an option.
And for three days, I wiped out.
Again.
And again.
And again...
By day four, I was crying in the ocean—saltwater tears mixing with saltwater waves—defeated.
This wasn’t my story. Not the one I planned. 😓
That’s when my surf instructor gave me the most bizarre, life-changing advice I’ve ever received:
“Okay, so next time don’t try to stand. Just push to your knees… and put your arms out like…”
(he searched for the word, gesturing dramatically)
“…you know, that statue in Brazil?” 🇧🇷
“Christ the Redeemer?” I asked.
“Yes! Put your arms out like Jesus!"
Sure. Of course. Casual. 🫠
I’m crying in a wetsuit, and now I’m supposed to channel the literal Son of God.
But I did it.
I got on my knees. I stretched my arms wide. And I rode the wave—not perfectly, but joyfully.
And suddenly, it clicked:
😳 I’d spent three days doing the very thing I had gone to Portugal to stop doing —LITERALLY trying to control the ocean. To control the outcome.
But that’s not what Surfer Girl does. Surfer Girl lets go.
She laughs through the wipeouts. She trusts the messy middle. She releases control. 🌊
And that, my friends, is when the real story begins.
The Stories We Tell Ourselves (and the Ones We Share)
So often, we grip tightly to a story with one “right” ending. We think success has to look a certain way. We write ourselves into corners.
But what if the story you're in right now is offering you a different—maybe even better—ending than the one you scripted?
That’s the work I do now as a Story Coach and host of Storytime, my interactive storytelling event series.
Because our stories shape us—and they shift when we say them out loud.
Whether you’re rewriting a career chapter, navigating a big life change, or just trying to ride the wave without falling flat, your story matters. And telling it might be the very thing that brings clarity, confidence, and connection.
Ready to Ride Your Own Story Wave?
If you’re craving a place to share your story, come join me in one of these upcoming storytelling events:
📍 Storytime: Birthdays – Sunday, June 8 | Groundfloor, Oakland
Celebrate the return of our signature storytelling night (and my 40th birthday!) with stories about the moments that mark us.
📍 Sips & Stories: There’s No Place Like Home – Wednesday, May 21 | Book Society, Berkeley
An intimate night of wine, reflection, and storytelling around what “home” means—past and present.
💬 Not local? Book a free Story Spark Session to explore 1:1 story coaching and find the narrative you’re meant to live into next.
Final Thought
You don’t have to get it perfect. Just like surfing, storytelling is about riding what shows up.
So here’s your invitation: Loosen your grip. Let go of the ending you thought you needed. Tell the story anyway.
Put your arms out like Jesus. And ride the wave.
