You might be thinking; what could I possibly learn from a Sea Turtle! But bear with me for a moment and come with me for the ride (swim?)

There is a lot to learn from nature and although we like to think we are superior to the other living creatures on our planet, perhaps they have it more ‘right’ than we do. Certainly, there are attitudes we could learn that will bring balance and happiness throughout our lives.

Why not start with advice from a Sea Turtle?

Swim With The Current

Many people think that going with the flow involves apathy or a lack of ambition but the truth is that when you work with what is, and find your own groove within it, life feels easier and more peaceful. It’s a bit like the surfer who waits patiently for the perfect wave to ride in to shore. Very quickly the novice learns which waves give a smooth ride and which peak too soon only to dump them in choppy water.

Fighting against ‘what is’ will keep you in a state of stress, frustration and uncertainty. Most things are outside of our control so all you can do is decide which waves to surf and which to avoid. Focus on finding your space within the natural order of things and you will be happier and more peaceful.

Be A Good Navigator

The Sea Turtle navigates by instinct to find feeding grounds and amazingly, to return to the place it was born in order to breed. They encounter many difficulties and must adjust to changing conditions along the way. And yet, despite the odds, they find their way to where they need to go to fulfil their life purpose.

The same is true for us. We must set our inner compass to where we wish to go and then adjust to and align ourselves with the conditions which surround us. No matter what comes, if we want to stay on our chosen path, we must check in that our heading is correct.

Stay Calm Under Pressure

Even if you have learned to swim with the current, life will deliver events which will challenge you. How you choose to respond to those events will determine not only the outcome but your experience along the way. You can try to barge through and force circumstances to bend to your will but in most cases, you will fail.

Or you can stay calm and allow the answers to come to you. There is always a way around something even if sometimes we need to adjust our course for a while until we can get back on track.

Be Well Travelled

Being well travelled involves keeping an open mind and pushing the boundaries of what you know to be possible. Every experience teaches you something about yourself and the world around you. But if you never experiment with ideas, thoughts and actions, then you will simply repeat what you already know.

Be excited by life. Have fun.

Embrace new opportunities and experiences.

And above all, step outside of your comfort zone.

Think Long Term

The choices you make each day are creating your future. Each and every decision you make has a set of consequences attached so developing the ability to see the longer term outcome of a choice will give you confidence in your actions today.

With an eye on your desired outcome you can stay calm and use your inner compass to surf the waves which will take you where you want to go.

Age Gracefully

The lifespan of a Sea Turtle is approximately 80 – 100 years and is made up of various stages of development. They spend several years in passive migration before heading to nearshore waters to mature. From there, they move to adult foraging grounds until they are ready to breed.

In the same way, we too have various stages in our lives that create our experiences. As we age, we learn and develop new skills and abilities that change the way we view the world and our place within it. Accept that this is also true of any goal or dream that you are chasing. All things have stages of development and you cannot go from zero to hero in a heartbeat. Allow things to unfold and have patience along the way.

Spend Time At The Beach

I love the beach but not everyone agrees with me. The real message here is to take time out from whatever holds your focus and relax. Step away from the journey and allow yourself to simply be.

At one time I had no idea what that actually meant. How could I just be? In time I learned that the art of ‘being’ is to stop chasing so hard, stop pushing and to find peace and tranquillity within myself. And by doing this, all the answers I need come naturally to me, I am able to swim with the current, to navigate through any obstacles as I discover new ideas as time goes by.