Resolutions You Can Actually Paddle Into

1. Surf More—But With Intention

Not just more sessions, but better ones. Paddle out with a purpose: practicing positioning, timing, or patience rather than chasing wave counts. Quality sessions shape surfers faster than mindless mileage.

2. Fall in Love With Paddling

Strong paddling is the great equalizer. Resolve to paddle harder, earlier, and with better posture. Good paddlers catch more waves, get less frustrated, and surf longer into old age.

3. Improve Wave Selection

Instead of scrambling for everything, wait for waves that suit your board and ability. Learning to not go can be just as important as learning to go.

4. Ride the Right Board for the Day

Ego often picks the board. Wisdom picks the right one. Commit to riding the board that fits the conditions—even if it’s longer, wider, or “less cool.”

5. Find the Surfboard that Fits Your Needs

Everybody wants a board that works for Kelly Slater or some other surf icon, but we fail to find the surfboard that fits our individual needs. Click this link and we are happy to help you achieve this resolution. 

6. Respect the Lineup

Make fewer excuses, take fewer questionable waves, and own your mistakes quickly. A sincere apology in the water goes a long way—and so does consistency in good behavior.

7. Learn the Break’s Rhythm

Every spot has a pulse: where waves peak, how sets swing, where channels breathe. Resolve to observe more before paddling straight to the crowd.

8. Surf in Less-Than-Perfect Conditions

Windy, small, awkward days teach adaptability. These sessions sharpen fundamentals and make good days feel even better.

9. Work on Fitness Outside the Water

Mobility, shoulder health, breath control, and leg strength all translate directly to surfing. You don’t need a CrossFit routine—just consistency.

10. Improve Your Pop-Up (Again)

No one ever outgrows pop-up work. Cleaner, quieter, more balanced takeoffs unlock everything else that follows.

11. Ride Waves Longer

Focus on trimming, reading sections, and connecting parts of the wave rather than forcing maneuvers. Length of ride often matters more than flash.

12. Practice Speed Generation

Learn how your board creates speed—through trim, compression, rail engagement—not just frantic pumping. Speed is economy, not chaos.

13. Become a Better Tube Rider (or Start Trying)

Even small, imperfect barrels teach positioning and commitment. Resolve to pull in more often, even if it means wiping out.

14. Slow Down on Big Days

When waves get serious, simplify. Fewer turns, cleaner lines, better exits. Big-wave surfing rewards calm decisions.

15. Push Comfort—But Respect Limits

Challenge yourself without gambling your safety or others’. Progress comes from measured risk, not panic.

16. Surf Different Breaks

Beach breaks teach timing, points teach flow, reefs teach respect. Variety expands your surfing vocabulary.

17. Watch Better Surfers Closely

Observe where they sit, when they paddle, and how little they rush. Good surfers reveal secrets without saying a word.

18. Learn From Beginners

Beginners remind us why we started. Their joy, struggle, and courage can reset a jaded surfer’s heart.

19. Be More Patient

With waves, crowds, and yourself. Impatience is often the hidden reason sessions go poorly.

20. Surf Alone Sometimes

Solo sessions sharpen awareness and deepen connection with the ocean. They also reveal habits you don’t notice in crowds.

21. Surf With Friends More Often

Community keeps surfing joyful. Trade waves, laugh at wipeouts, and celebrate each other’s rides.

22. Take Care of Your Body

Stretch, warm up, rinse off, sleep well. Surfing is a long game—treat your body like it’s meant to last decades.

23. Reduce Ego in the Water

Let go of wave counts, comparisons, and proving anything. The ocean doesn’t reward pride; it rewards humility.

24. Learn One New Skill This Year

A cutback that actually rebounds, a clean floater, nose riding, backside confidence—pick one and pursue it patiently.

25. Accept Bad Sessions Gracefully

Some days won’t click. Resolve to leave the water without bitterness. How you end a bad session shapes the next good one.

26. Care for Your Gear

Dings fixed quickly, leashes checked, fins tightened. Respecting your equipment is part of respecting the craft.

27. Give Back to the Lineup

Offer a wave, help someone through a rip, share knowledge when invited. Surfing thrives when generosity outpaces competition.

28. Surf for Joy, Not Metrics

Surfing isn’t a spreadsheet. Let laughter, flow, and gratitude be your main scorecard.

29. Stay Curious

About boards, waves, history, and your own tendencies. Curiosity keeps surfing from becoming stale.

30. Remember Why You Started

Not for performance, style, or status—but for the feeling of sliding across water under your own power. Resolve to protect that feeling.