Be Scared But Do It Anyway with Celia Mulderrig

09/11/23 • 22 min

This is the first of a two part episode recorded on La Misión Surf Trip with the Surf Continuum. When I was in the very beginning stages of learning to surf, I was completely clueless about surf etiquette and all of the rudimentary steps that precede actually standing on a surfboard. Then, I found KookCast, hosted by the Surf Continuum and everything started to make sense. Coaches Chris and Ev do a fantastic job of breaking down the fundamentals of learning to surf and they teach you how to stay safe in the water. After following their podcast for a year, I jumped at the chance to join their Baja Surf Trip. It was spectacular. 7 days of 4 hour morning surf sessions in uncrowded lineups, lots of followup feedback, video sessions, and a local’s experience in Baja. In addition, we were only 7 students, the coolest group of people with whom you would ever hope to share this kind of intense experience. In the following two episodes I interview the other two women who were on the trip with me.
In this episode with Celia Mulderrig, we talk about embracing fear head-on by doing scary things such as improv, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Tough Mudder obstacle courses and of course learning to surf. We discuss how to set clear intentions before a surf session or any challenging activity, and the vital importance of creating community wherever you go. Celia will challenge you to be scared but do it anyway because more often than not, the stakes couldn’t be lower.
Show Highlights:
[0:00 - 5:14] Doing Improv: The Stakes couldn’t be lower
[5:15- 9:42] Muay Thai Kickboxing: Do I cry or throw up?
[9:43 - 13:47] Tough Mudder: For the love of strangers
[13:48 - 16:29] La Misión Surf Trip: Setting Clear Intentions
[16:30 -22:54] Kookcast: The ultimate beginner tool belt
Quotes by Celia:
“The first Muay Thai class I did was an hour and a half. At the end of it, I didn't know if I was going to cry or throw up because it was such an intense workout and I was really hooked!”
“In Tough Mudder, we intentionally build obstacles where you would have to work together to complete them. There's something really powerful when you're doing it for a stranger. You reach out a hand and a stranger just grabs it and helps you over. There's no questions asked, like, who are you? What do you need? It’s just I see you and I help you.”
“I don't want to look back on my life and say I didn't do this thing because I was afraid. I think recognizing that fear has a purpose. It's to protect you and our bodies don't always recognize what is a real fear versus a perceived fear. Don't let it hold you back. Life's too short.”
Get in touch with Celia

Instagram celia2001spaceodessey

More about Christine Foerster

christinefoerster.com
Instagram @christinefoerster

Instagram celia2001spaceodessey

More about Christine Foerster

christinefoerster.com
Instagram @christinefoerster

Previous Episode

Reinvent Yourself at Any Age with Steve Lang

In this episode with Steve Lang, we discuss how his 30 years of work in law enforcement has profoundly changed how he sees the world, why he had to reinvent himself after retirement, how he learned to surf at 62, his commitment to yoga practice, surfing between the winter storms and how to surf like your 14 again. Steve is living proof that with perseverance and play, you can reinvent yourself at any stage of life.
Highlights:
[00:00] 30 Years of Work in Law Enforcement
[11:37] Surf Patrol
[12:59] Surfing Between Winter Storms
[18:50] Learning to Surf at 62
[24:12] Reinvent Yourself at Any Age
Quotes by Steve:
"Watch these kids and how they become instant friends with the water. When it's careening off the rocks, they'll take the softies and catch the waves going out. And boom, hit the wave coming in and launch themselves up in the air. You should do that! It is more fun than you can imagine. Instead, as we all do, get in a panic and try to get through the next wave. Don't do that. Just stay inside and let it pound you for a little bit. What that does is it teaches you that it's not that big a deal."
“Stay in shape, do yoga, be flexible. Don't get all nutted up, relax, and have fun with it. Be goofy. Be a goofball. You'll see people out there and they're all stiff and they're worried and they surf like hell. They're like wood. Relax. It's only water. Leave your ego on the beach.”
“When I started surfing, I thought, what do I want to do with the rest of my life? Well, when were you the most happy? What were you doing? I was hanging out at the beach. I grew up in Malibu. I didn't surf, but I grew up there, so that's what I did. And you can do that in any age. They say you can't go back. You can go back.”
More about Christine Foerster

christinefoerster.com
Instagram @christinefoerster

Next Episode

Do I Even Like This Sport? With Maleeka Manurasada

In this episode with Maleeka Manurasada we discuss her work with HEAL Food Alliance and working in right relationship with the earth, how her unconventional childhood taught her the importance of presence and capturing life with an artistic lens, how to polar plunge your way to a better mood and why the press up is everything when learning to surf. Come with me as we peek through Maleeka’s lens of joy.
Highlights:
National Organizer for Heal Food Alliance
Being raised by two wild hippie parents
Adopting a communal mindset
Art is the most practical career
Polar plunge your way to Enlightenment
“The Press Up” by The Surf Continuum
Body Healing with Art
Quotes:
“We have a planet that is very likely going to be unlivable in future generations. We have huge discrepancies in wealth and land ownership, especially when it comes to race. We have an abundance of food, but we waste a ton of food. But people are not being nourished by the food that they're getting, It's a very broken system but that implies that it worked in the beginning.”
“I really wanted to keep doing art. I kept getting pulled that direction. I want to go through life with a lens of seeing lines and shapes and colors in a beautiful way. Honestly, I think everyone should study studio art.”
“I always felt like I was doing things that might be dangerous to other surfers in the water. I also didn't want to look stupid. So I've been going to like a beginner break, where I feel like more comfortable my level. But it's more dangerous because there's so many people there that don't know what they're doing. And people are always telling me that I should go to some of the less crowded breaks. But I just felt nervous because the surfers are much better. It’s a moment to learn some things to build my confidence, really invest in something that brings me a lot of joy, which I feel more and more recently.”
Get in touch with Maleeka