Skateboarding is All GoodVibes

Welcome to 2019!

We are going to get the good vibes rolling by taking skateboarding beyond cultural stereotype and acknowledge that skateboarding is all goodvibes for anyone who can dig it. Skateboarding as a kid (my fave black and pink board was swiped by the neighbourhood bully) and an adult (adulting means being able to skateboard and keep a selection of skateboards YIPEE!!), I can attest to this truth.

When I say we are taking skateboarding beyond cultural stereotype what I mean is, that stereotyping is a thing and can lend itself to a collective kind of thought energy when people identify or buy into them as truth. As I mentioned before in my post about yoga,  stereotypes are a limiting way to frame the world around you as it does a disservice to our innate and dynamic individuality. Some peeps aren’t even conscious that they even implement them in the way they view the world.

So how about you?

What is the first thing that comes to YOUR mind, when I say, skateboarding?

That dude your daughter is dating is a “skateboarder” What does that mean to you?

We are all the same, but we are all very uniquely different in our individuality…. snowflake style, can we agree?

Our approach to skateboarding can be the same.

I live near a skate park and a good portion of the regular skaters that frequent that area look like they just rolled out of bed while they smoke pot and sit around and talk about nothing in particular, listen to harsh energetically vibed music and use expletives as though they are adjectives.

I don’t take offence to anything or anyone in my environment anymore. It is a huge energy suck.  I am in a place where my focus is solely on the vibes that I am generating, and if they are good, then the magnetic attraction brings me like experiences as a result.  I don’t give teenagers who smoke pot and use curse words a hard time because I used to be one of those kids.

I have observed, however that sometimes you will see a collective group of people thinking and behaving in one way because they have never been taught how to think for act for themselves.

Self esteem is a huge factor in kids and adults and yet, it is not taught in schools. Someone’s esteem of themselves determines how they interact with others, how they go about achieving their tasks and essentially impacts their outcomes.

To each their own I say, but when my lil’ dude and I roll up I am hopeful to find a more athletic and vibrant kind of vibe for engaging in skateboarding.

There are some great riders that encompass this vibe too.

There are old fellas, young fellas, lady dudes, little gals, little dudes from all around the globe.

Canada has some serious multicultural vibes happening.

Some dial in some seriously good skateboarding.

You can walk and balance? You can dial in skateboarding.

My buddy who is nearing 60 and owns a consulting business, tours around the streets of Toronto on a longboard. A land developer at the age of 64 I once knew here in Vancouver always kept a skateboard in the back of his car. In Mexico, the surf shop fellas always had a variety of boards kicking around the shop.

I find that skateboarding is an activity of supremely good vibrations and is a culture all of its own – my main intent is to harness a good vibe and me and my lil dude do that every time while wearing helmets to protect our melons.

Skateboard People

In my experience, there are all kinds of people in this world. My vibe is more of a skate instead of hate vibe, and this vibe is usually a good place to be and is evident at the skate parks when we go as this is kind of energy we tend to attract. The list below is based solely on my life experience and observations.

The insecure skateboarder is the person who really wants to do skateboarding and is able to become really good at it, but their own insecurities and lack of self confidence have them putting forth what appears like a half ass effort, but is actually just their self consciousness and lack of faith in their abilities demonstrating themselves.

The skillful skateboarder is the one who can dial in skateboarding and tricks and monumental dips and jumps and make it seem like it is as casual as chewing a piece of gum. They very rarely wear helmets and when you watch them and you think OMG they are going to bail but they end up seamlessly and effortlessly throw down their tricks and their ride like it “ain’t no thing” Here one minute and gone the next.

A hybrid of the two is where I fall in line. When I get going on my board, I am pretty confidant to a degree. I have good balance and am self-aware and have faith in my own abilities, but at times get too into my head and fear sets in and I bail. These occurrences happen few and far between, but when they do, I immediately recognize in the aftermath of it that I lost confidence in my abilities, disconnected from my true self and let fear overtake my mental processes. Mindfulness is a huge win when it comes to engaging in any board sports. Less thinking and more feeling into your natural abilities of proprioception to dial in a sweet skate experience!

The poser skateboarders are the ones who I don’t think actually skate but just sit there and pose as if they do. These are usually the people who have very strong opinions about your behaviour, paying no attention to their own. I say leave these ones be, sitting on the sidelines. Just nod and smile when the peanut gallery pipes up.

The cruisers are like my buddy in Toronto. They are doing their own thing, harnessing the good vibes of touring on a board getting from point A to point B in a chillin and dialed in style either solo or in groups. There are a crews of cruisers who always ride by my home and I always enjoy hearing them go by as it signifies to me that the good vibes are flowing and inspires me to ride more.

I have found that there is a lot of bravado or ego that can surface when in a collective environment such as a skate park. The skate park ego. An example of this was a few months ago and my lil dude was killing it in the skate park and being a skateboarding Mama Bear, I am right in there, taking pix of my guy as I LOVE my little guy and I also LOVE taking pictures. We are generating a good energy when out of nowhere some big, intimidating looking dude sitting on the sidelines starts YELLING at me. I wrote that word in capital letters so it emphasizes that he was, indeed, yelling. Super accusatory like telling me that I should ask his permission before taking his photo and “you better delete those or else”

I do not tolerate disempowering energy directed at me or my child at any time, so this Mama Bear spoke up calmly but forcefully about how making ASSumptions about what people are doing with their phones and accusing people is just a low vibe and that maybe, dude could ASK me if I am actually taking photos of the person in question or if I am just totally in love with my son and photography and jamming away to my own vibe not even picking up the frequency of this dude who seems like he feels he is so important to assume, yell and accuse someone of taking his photo.

Uh, no dude. Check your ego. You are not even on my radar. Now you are though, and not as one that I am perceiving as a good vibe. His friend offered an apology for him and said that in Santa Monica he has to worry about this kind of thing. I told him his friend was a grown man and can take responsibility for his own bad behvaiour and reminded him he was in Burnaby, British Columbia, and that even if we were in Cali, is this how you engage people? By yelling at them? Get a grip dude and leave your ego at the door.

I schooled him in a kind manner (remember my kid is watching my every move) but upon leaving some very abusive and choice words were directed at me (which is no surprise given how I met the dude.) I ignored them, (as you can’t fight ignorance with more ignorance) confidant in my knowledge that there is a better way in which we can all co exist even if this dude is misaligned.  I learned a ton about Karmic Law and the Law of Vibration – I needn’t waste my energy on him.

A good lesson for my son too, because he didn’t ignore the words he heard and brought them to my attention. “Mama, he called you and A hole” to which I replied “I know bud. Do you think that is an accurate description of Mama Bex?” to which he replied “No, you were just taking pictures” to which I replied “So he is confused and making statements that are mean and untrue, so are we going to hang out here and accept this? Uh no.”

Accusations and name-calling are not a place you will see me hanging around with enthusiasm and I have nor the energy or the time to try and awaken this low vibing man, so my move is to let it go and cruise onto a better vibe.

The only person you can truly have power over is yourself. Also, I diminished his power by standing up to him, which I don’t think he expected because very often dudes of his advancement look at me as an object.

Perceptions are a fickle thing it seems.

Your energy goes where your focus goes.  I know exactly why that dude came at me and it was because I had directed that kind of energy to someone in my life earlier in the week.  You get what you give.  I am telling you – it is law.

It is a far better vibe for me if I just focus on regulating myself rather than trying to do so for other people.  Free will makes this task impossible and the endeavour would be exhausting.  I try to live by the way of the path of the least resistance so that I may maintain peace within.  Say my piece, stand my ground, with respect and let it go.

That’s the ticket to the good vibes baby!

Whatever your experiences or perceptions of skateboarding, there is some sweet value in harnessing this activity. Alone or with your kids, skateboarding is one of those endeavours that once you stick with it and dial in your skill set then you can have a ton of fun – cruising or in a park or just out front of your house on the street.

Netflix has a really cool set of videos called “Off Camera with Sam Jones” which talks about the history of skateboarding with Stacey Peralta. Super inspiring vibes and a great way to learn about the foundation of skateboarding.

It is all kinds of good vibes and the possibilities of expansion in mind and body are exponential. The physical benefits of skateboarding will keep you fit and the mental benefits of `skateboarding will keep you sharp. Whether you are a prepubescent teenager, a skateboarding Mama Bear or a past middle-aged business mogul, skateboarding is an activity that can be dialled in by anyone who has the physical and mental gumption to do so.

A good vibe to dial in while skateboarding are the sweet and styling vibes of the Classic Chuck Taylors. Whether you dig downhill, freestyle, street, vert style, off-road or park skateboarding there is a style to be performed by all. So go out and grab a board and get moving!