Reality without a filter

Every person who follows a certain goal knows that doing things to achieve that goal on a regular basis brings progress and finally success. 

With windsurfing it can be quite hard to stay focused and motivated because in order to practise you need wind and the right temperatures. You need the right spot for the right wind direction and conditions are always different, which makes it a very challenging yet amazingly rewarding sport. 

So today was one of those days where you might have wanted to skip "training". It was raining, it has already become a lot colder than before (around 14/13 degrees) and the wind was super light and gusty. We decided to sail on the river because the wind direction was south. The good thing: I could launch from where I live without taking the car. 

My friend launched 4 kilometers downwind though and I wanted to go there. I was thinking about taking the foil and then swap to the fin once there but eventually opted for the fin. When I arrived at the shore - there was really nearly no wind, maybe about 6 to 9 knots. I was thinking: "What am I doing here?" But I didn't want to let my friend down so I sailed the 4 kilometers downwind, mostly clew first, because it was so light. (btw: I sailed through an industrial harbor where cargo ships unload tree trunks.) 

Once there, the wind picked up a bit and there were some gusts. I didn't feel great in the moves but could still do some, like willy skipper, flaka, bob, grubby, etc. but I wasn't happy with my performance. When my friend had to leave, I slowly started sailing upwind and the wind got really light. So it took me about an hour to get home. I was on the water for three hours in, well, let's say light conditions. I was freezing because there was no wind. So there was less movement to keep the body busy and warm. I still liked it though. So that's it. That's reality without a filter on some days. 

Be thankful for what you have got. Feel the joy of life anyway. You know what this joy was? - Having a warm meal after three hours of feeling the cold 🥶