Why a Sunrise Paddle is the Perfect Reset
January is often a time of reflection for many. But I have to be honest—when you run a paddleboarding business, January isn’t exactly a month for slowing down and reflection! I had 3 days off around by birthday this year (birthday is 1st Jan!) which provided a little moment to reflect on our 2024 achievements and dream up some big goals for 2025, but then it was straight into kick-starting 2025 with a bang! Meeting new paddlers, teaching new people, exploring new waterways and of course having a heap of fun in the process.
Now that we’ve hit March, things have settled just a little, and it feels like the perfect moment to pause and take a breath—a quarter-year reset, if you will. I know goals and resolutions aren’t everyone’s thing, but I wonder, do you or did you have a word of the year for 2025? I’ve been asking many of my paddlers this on our Sunrise SUPs recently (it’s a nice thing to ponder over as we watch the sun rise over the horizon!), and it’s been so lovely to hear their words and how they’re already manifesting.
We’ve had words like EXPLORE, SEIZE, DETERMINED, ME, REST, LEAP. One paddlers’ word ‘DETERMINED’ literally manifested in front of our eyes one morning as we were out paddling at sunrise. As a fairly new paddler, the moving waters of North Harbour in Manly (with the boat wake from the passing ferries) had always been a challenge for this paddler, but one she was DETERMINED to overcome. And so, after a quick discussion around ‘words of the year’ that morning, as we paddled away from the shoreline (the short section of the paddle that can feel the most wobbly, so many like to paddle on their knees) she set herself the goal of standing up the WHOLE way. I watched as her body twitched and manoeuvred to support the board as it swept up and down on the boat wake that passed. But sure enough, she made it. We let out a group cheer as we all celebrated her win with her!! It was amazing to see after she thought of her word, how it instantly inspired her to behave differently and push past her comfort zone. And I’m pleased to report, that this beautiful paddler has continued in her determined way and smashed SO many goals, I’m losing count of them!! She recently joined us on our New Zealand SUP Expedition and paddled almost 40km over the space of 4 days!! Incredible.
My word of 2025 is HEAL, as the last five months of 2024 weren’t so great and left me with a few wounds that need tending to in 2025. However, in my darkest hours, the most healing experiences I have had are with you—our paddling community. In those tough moments, I’d come home from leading a paddle and honestly want to cry, not from sadness, but from the overwhelming kindness and warmth of our paddlers. It reminded me that there are so many beautiful souls in the world, and somehow, we manage to be surrounded by them on She SUPs paddles. How lucky are we?!
I’ve shared my word ‘HEAL’ with many others, and have learnt through the process that so many of our paddlers are also healing in 2025, too. No matter whether we are healing from heartbreak, overcoming health challenges, grieving or facing a scary leap as life changes direction, paddleboarding provides us all a few hours of light relief just when we need it most. Magic. 💜
There’s something about the early morning light, the stillness of the water, and the gentle rhythm of our strokes that invites reflection. As the sun peeks over the horizon, it feels like a reset—a fresh start, a moment of quiet clarity before the world wakes up. It’s a time to let go of yesterday, set intentions for today, and just be.
When we paddle at sunrise, we’re moving forward, but we’re also present. The distractions of the day haven’t crept in yet. There’s space to breathe, space to listen to your own thoughts, and space to connect with the water, the sky, and yourself.
So if you haven’t yet landed on a word for 2025, or if you just need a little space to reflect (or heal), I invite you to join us for a Sunrise SUP in Manly.
Still thinking about your word for 2025? Let me know next time we paddle together. 💙
Vikki xx
