Shaun Tomson

The Dawn Patrol

The intentional choice to wake up at 4:30 AM, pull on a freezing cold wetsuit in the dark, and paddle out before the rest of the world even opens its eyes.

People often ask why we do it. Why leave a warm bed for a freezing, pitch-black beach?

Science is finally catching up to what surfers have known for decades. There was a study recently showing that waking up early actually lowers your risk of depression by over twenty percent.

I am not a neuroscientist, but I know the feeling. Waking up and moving your body before the rest of the world opens its eyes builds an unbreakable foundation for your day.

When you step into that silent morning, you are not rushing to jump on the treadmill to business success. You are not reacting defensively to the clock or scrambling into the corporate chaos. You are starting the day on your own terms. That early movement brings a rush of pure stoke, it changes your whole perspective about optimism long before the stress of the day even has a chance to hit you.

That next wave will be mine...

We become who we want to be when we choose commitment over comfort.

You don't need to live near the ocean to have a Dawn Patrol. You just need a routine to motivate yourself to get up and go before the world busts in.

Photo: Bay of Plenty by Jeff Divine