Most mornings, I dive into a workout—either in my garage gym or on the trails near home. There are countless moments of discomfort—a few extra kilos here, a steady ascent there—as I push myself physically.
One of the perks of these sessions is tuning into a podcast, often The Howie Games. A particularly inspiring episode featured big wave surfer Mark Visser, whose insights on managing fear and discomfort (brought out beautifully by Howie’s insightful questions), sparked a deep reflection for me about parenthood, self, and my role as an educator and facilitator in RP 2.0 Partner Schools.
Every day, our students—and colleagues—face situations that bring discomfort:
- New learning
- Presenting to the class
- A social challenge
- Assessments
- Workload pressure
- Trauma
- Or just having a rough day
When discomfort hits, the limbic system—our emotional response centre—kicks in, bringing up feelings of fear, embarrassment, pressure, self-doubt, shame, confusion, and more.
Think of a time when this was you or a student you know. How did you navigate through it? Did you have support? What kept you going—or what got in the way?
Mark Visser emphasised the power of preparation and learning to push through fear.
Beyond the wave itself—the reefs, the rocks—he focused on training his mind, using his breath, and having strategies to fall back on when needed. He also spoke about being a “Kook” (look that one up!) and how relationships and learning from others helped him overcome the many challenges he faces as a big wave surfer.
Building strong relationships with our students, colleagues, and community equips us to connect, collaborate, and support each other through moments of discomfort. Whether it’s tackling new learning, handling social and emotional issues, facing loss, or just dealing with daily irritations, like loud chewers!
The adults in schools have a responsibility to model and teach that discomfort, fear, and mistakes are part of learning, growth, and preparing for the next wave or mountain to climb.
Our students and communities deserve to see us—whether as educators, parents, friends, or colleagues—use our Language, Conduct, and Mindset to navigate discomfort and move forward, even when we stumble or slip up, sharing these experiences and modelling our actions, thoughts, and strategies not only strengthens their toolkit but also helps link the limbic system and neocortex functions in all of us.
