The power of the ocean: how surfing became my therapy

Meet Carla Rosenthal

I’m from Nice, in the south of France -  I grew up by the sea, but far from the waves. 

Three years ago, after a burnout, I found myself looking for freedom, for a new version of me. What felt like my hardest time became my greatest gift. A chance to reset, to create a life I love. I packed my bags, traveled, moved to Lombok, and started surfing. 

I found a version of me that only exists here in Indonesia, through the ocean. More alive and free. I don’t know why I’ve been so lucky to experience this magic. But I want to share it.

The Ocean is my mirror: a place for growth and healing

The ocean isn’t just waves and water. The ocean is a mirror. A reflection of the sun, the sky, and me. In my truest, rawest form, the ocean shows me who I am, how I feel, or what I need to learn. It doesn’t let me hide. It forces me to face everything: my fears, my joys, my truths.

This is its magic, a kind of ocean therapy.

The magic of the ocean

It’s something I feel deep in my body. It’s the way my heart races when I’m catching that perfect wave, as if the whole world stops for a moment. It’s the quiet tears of gratitude rolling down my cheeks, when I realize how damn lucky I am to be here.

It’s where I feel most alive, free, and whole.

And every time I feel my heart rush, with that feeling of freedom, I tap my chest, locking that feeling inside me. Saving it for when I need to remember what freedom feels like.

A mirror to life

A year ago, while surfing in Lombok a friend asked me, “Are you afraid of falling?” I know he meant, falling off my board. But the more I sat with it, the deeper it hit. That’s when I began to understand something I hadn’t yet faced. It wasn’t just about surfing, it was about life. The truth is, I am afraid. Afraid to fail. Afraid of not being good enough. 

In Indonesia, there’s a saying “Never try, never know”. 

And that stuck with me. Because how would I know what I’m capable of if I never take this risk? 

In the water, just like in life, I sometimes freeze when the wave feels too big. I panic. I doubt myself. Sometimes I paddle out, away from the challenge. But I’ve also learned that when I trust myself, when I let go of fear, I can ride the wave. 

The ocean has this way of reflecting back how I move through life. 

Am I facing challenges, or am I running from them? 

Do I trust myself enough to ride the wave, even when it feels too big?

It forces me to confront these truths. It's teaching me to transform fear into faith. And the biggest lesson I’m learning is how to be kind to myself. To trust myself, speak nicely to myself, and believe in myself. Because the stories I’m telling to myself shape my reality. So do yours.

Because it’s all in our head and the stories we tell ourselves are the ones we end up believing. 

So make them great, right?

A place for healing

The ocean has seen every part of me, at my best and at my worst. It heals what the world broke: heartbreaks, anxiety, fears. I bring the weight of those emotions with me and every wave I catch feels like I’m letting go off something I don’t need to carry anymore. 

The ocean is my free therapy. I don’t need to talk. I don’t need to explain myself or fix anything. I just need to be. In the present moment. 

The ocean is my mirror, my teacher, my therapy.

✿ It’s where I grow.

✿ It’s where I heal.

✿ It’s where I feel most alive and find myself, over and over again.

That’s why I keep coming back.

Always.

Carla ♡