"Surfing Changed My Life": My Story in Harper's Bazaar

Harper's Bazaar runs a series celebrating adventure at every age — every month, a woman who has taken a risk and pushed her own boundaries. When they asked me to tell my story, I told them the whole thing: the break-up in 2020, the confidence at rock bottom, and the solo surf trip to Portugal that started everything.

"I ended up going on a surf retreat in Portugal; those two weeks built me back up again. Quite simply, that fortnight changed my life."

What the water taught me

Learning to surf alone was frightening. The waves are powerful, the water is heavy, and going under used to send me into a panic — which, if I'm honest, was how I responded to everything difficult back then. Surfing rewired that:

"You always resurface; if you're under water it might feel like minutes, but it'll take less than a few seconds to re-emerge... We think these periods will last forever, but they always pass. We always resurface. The wind will change and we pop up again."

That idea — bottling the feeling that built me back up, and sharing it with others — became Marnie Rays. No bunk beds, no shared bathrooms, no restrictions. Amazing food, and chocolate and wine if you want them. Nourishing in whatever way you need.

The bit I'd underline

If there's one line from the piece I'd want anyone reading this to take away, it's the last one:

"Find your bravery – it's right there inside you. You'll never regret unlocking it."

You can read the full interview on Harper's Bazaar. And if you're where I was in 2021 — wondering if you still have things that make you really happy — a week in the water is a very good place to start looking.