Have you ever questioned your belonging in the lineup? Societal pressures and our struggles on land often mirror our experiences in the water. Shazia Mazhar is a firm believer in creating safe spaces to cultivate support and community in surfing. Her surfing life began in her 40s in Toronto, where she started stand-up paddle boarding in the Great Lakes. Shazia is an active and outdoorsy person, but surfing is the only sport that truly made her doubt herself. She questioned her place in the lineup: she’s older, she’s not white, has alopecia (baldness) and a curvier figure. She yearned to be good enough to belong in the surfing world but didn’t want to overtrain and lose joy in the sport. In this episode we chat about Shazia’s journey with alopecia, resetting your mind in the water, rejecting stereotypes and learning to celebrate the idiosyncrasies that make you, you.
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