Bianca Buitendag and her Year of Surprises

After wrapping up an exciting year with a 4th place finish on the 2015 Women’s Championship Tour rankings, Bianca Buitendag is just days away from kicking off her fourth year on the tour circuit at Snapper Rocks for the #ROXYpro Gold Coast.

We caught up with Bianca last week to talk leap years, laughter and the importance of practicing gratitude. Read more of Bianca’s February perspective below -

In my native language, a leap year is directly translated into a phrase similar to ‘a year of surprises’.

When I stop to think about it, one thing we should not have the patience for, is to wait four years for a brief surprise. Every day I take time to enjoy the little surprises that bring delight into my life. These are the first things that come to mind -

Being underwater

Ironically, this is the place I feel the most relaxed and natural. As soon as my head goes below the surface, a wave of freedom envelopes me.

Music

Whether it’s to channel nerves into focus before a heat, or to make the sometimes neverending process of travel lounges and airports more bearable, I believe music is a runway for a soul to fly. A close friend of mine once observed, ‘music is what emotions sound like’. It gives us the excuse to feel whatever we think at any given time.

Laughter

This is connected to the individuals that hold the greatest value in my life. It’s that deep, abandoned, burst from the heart that can fill a room. My mom is probably the victor at laughing, it’s something I strive to inherit.