Confessions of a Surf Lady | The First Women's Surfing Podcast™

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

Mimi Miller embodies the fierce joy and courageous authenticity that surfing desperately needs. In a world often dominated by slim, conventional images, Mimi is breaking stereotypes and showcasing how curvy, strong, and confident women redefine surfing.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady, The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, Mimi shares her 11-year surfing journey—from dancing on the beach for warmups to confronting microaggressions in the lineup. Her candid conversation about cultural barriers, surf etiquette, and body positivity provides deep insights into how surfers of color can reclaim their joy and assert their place in the waves.

Through Mimi's vibrant storytelling, you'll connect with her fierce spirit and discover how empowerment, authenticity, and community solidarity can transform your surfing experience.

Main Themes:

• Surfing with Confidence as a Curvy Woman Mimi emphasizes how representation and visibility help break barriers, empowering women of diverse body types to embrace their surfing abilities.
• "People don't realize it takes curvy women—we're the real goats in surfing."
• Confronting Microaggressions and Surf Etiquette Mimi discusses the frequent microaggressions faced in predominantly white surf spaces and how she strategically addresses these challenges head-on.
• "Sometimes you have to call it out immediately to regain your space and respect."
• Building Community & Cultural Representation in Surfing Mimi reflects on her efforts to foster community among surfers of color, highlighting the importance of feeling safe, seen, and supported in the water.

Guest Resources

• Follow Mimi on Instagram : @shesurfmimi

Show resources

• Join our global women’s surf community — The Surf Société — and start your free 7-day trial today. 🔗 Click here to join now
• Or learn more first → The Surf Société overview
• Follow us your host Laura Day: @confessionsofasurflady
• Follow The Surf Société: @surfsociete for surf lady tips from #thesurflab inside the membership:

How to Support the Podcast:

1. 💙 Support our sponsors – They help keep this show going!
2. 🛍️ Shop at shop.surfsociete.com – Support women-centered surfwear and community.
3. ⭐ Leave a Review – It helps more women find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
4. 📲 Share this episode – Send it to a surf sister who needs to hear this.
5. 🌊 Join Surf Société – Come learn and surf better inside a powerful, like-minded women's community.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

What if the thing you were seeking all along was right in your own backyard?

Elaine Abonal was an exchange student in Florida when she first saw surfing—and something inside her lit up. But it wasn’t until she returned to the Philippines and realized there were waves in her own country that everything changed.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, Elaine shares how her surf journey started by breaking cultural expectations and carving out a new path in the Philippine surf scene. As a Filipina surfer, community builder, and entrepreneur, she’s created something truly powerful: a space where people feel welcome, safe, and inspired to surf.

We talk about her experience originally being one of the few women in the water in Siargao, what it's like to build surf culture from the ground up, and why inclusion—especially in the global surf conversation—has to come from people who live and breathe the culture every day.

Main Themes:

🌍 Surfing as a Cultural Awakening

💪 Creating Safe Spaces in the Lineup

🏄🏽 Representation in Surf Culture

🌀 Surfing as a Mirror for Growth

Resources:

• Follow Elaine on Instagram: @elaineabonal
  Learn about Surfista Travels: surfistatravels.com
• Join our global women’s surf community — The Surf Société — and start your free 7-day trial today. 🔗 Click here to join now
• Or learn more first → The Surf Société overview
• Shop Dip and get 15% OFF with the code "confessionsofasurflady" at checkout at Dipalready.com
• The Surfing Copywriter: Learn more about his work at www.thesurfingcopywriter.com.

How to Support the Podcast:

1. 💙 Support our sponsors – They help keep this show going!
2. 🛍️ Shop at shop.surfsociete.com – Support women-centered surfwear and community.
3. ⭐ Leave a Review – It helps more women find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
4. 📲 Share this episode – Send it to a surf sister who needs to hear this.
5. 🌊 Join Surf Société – Come learn and surf better inside a powerful, like-minded women's community.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

What does it take to perform at the highest level—and still enjoy surfing for yourself? Lakey Peterson has competed on the world stage for over a decade, but the journey hasn’t always been smooth—especially when expectations are high and results don’t go your way.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, Lakey opens up about what it’s really like to chase progression, navigate fear, and still stay connected to joy in the water. We talk about the pressure of competition, the mental tools that keep her grounded, and why her relationship to surfing is evolving.

Whether you're pushing your own progression or simply trying to find more fun in your sessions, this conversation will remind you that surfing gets to be yours—no matter where you are in your journey.

Main Themes

• Staying Grounded Through Competitive Pressure
  “Sometimes I just need to surf without a goal. That’s what keeps it fun.” – Lakey Peterson
• Not Growing Up in Surf Culture—And Still Making It
  “I didn’t have a surfy upbringing. I had to ask a lot of questions and figure it out.” – Lakey Peterson
• Representation & Progression in Women’s Surfing
  “When I started, it was about who looked good in a bikini. Now it’s about how hard you charge.” – Lakey Peterson

Resources:

• Join our global women’s surf community — The Surf Société — and start your free 7-day trial today. 🔗 Click here to join now
• Or learn more first → The Surf Société overview
• Shop Dip and get 15% OFF with the code "confessionsofasurflady" at checkout at Dipalready.com
• The Surfing Copywriter: Learn more about his work at www.thesurfingcopywriter.com.

How to Support the Podcast:

1. 💙 Support our sponsors – They help keep this show going!
2. 🛍️ Shop at shop.surfsociete.com – Support women-centered surfwear and community.
3. ⭐ Leave a Review – It helps more women find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
4. 📲 Share this episode – Send it to a surf sister who needs to hear this.
5. 🌊 Join Surf Société – Come learn and surf better inside a powerful, like-minded women's community.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

Surfing without a leash isn’t about looking cool—it’s about control, awareness, and knowing when you’re ready. This episode is a reflection on skill progression, self-trust, and the invisible steps it takes to surf leashless with intention.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, I share why and when I choose to surf without a leash, the mistakes I made early on, and the checklist I’d recommend for any woman who surfs considering it. Whether or not you ever choose to go leashless, this is really about how we know we’re ready to push ourselves—and what it looks like to do that with care and connection with the ocean.

Resources

• Join The Surf Société – Learn how to read the break, improve your lineup confidence, and get access to exclusive skill-building workshops. Start your free 7-day trial → Join here
• Follow Laura on Instagram: @confessionsofasurflady
• Shop Surf Société Gear: https://shop.surfsociete.com

How to Support the Podcast

1. Leave a Review – Help more women surfers find Confessions of a Surf Lady by rating us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
2. Share with a Friend – If this episode resonated with you, send it to a surf sister who might love it.
3. Join The Surf Société – Our global community is here to help you surf smarter, connect deeper, and progress with purpose.
4. Support Our Sponsors – The brands we feature are hand-picked to support women in the water.
5. Shop Surf Société – Grab surf-inspired gear at shop.surfsociete.com

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

What if your 'summer body' wasn’t something to fix—but something to fuel your surf stoke? If you're tired of seeing summer framed as a time to shrink yourself, this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™ is your permission slip to redefine what it means to feel good in your body—on land and in the lineup.

In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Surf Société Member Danyelle Carpenter and I reflect on body image, the toxic messages women receive from a young age, and how to gently dismantle the beliefs we inherited about how we’re “supposed” to look. We talk about what it means to build a nourishing, sustainable relationship with your body—especially in surf culture, where expectations can be as rigid as they are outdated.

From the pressure of "getting beach ready" to the insidious marketing of inclusivity in surf brands that still only reshare flat-stomached influencers, this one gets real. But it’s also full of laughs, healing moments, and the powerful reminder that we get to redefine what it means to show up for ourselves—especially in a swimsuit.

Whether you’re navigating your own summer body thoughts or just need to hear two surf sisters keeping it honest and tender, this episode is for you.

Main Themes:

✨ In this episode we explore:

• The rule I live by: “Never go to war with your body”
• Why body neutrality might be more helpful than body positivity
• The truth about surfing, endocrine health, and emotional weight
• How women are marketed to—even by brands claiming to celebrate us
• Why I stepped back from my surfwear line (and what that taught me)

Resources:

• Surf Société Membership: Join The Surf Société with 7 days free.
• Shop Dip and get 15% OFF with the code "confessionsofasurflady" at checkout at Dipalready.com
• The Surfing Copywriter: Learn more about his work at www.thesurfingcopywriter.com.

How to Support the Podcast:

1. 💙 Support our sponsors – They help keep this show going!
2. 🛍️ Shop at shop.surfsociete.com – Support women-centered surfwear and community.
3. ⭐ Leave a Review – It helps more women find us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
4. 📲 Share this episode – Send it to a surf sister who needs to hear this.
5. 🌊 Join Surf Société – Come learn and surf better inside a powerful, like-minded women's community.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

\Welcome to the very first episode of Surf Check, a casual, biweekly mini-series keeping you in the loop on all things Surf Société! Join host Laura Day for quick updates, surf reflections, and insights into what's happening inside our women’s surf community.

In this episode:

• 🌊 Surf Société Q2 theme: Finding Flow
  We're diving deep into connecting turns, exploring bottom turns, top turns, and cutbacks to find graceful, fluid movements on the wave.
• 📍 April Recap: Bottom-turn workshops and our favorite event, Kooks & Legends, where we analyzed surf clips with our mentor Paul Spooner.
• 🏄‍♀️ Upcoming Core Challenge: A six-week program with Dr. Alexis Pierru-Lee, boosting core strength and stability to enhance your surfing. (Prizes included!)
• 🎥 Personal Surf Reflections: Laura shares her experience experimenting with filming on a GoPro and riding two completely different boards—a longboard and a 7’10” fish from Almond. She reflects on the impact of board choice on surfing style and flow.
• 💡 Technique Development: This quarter’s focus is Making the Wave, emphasizing a holistic approach to surfing and maximizing every ride.

If you've ever felt stuck or plateaued in your surfing and want supportive insights and community connection, Surf Société is here for you.

Helpful Links:

• 🌊 Join the Surf Société community w/ 7 Days FREE
• 🎧 Subscribe to the YouTube Channel
• 📸 Follow @surfsociete on Instagram

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

Did you know you could meditate your way to better surfing? Yes, you heard that right! You can improve your surfing without even touching the water.

In this episode, you'll meet Florida Surfer and Surf Société Member Joann Bolton. This incredible surf lady participated in The Surf Société's 21-day visualization challenge and wrote her custom visualization around one goal: to win her first competition.

After 21 days, Joann racked up enough points to win the challenge but her success does not stop there. A month later she went on to manifest her visualization and win her very first competition.

It's with so much pride that we get to share her story with you today. Her determination will get you fired up to paddle out and work on your goals.

In this episode Joann will share her experience using visualization techniques, the impact it had on their surfing skills, and how it spilled over into other areas of their life. Join us as we explore the art of visualization and the incredible results it can yield, both in and out of the water.

Main Themes:

• "Don't take the ocean personally. It's very humbling. And just a bad session or a bad wave or a bad day isn't a reflection of who you are." - Joann Bolton
• "I feel like I'd never regret investing in my surf education. Like, money I spend learning about how to surf has always come back and I've just been so rewarded." - Joann Bolton
• "Learn as much as you can about how to paddle, how to read the break, how to stay safe, how to be respectful. Everything about surfing. It's all part of it." - Joann Bolton

Episode Sponsor:

Confessions of a Surf Lady is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy.

Try out a membership with your first week FREE visit Surfsociete.com

Follow us on Instagram:

• Follow your host Laura Day: @confessionsofasurflady
• Follow The Surf Société for surf lady tips and resources: @surfsociete
• Follow Joann's surf journey on Instagram: @surfgirljo
• Follow Sisters of the sea on Instagram: @sistersofthesea

More Resources for you:

• Learn more about Sisters of the Sea: https://sistersofthesea.org

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

Why is it so fucking hard to get better at surfing? Unlike other sports, you don’t get unlimited reps. Every wave is different, every session is unpredictable, and by the time you realize you wanted to do a turn or a cross-step—the moment is already gone.

But what if you could train your surfing without even getting in the water? That’s where visualization comes in. In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, I’m breaking down how visualization works, the science behind it, and how you can use it to sharpen your skills, make faster decisions in the lineup, and actually land the maneuvers you’ve been struggling with—no matter how often you surf or what kind of waves you have access to.

Inside The Surf Société, we’ve created a structured process for visualization so you can actually apply it to your surfing, with step-by-step guidance from sports mental trainer, Jana Fogaça. If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start progressing faster than you thought possible, this episode is for you.

Main Themes

• Why Surfing Progress is So Slow & Frustrating
  “In surfing, you don’t get 100 reps. You’re lucky if you get 10 waves in a session—and every one of them is different.” – Laura Day
• The Science Behind Visualization & Why It Works
  “Your brain doesn’t know the difference between real movement and imagined movement.” – Laura Day
• How to Use Visualization for Surfing Progression
  “If you visualize a movement over and over again, your body will follow through when it’s time.” – Laura Day
• Success Stories: How Surfers Are Using Visualization to Level Up
  “One of our Surf Société members visualized herself winning her first competition—and she did.” – Laura Day
• How The Surf Société Teaches You Structured Visualization
  “We don’t just tell you to visualize—we give you a process to make it work for you.” – Laura Day

Resources

• Join The Surf Société – Learn how to use visualization to improve your surfing with structured guidance inside The Surf Société. Try it free for a week! Join Here.
• Follow Me on Instagram – Say hi and join the conversation at @confessionsofasurflady.
• Watch Our Visualization Workshop – Get access to our sports mental training session with Jana Fogaça inside The Surf Société.

How to Support the Podcast

1. Leave a Review – Help more women surfers find Confessions of a Surf Lady by rating us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
2. Share with a Friend – If this episode resonated with you, send it to a surf sister who might need it.
3. Join The Surf Société – Get expert guidance, live workshops, and a supportive community to take your surfing to the next level.
4. Support Our Sponsors – Thoughtfully chosen brands that support women’s surfing help keep this podcast going.
5. Shop Surf Société – Grab surf-inspired gear and essentials at shop.surfsociete.com.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

What happens when an injury keeps you out of the water for weeks—or even months? If you’ve ever been sidelined from surfing, you know how frustrating it can be, both physically and mentally. When I injured my knee in Baja, my biggest fear wasn’t just missing surf—it was wondering if I’d ever feel 100% again.

Enter Dr. Alexis Piarulli, chiropractor and movement specialist, who not only helped me rehab my injury but also shifted my mindset around healing, movement, and longevity in surfing. In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, we talk about staying strong, preventing injuries, and overcoming fear after time out of the water. Plus, Alexis shares the small but powerful things you can do to keep surfing for years to come.

Main Themes:

• The Fear of Long-Term Injury in Surfing: "My biggest fear wasn’t just the injury—it was wondering if I’d always have a chronic issue.” – Laura Day
• Healing is Physical, But Also Mental: “Your mindset is the biggest factor in how well you heal.” – Dr. Alexis Piarulli
• How to Surf for Decades Without Breaking Down: “I want to surf when I’m 80. That means taking care of my body now.” – Dr. Alexis Piarulli
• The Power of Community in Surfing & Healing: “Having a support group in the water made all the difference when I paddled back out.” – Laura Day

Resources:

• Follow Dr. Alexis Piarulli – Get surf-specific mobility and rehab tips at @fearlessmovementrehab.
• Watch Alexis’ Workshops in The Surf Société – Learn movement techniques to keep your body strong and injury-free inside The Surf Société.
• Join The Surf Société – Our women's surfing community is here to help you learn more, surf better, and live happy. Try it free for a week! Join Here.

How to Support the Podcast

1. Leave a Review – Help more women surfers find Confessions of a Surf Lady by rating us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
2. Share with a Friend – If this episode resonated with you, send it to a surf sister who might need it.
3. Join The Surf Société – Get expert guidance, live workshops, and a supportive community to take your surfing to the next level.
4. Support Our Sponsors – Thoughtfully chosen brands that support women’s surfing help keep this podcast going.
5. Shop Surf Société – Grab surf-inspired gear and essentials at shop.surfsociete.com.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com

Working on your cross-stepping or noseriding? 👉  Learn more about the Noseride Blueprint

Have you ever thought, I should be better by now? You’ve been surfing for a while, putting in the time, watching YouTube tutorials, even getting in the water more—but something’s just not clicking. You feel stuck, and no matter how much effort you put in, you’re not progressing the way you want.

I know that frustration because I’ve been there too. Surfing is unlike any other sport—you don’t get endless reps, the conditions are always changing, and without the right feedback, you might just be reinforcing bad habits. I spent years feeling like I had plateaued, wondering why I wasn’t improving, until I figured out what actually works.

In this episode of Confessions of a Surf Lady: The First Women’s Surfing Podcast™, we talk about why progression in surfing is so difficult, the common mistakes that keep surfers stuck, and what actually makes a difference. Plus, I’ll share how The Surf Société was born out of my own frustration—because I needed a place where I could get real feedback, guidance, and a community to help me progress. If you’re tired of feeling stuck, this episode is for you.

Main Themes

• Why Surfing Progression is So Damn Hard
  “Surfing isn’t like skating or snowboarding. You don’t get unlimited reps. Every session is different, and you can’t just practice the same maneuver 50 times in a row.” – Laura Day
• Why YouTube & Instagram Advice Might Be Making It Worse
  “I’d get so hyped watching a tutorial—then I’d go out, and my wave looked nothing like the perfect, empty lineup in the video.” – Laura Day
• The Myth That Surfing More = Getting Better
  “If you’re just reinforcing the same bad habits, more water time isn’t going to magically fix them.” – Laura Day
• The Reality of In-Person Coaching (And Why It’s Not Always the Answer)
  “I paid $250 for a coaching session, and the conditions were terrible. I left realizing I didn’t even know what I needed to work on.” – Laura Day

Resources

• Join The Surf Société – Get structured learning, expert guidance, and a women’s surf community designed to help you improve. Try it free for a week! Join Here.
• Follow Me on Instagram – Say hi and join the conversation at @confessionsofasurflady.

How to Support the Podcast

1. Leave a Review – Help more women surfers find Confessions of a Surf Lady by rating us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
2. Share with a Friend – If this episode resonated with you, send it to a surf sister who might need it.
3. Join The Surf Société – Get expert guidance, live workshops, and a supportive community to take your surfing to the next level.
4. Support Our Sponsors – Thoughtfully chosen brands that support women’s surfing help keep this podcast going.
5. Shop Surf Société – Grab surf-inspired gear and essentials at shop.surfsociete.com.

Send us Fan Mail! Be sure to put your contact info in the message :)

Support the show

Confessions of a Surf Lady, women's surfing podcast, is supported by The Surf Société, our unique digital women's surfing platform where we come together to Learn More. Surf Better. Live Happy. Learn more at Surfsociete.com