Bella Stevens is 19 and lives in NSW. She answers questions on her amazing surfing achievements, her love of travelling and keeping her health a number one priority.
What’s something no one would guess about you?
It would probably be how much I eat, at least as much as most football players or Olympic wrestlers. I also like to do online courses. I’m currently completing a Cert III and IV in Fitness and Training, a ‘Path to Thriving’ course, and an Instagram Domination course to help grow my new health blog account (@theimperfectwarrior), where I talk about therapies and products I’ve used throughout my health journey with CF and a range of other challenges.
What is your proudest accomplishment?
I think something that I’m most proud of would be my surfing accomplishments. I have competed in surf competitions since I was roughly 10 years old, locally and regionally. I represented NSW at the Australian SLS Titles and received a silver medal, and I’ve won a couple of competitions since.
I’ve been on a couple of surf trips to Indonesia
and surfed some incredible waves. Once or twice, I’ve been absolutely terrified of the conditions,
but paddled out anyway, which is something I’m truly proud of.
What motivates you?
I have mostly looked inside myself for motivation. I find this the most successful form of motivation, because only I know what I truly want to get out of life, and what my values/hopes/dreams are. I know that if something is important enough to me, I will put in 100% to get the result I’m looking for.
My health has always been my number one priority, and it always will be.
Some days it feels like the world has just swallowed you up, and you literally just have to lay in bed. That’s okay. Because something that I’ve recently learnt and accepted is that we aren’t perfect. I’ve learnt to listen and respect my body when it needs a break, and to let it heal so it can be the best it can be MOST of the time.
What is an activity you most enjoy doing?
Wow, there are so many things that I absolutely love to do. Spending time in the ocean, reading in my hammock, listening to music while I exercise and my skincare routine would be top of my list. After going to an awesome dance party, of course!
How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected you?
Isolation was a very interesting time for me personally. It meant that I was spending a lot of my time either by myself, or with my family. To be honest, I really liked having time alone with my thoughts and time to just think. It gave me the opportunity to reflect on what I valued and what I wanted to change moving forward with my life.
The most important things in my life are my family, friends, self-care, exercise and education. These are the things I need to hold on to, make time for, and appreciate. It has given me more clarity about what I want to do moving forward in the years ahead.
What are you most looking forward to?
I am super excited to do some more road trips and travel within Australia. Having lived in this country my whole life and only seen a snippet of it is crazy.
By sharing my story, I hope to help people going through similar health challenges, provide support and motivation. I am excited to meet new people and go on new adventures, work in new environments and challenge myself.
The future is exciting!
This story was published in February, 2021.
If you would like to share your story, please contact us at admin@cfcc.org.au. We’d love to hear from you and so would our readers.
