Clip: Injured Pro Surfer Brisa Hennessy Opens Up About Facing Tough Times

Last week we reported that Costa Rican pro surfer Brisa Hennessy was forced to withdraw from the MEO Rip Curl Pro at Portugal's Supertubos, the third stop on the CT, due to a broken eardrum.

The injury took place in her second heat after scoring a 5.67 surfing against Tyler Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons in her first.

While sidelined in recovery, Hennessy took to social media yesterday to share a positive message.

Related: Watch: Hawaii Longboard Champ Kelia Moniz Shares Details on Roxy Split

Hennessy captioned the post above:

"A ruptured ear drum making me hear things differently. We can do hard things, if we believe in ourselves.

"Not being able to hear very well has been a challenge, but there are always lessons if we are open to listen.. I've noticed my inner voice telling me I'm not good enough or judging myself, but what if we make our inner voice our friend, our greatest motivator and teacher.

"We can do hard things if we believe in ourselves! Let's make our mind a more beautiful place to be."

Speaking to the camera, Hennessy says that that rupturing her eardrum has had her "thinking a lot about challenge" and our perception of hard times as either a "curse or a blessing."

Challenges, she says, "Sometimes give us messages we never would've got if we didn't go through it."

She then gets very candid about her inner thoughts and says:

"I just hear the thought patterns, the inner voice that is constantly picking myself apart. Either being overwhelmed with uncertainty or judging myself in the mirror or thinking I'm not good enough. All things that I think sometimes we don't realize that we're constantly telling ourselves."

She says that instead of giving into those thoughts, give "power to the friend within."

Finally, she says:

"Because we can do hard things if we believe in ourselves. We live in our head a lot. Let's make it a more beautiful, nurturing place to be."

When life hands you lemons...

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