Girls Who Rip: Hannah Haywood

My main sport is any board sport really, especially surfing and snowboarding. My passion is art and anything creative! I started surfing when I was very young and learned from my dad but I really only got back into it within the past year.

I make sure that I do something creative every single day. It can be a anything from a painting to a little doodle in a notebook. When I get to be creative, I feel most like myself so it's extremely important to provide myself with the space to do so everyday.

Challenging myself within my passions motivates me most! I love surfing and snowboarding with people who also share the passion because it inspires me to keep going and work harder to improve.

Often in life I see people become more and more removed from their passions due to "being too busy" and that is something that I truly fear. Sometimes life gets crazy but I think it is so important to remember what really gets you fired up in life and don't stop doing whatever that is!

Surf at least once every month of the year, even when its freezing on the coast!

Ask. Every. Single. Question. There is no such thing as a silly question. (Trust me, I still ask some pretty funny questions even now)

Re-use everything you possibly can and always try to shop second hand when possible (offers up, facebook marketplace, thrift stores, etc)

In surfing, there can be a major gatekeeping culture. (Secret surf spots, locals only, blah blah blah) I think the best way to improve this is to be inclusive and call that type of behavior out when you see it. Taking part in any sport is a privilege that some people don'y have and it needs to be acknowledged so that changes can be made.

Ditch plastic when you can! There are so many alternatives to ziplocks and plastic bags such as beeswax wraps and reusable containers.

I am a Designer at a creative agency in Portland, Oregon. I am super lucky to love my job and work with a talented team of individuals who also are extremely involved in the outdoors. For work/fun balance, I love to jam pack my weekends so that I can really get out there and also be able to put my full self into my work during the week.

Absolutely! I have had a handful of scary moments out in the water and every single time I try to just take it as a learning experience to see how I could have handled the situation better. I always make sure that I get back out there.

Stretching, yoga, moving! Anything to maintain my endurance and muscle that I build while surfing (pushups are key for paddling!)

I am incredibly homesick! I was supposed to go home during the holidays and surf back at my hometown surf spot but due to COVID, I have not been able to go home in a year.

I love reading books about the way humans think and human behavior. The Body Keeps Score and Attached are two books I have recently read that I found so interesting!

Listen to your body! Take the extra time to rest so that you can get back to what you love sooner.

I am really proud of where I am in my design career. I have worked extremely hard to get where I am and even though I know there is always room for growth, it feels nice to finally be able to enjoy the ride.