Beach Boy Resolutions: A Year Led by Heart, Aloha, and the Ocean

By Kyani Bateman

On the beach, the new year doesn’t arrive with fireworks or loud promises. It comes quietly, through the sound of paddles moving in the water, or through the way the ocean teaches you to slow down, whether you want to or not.

Here, resolutions aren’t about fixing something that’s broken. They’re about listening. About choosing moments that feel honest. About moving through the year with intention instead of urgency.

This year, our beach boys shared their resolutions, not as goals to chase, but as values they want to live by. Each one reflects a deeper connection to the ocean, to community, and to themselves.

Lloyd: Sharing the Ocean with His Best Friend

For Lloyd, the ocean has always been a place of freedom. This year, he wants to share that feeling more with his dog by his side. His resolution is to take his dog out surfing more, letting his best friend experience the joy, trust, and calm that the water brings.

It’s not about perfect waves or perfect balance. It’s about laughter when things don’t go as planned, patience when learning something new together, and the quiet pride of watching someone you love find their own rhythm in the water. There’s something deeply grounding about sharing your sacred places with those who rely on you, and Lloyd’s resolution is rooted in that kind of love.

Mia: Choosing Care, One Sip at a Time

Mia’s resolution is simple, but it carries weight: drink more water. Long beach days can make you forget the basics while you’re focused on everyone else, reading conditions, helping guests, and staying alert under the sun. Her intention this year serves as a reminder that taking care of others begins with taking care of yourself.

Hydration becomes more than a habit; it becomes an act of respect for her body. A pause. A breath. A moment to check in. In a place where we’re always moving with the tide, Mia’s resolution is about honoring the vessel that allows her to show up fully, day after day.

Koa: Learning from the ʻĀina and Carrying Knowledge Forward

Koa’s resolution looks toward the land. This year, he wants to learn how to make hats and baskets from palm trees, using natural materials and traditional skills passed down through generations.

It’s about slowing his hands and listening to what the ʻāina teaches. About understanding that creation takes time, patience, and respect. Every weave becomes a lesson, not just in craft, but in responsibility. To learn is to honor. To practice is to remember. Koa’s intention is rooted in preserving culture, valuing sustainability, and staying connected to his roots.

AJ: Making Space for Stillness

AJ’s resolution is to spend more sunsets on the water. Not racing the daylight. Not thinking about what’s next. Just being present as the sky shifts colors and the ocean reflects it all back.

Sunsets on the water have a way of quieting everything: the mind, the noise, the rush. They remind you that not every moment needs to be productive to be meaningful. AJ’s intention is about gratitude, reflection, and allowing himself to simply exist in the beauty of where he is.

More Than Resolutions: A Way of Life

What ties these resolutions together isn’t discipline or pressure. It’s aloha. It’s love, for the ocean, for the land, for the people and animals we share it with, and for ourselves.

These intentions reflect how we live and work on the beach every day: with care, respect, patience, and a sense of presence. They remind us that the ocean doesn’t rush, yet everything happens exactly when it’s meant to.

As we move into this year, we’re choosing to paddle forward with open hearts. To share more waves. To care for our bodies. To learn from the land. To watch the sun set and feel grateful that we were there to witness this magnificent sight.

That’s the energy we’re carrying into this year. That’s the aloha we’re committed to living.

Whether you’re dreaming of catching your first wave or reconnecting with Hawaiʻi’s ocean traditions, Waikīkī Beach Services invites you to experience the heart of Waikīkī from the shoreline out. From surf lessons and outrigger canoe rides to stand-up paddleboarding on iconic Waikīkī Beach, our expert beachboys and watermen have been sharing aloha since 1955. Join us on the sand, in the surf, and in the stories that make this place so special—come surf with us, paddle with us, and be part of Waikīkī’s living ocean legacy– waikikibeachservices.com