Showing posts with label life lesson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life lesson. Show all posts

Life Lesson #3

15 November 2009 Labels: ,

Stay Calm When it All Falls Apart

Serena is one of my favorite teen students. She's 13 years old and a daredevil. Not that I've seen the daredevil side of her...for me, she was happy, polite and obedient, but her mother reports she's a bit of a daredevil.

We had finished her sisters certification dive and the waters were starting to get a bit rough. But this was the big day, and Serena was fine to go into the waves. When we entered the water, the surge was enough that I had Serena lay back in "relaxation pose #1" . I donned her fins for her, while she kept her regulator in her mouth. We descended beneath the churning sea and spent a half hour watching sea critters frolic on the floor of the Sound.

The ascent. Ouch. Our entry point, a set of stairs, was completely blocked by crashing waves and logs strewn across the waters surface. The waves were large, Serena was calm. I quickly thought of the other exit...the beach. As I spotted a large log coming straight for us, only a couple waves away, I looked at Serena (regulator still in mouth) and said, "Drop down and follow me."

We descended back to the calm of the bottom, swam around two piers, and re-emerged in deeper water in front of the beach entrance. Walking out was not an option, as the waves would hit Serena in the waist from the shore. I decided we'd low crawl. I explained to Serena we would swim into the shallows, then crawl on our hands and knees up onto the beach. She said sure, and down we went.

(Note: For divers from Northern California, this is how they dive...but in the Puget Sound, we don't get real waves. )

We hit the beach, began to crawl, but Serena being 13 could only make it halfway out, and without the water's lift helping her along, she crashed into the sand. She lay there, tossed and toppled by each wave, regulator still in her mouth, while her instructor unclipped her BCD clips so she could crawl out without the gear. Unclipped...up the shore she went.

At no point in the entire exit did Serena show any panic. No fear. Just calm. I was very thankful that day it was Serena, the daredevil, who simply trusted that all would be ok and her instructor would take care of the rest. While our exit was rough, it was emotionally uneventful and much easier to manage due to the calm when it all fell apart.

Sometimes in life, we need to stay calm when it's all falling apart. Look for another way out and realize that there may be challenges with the second option as well. But remaining focused on the outcome will assure that while the journey's tough, the ending will be satisfying.

I'd love to hear any examples of how you've stayed calm in the face of danger...we can all learn from others and grow stronger! Leave a comment below:

Read full post >>

Life Lesson #2

11 November 2009 Labels: , ,


Slow Down

There is a rhythm to the water, and the thickness of the body slows every movement, whether our breathing, our reach, our kick or vision. If we try to overpower the water, we become tired. Overexerted. We don't find the ease others speak of.

If we move as the water allows us, we slow down. It's not the same timing as Terra time, but we are no longer on Terra. We are in another world, and when in that world, we must adapt to the culture.

In my own life, I tend to hurry everything. Appointments are overbooked and sometimes family time becomes a task, not a pleasure. Instead of enjoying the pathway of life, I tend to focus on the end goal. Rushing to reach it, and becoming exhausted and frustrated in the process. Terra time.

When I bring Lesson #2 to land, I learn to move slower. It doesn't matter if you get to the end of the reef, it's what you see on the way. When I slow down, I notice the magical moments I would miss if I was always running as fast as I can. Sitting, as my granddaughter MacKenzie sleeps for two hours, without worrying about all of the things I could be accomplishing if I weren't waiting. Instead, focusing on the child resting peacefully, without a care, on grandma's couch. Knowing these moments, like those of my children's youth, are precious few and soon will be gone.

To move slow. To realize the end of the reef is not the most important part of the journey. It's the moments along the way. And if the end of the reef is not reached, there will still be enriching moments found in the crags and crevices explored on the journey. Unexpected surprises one would have missed, if only the end was in sight.
How do you take time to "be slow and in the moment" in your daily life? Comment below:

Read full post >>

Life Lesson #1

31 October 2009 Labels: , , ,



Be in the Moment


I've often told students that diving is an extreme stress reliever because you can't take your problems underwater with you. No matter what kind of a day you've had, the problems are hydrophobic and don't seem to be able to follow you beneath the sea. When you enter the sea, you enter another world, where all that is, is what's right there.



In the water, the most important thing we do is to pay attention. Pay attention to your air gauge (air is important underwater!), to the sites around you and to your buddy. I've heard many divers say one of the things they love about scuba is it forces them to focus on the present moment. They can't allow their mind to wander underwater. The feeling of focusing on what's in front of you and what you need to do to make it safely back is very freeing. In that very moment, there's nothing but you, the sea and your plan.

If you misread the water in a current, or don't adjust your buoyancy to fit with the water (which is bigger and heavier than you), the water will let you know immediately. If we mess up our buoyancy or get into a situation that's risky, it's not the sea that is out to get us. We can't blame the water for our mistakes, lack of focus or bad timing. We are forced to take responsibility for the decisions we've made up to that point, and then work to find a way to fix them.

Paying attention and being accountable for our actions, thoughts and words in our daily life isn't always as easy. Often we try to shift the blame or focus our attention elsewhere. There may not be the immediate consequences when we act carelessly, like there is in scuba, however, there will be affects to our lives that can include drama, anger and unhappiness.

In the water, if we mess up once, we will definitely replay it in our head and do it differently the next time. I haven't met very many divers with the same "one time I did..." story, but I have met many people who get addicted to drama and blaming in their lives and repeat lifes lessons over and over again.

Being truthful with yourself, and others, about your mistakes gives an opportunity to change the course of the dive. Knowing when you're going into a challenging situation and letting those around you know this is more than you've taken on before. When you mess up, let others know. Just like "dive buddies", people really do want to help us through challenging situations. No one wants to see you drown, whether in water or on land. Even the best divers in the world dive with buddies.
What life mistake do you need to admit to, forgive yourself from and resolve to not repeat it again? Ok...no comments needed below for this one. :)

Read full post >>