Skip to main content

My Very First Dive Class-Methods of Overcoming Situational Fear

For years I rolled around in the back of my head getting an diver certificate. From the earliest days I used to watch TV ads with wonder how people would explore places unknown to discovery something new. I've had plenty of opportunities to get a certificate but either didn't have the money, time, or decisiveness. Then one day I found a discounted price at a local place and I signed up.

A little sheepish with a hint of fear of dragging a lot of heavy equipment into the water I stood contemplative. "If I sink to the bottom this instructor will be able to help me". I looked at the 160 lb instructor and my 200 lb weight and thought, "OK he can't lift me! I'm a goner!".

We don't just head into the water without a little lecture. That would be unsafe. Good news is that if I needed to dump the items I could with a few release levers. "I guess I can get out of this if I'm sinking", I thought to myself. By the time the lecture and practice on the equipment was over I had a solid working knowledge of how everything worked.

Fear is one of the most difficult things to get over. We are afraid of everything. Maybe we look silly, maybe we will drown, maybe my tank will blow too much air, etc., etc......Fear is just a possibility so give it a second and then let it slip away if it isn't likely or doesn't have much merit.

I can say that there is no other feeling better than sitting in the water with neutral buoyancy. You float and breath slowly and the world around you comes alive through your suspension. Granted, the first few lectures are in the pool but the feeling of finally being under water and using the equipment makes life interesting. Much of our planet is covered by water so we are missing out on most of it....as an unexplored environment.

Ways to overcome fear:

1.) Give yourself a minute to think about the "reasonable" negatives. Find a potential solution for any of the most likely.

2.) Switch your brain to think about all of the positive things and the enjoyment you are going to have.

3.) Realize you that in every new situations you will feel a little nervous. As you habituate it will go away. Just keep pushing your comfort level.

4.) Slow your breaking and stay focused on what you are doing right now.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

The Meaning of A Boundless Moment by Robert Frost

A Boundless Moment by Robert Frost He halted in the wind, and — what was that Far in the maples, pale, but not a ghost? He stood there bringing March against his thought, And yet too ready to believe the most. "Oh, that's the Paradise-in-bloom," I said; And truly it was fair enough for flowers had we but in us to assume in march Such white luxuriance of May for ours. We stood a moment so in a strange world, Myself as one his own pretense deceives; And then I said the truth (and we moved on). A young beech clinging to its last year's leaves. The poem is one of seasons changing and the cycle of life. Each May the bloom comes out and brings life to the death of winter. The poem is about a single moment when the characters see that life has changed. The layers of meaning can be deep but on the surface it appears Robert Frost is discussing nature and its cyclical momentum.   Everything in nature moves through patterns. The poem indicates that

Art Review: The Kiss by Gustav Klimt

The Kiss is Gustav Klimt’s most famous and well known painting. Produced in 1908 in Vienna, Austria and incorporated oil and gold life on the canvas ( 1 ). This was unique for his time and represents both tile works with Asiatic influence. The painting and the romance it brings forward is still wonderment to onlookers. The picture depicts a passionate relationship between a man and woman in a sort of perfect place.  The couple is embracing, bodies entwined, wearing robes of wealth and decadence. It provides linear constructs of the Art Nouveau style and the movement of arts with crafts ( 2 ). The male is square and masculine while the woman painted is in curves to represent femininity. The couple is a pair with the woman and man equal in stature. They are in a field of flowers and appear to rise above it.  To many this painting represents the concept that love has no bounds. Social position or worldly wealth cannot hide what goes on under the fancy clothes and standard m

The Nine Parries of Saber Fencing

The Parry is important for defending against attacks and offers an opportunity to counter attack. Without learning parries it will be difficult to effectively compete in fencing. Your body will be generally open to seasoned fencers. Practicing defending against attacks using multiple parries is important for creating the highest levels of competitive skill. The most common parries used are Parry of Four, Parry of Six, Parry of Seven, and Parry of Eight ( 1 ). They are designed to protect your right side, left side, lower stomach, middle of your stomach. They are parries designed to cover the core areas of your body and help you defend against the majority of fencing attacks.   Prime: Stops a cut to the chest. Seconde: Stops a low cut to the flank Tierce: Stops high cut to the flank Quarte: Stops high cut to the chest. Quinte: Stops cut to head. Sixte : Stops cut to head. Septime: Stops cut to back. Octave: Stops cut to flank. Neuvieme: Protects Back Mic