Life lessons from Open Water Dive
So it has been a year now since I took my PADI Open Water Divers license but the experience lasted long enough to practice the things it taught me in everyday life.
Assembling your own Kit
Right from Day 1 of the training, we had to select and assemble our own Kit, which included the suit, fins, oxygen tank, Bcd and the list goes on. The whole practice of everyday assembling your equipment was an important lesson in itself. It made sure you check your kit and take everything needed for the dive ahead. This exercise is so important today when we have machines or people to do things for you at work and in life. We rely too much on either someone or some app. Preparing and being responsible for your own task is the lesson to be learnt during this step.
Buddy System
We at the centre were told one thing very clearly, Scuba diving always works on Buddy System. This was so crucial underwater that if anything fails you can rely on your buddy and can come back safely. This system is so important to apply in your life at work and otherwise, especially today when everyone is trying to prove themselves. Nothing is possible if you try to do it alone and as a successful dive, a successful career or job or task is a collective effort with a buddy or group of people (team).
Understanding Breathing
This was probably the most important lesson. On the surface, we take oxygen for granted and never really care about the way we breathe. The only solution to any problem underwater is to control your breathing and focus on the problem and try to solve it. That's exactly how it works even on the land. Life may throw many problems at you but it never really stops or limits the oxygen required to live, so if you concentrate on the way you breathe and the ability to solve all materialistic problems become very easy.
Adapting to the environment
One thing every diver is told is not to disturb the ecosystem underwater. Hence you have to adapt yourself to the environment under the ocean to experience the beauty and yes survive. Right from equalizing at every descent and ascend to having the perfect Buoyancy to roam around the ocean floor at every step we are required to adapt. This is so critical today when we have every luxury to live the way we want that we have practically forgotten to adapt to the laws of nature. Once again, one of the most important lessons I practice myself every day and try not to complain about things not going the way I want.
Disassembling your own Kit
You are at this stage only if you have followed the above three right. As the first step, it is extremely important to take off all the equipment to wash them and keep it back with records. We all miss this step in life, We all use things and people when we need them or it's of use. Nothing wrong in it but it is also important to have things maintained, relationships being nurtured and taken care off even when the use is over. Like the first thing taught to the US, marine is to make the bed before and after sleeping, similarly, we have to value people in our life.