Late thoughts

In scuba the first rule is to never hold your breath. It's the first rule because it's the most important. Why? Easy it's the one thing that you can do to not end your dive dead. Even if you don't have a breath of air in the tank you exhale your whole way to the surface. Up until you breach and can take a deep breath in hold that exhale as long as you can and then longer.
Most everything you learn while getting certified is how to stay alive because the goal firstly is to survive a dive. The next important thing is breathe, think, act. Three simple words I never knew could be so grounding. And the process proved to be useful in most of my life.
After a while and some number of dives under your belt the diving is easy. Second nature really and it becomes a drug of sorts. The weight and troubles of the surface drown the second your ears pop and you take a normal breath at 20 feet below the water. Looking up to see the sunlight dance in the water at some point because the most relaxing sight in the entire world.
But dive culture and the mindset of an avid diver was also very helpful through much of my life and has made me a terrifying strong person.
I started my classes and diving at 14 years old and I'm damn glad I did because I don't think I'd have finished high school without all I learned let alone any single hardship I've faced.
First, no matter what situation the simple action of a breath is the first step of staying alive. There to follow breathing is the first step in any solution.
Second, breathe, think, act. Breathe and think through a problem. Don't go guns blazing without a plan you'll drain yourself and fail and that's a good way to drown, literally and figuratively.
Third, communication is a lifeline and the more ways you have to communicate the better chance of success and survival you have.
Forth, focus on things in the order of their priority things that keep you alive first the lives of your important people next and so on.
These little things put a whole new perspective on things and how I handle things even with crippling anxiety. What's scary is having the wobble of mentally where you start to think but just holding your breath and waiting for the bad to pass is an option. When you spend enough time under to release the weight of your world for even a minute. Keeping the mentality used to be as easy as breathing and now it takes far more energy than I have but the water is still an escape. Though it feels more like a hiding place than peace anymore.

Reviews

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

Wow! I really enjoyed this! Great write!

[Kasey Miriam]

Thank you very much. I am glad

[KATHY SUE SILLS]

You are welcome!

[Chris]

Dealing vs reacting... a good point.

[Kasey Miriam]

Thank you for reading