A few years ago, I took our youngest daughter to swim with the sharks while on vacation. As written from her perspective:
You never really appreciate the life advice you’ve been given until you’re ten feet underwater and five miles out to sea in an area known for its shark attacks, watching meat chunks slowly drift downward and hoping a shark swims close enough to touch. You’re not an oceanographer, you’re not a marine biologist, you’re not even in a diving cage—you’re a high school junior on spring break. And you duped your mother into signing the consent form.
The life advice you received thirty minutes ago? You’re just hoping you remember everything as blurry shapes start getting closer…yep those are sharks. Lots of them. Big sharks, little sharks, spotted sharks, striped sharks. You’re starting to sound like Dr. Seuss. You shut your eyes and take a deep breath through the snorkeling apparatus.
As you peer out you remember:
- Remain calm.
- Look the sharks directly in their eyes. If you ignore the sharks, they are going to become a problem you cannot avoid.
- Don’t overreact. You control your own behavior only.
- If a shark invades your space, deal with it directly and immediately by pushing it out of the way.
- Remain calm at all times when in an adverse situation.
Seems like good advice and not just when swimming with sharks.
Overcoming Self-Sabotaging Behaviors