Looking at Myself from Within
As I descended slowly beneath the waves releasing the air from my buoyancy jacket, I came to a rest in a Buddha pose hovering above the seabed. I gazed out into the blue, gently swaying in the currents, hearing nothing except my breathing. I felt a sense of inner peace, confidence and freedom.
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in it’s net of wonder forever” Jacques Yves Cousteau
I hadn’t always felt that way.
My scuba diving journey began with an entry level diving qualification two decades ago. I signed up when my boyfriend at the time told me he was doing it and I didn’t want to be left out. I found it a terrifying experience and felt completely out of my comfort zone. I wanted to give up numerous times, but there was some inner resolve that told me I could do this. Even with a meltdown at the ocean surface and the instructor’s excellent negotiating skills to coax me down, I completed my final dive and proudly collected my shiny new diving certificate!
I was soon putting my new skills into practice, diving in exotic locations like the Great Barrier Reef and the Red Sea. I had been taught awareness skills, how to manage my depths and gas consumption and how to be aware of others and my surroundings. However, I was too consumed by fear, self-doubt and self-preservation to really see anything or enjoy the experience.
As I became a more experienced diver, I honed my technical skills and I felt more awareness and confidence knowing I could help myself and others. I began to enjoy the wondrous seascapes and marine life more fully and started thinking like a diver.
I had always had a thirst for learning and adventure, and I took my passion further by training and working as a PADI Scuba Diving Instructor in Thailand and Malta. This move into management brought new decision-making skills and a deeper sense of self-awareness.
As I sat in my Buddha pose that day, I felt like I could see all around me for a full 360 degrees. I felt limitless. I could look beyond fear and frustration and to think like an instructor.
During that time, I taught all manner of people especially women and children to dive. What I found the most fulfilling was teaching someone to face their fears, overcome their limiting beliefs about their abilities, nurture their strengths and help them build confidence and awareness.
I bring this experience into my work as a coach where I am passionate about helping women to connect their authentic selves, to overcome fear and overwhelm and to build confidence and self-belief, find their natural strengths and recognise the impact they make when they are living purposefully.
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