'm a retired Aquatics Director; a 30 year veteran of a wide range
of aquatic specialties, and non-aquatic cross training in the YMCA System. The Y had everything; it was a microcosm of
the world.
Every spring that
I could, I went off to NE Region YMCA Aquatic School at Springfield College in
Massachusetts. They're affiliated with
the YMCAs (the Mind, Body, Spirit triangle is imbedded in their sidewalks). They have the Art Linkletter natatorium with
a 20-foot diving well including an underwater window. There are movable bulkheads to change the
length of the pool.
The 10-meter
platform was removed years ago for safety reasons, but we had used it to have
blindfolded Special Populations Instructor Specialist candidates jump off, in
order to create a feeling of empathy.
Compared to most
NYC pools, it was amazingly big and diverse.
There was even a rumor that their filtration system used bromine, rather
than chlorine. This would have been a
rarity, but have accounted for the blue hew, rather than green with the smell
of chloramines.
We'd work hard
and play hard for the better part of a week, and return home certified, exhausted,
and ecstatic.
I would probably
be there right now since it's held in early June.
But I digress.
What I am telling
you is that you should never swim alone, and you can't swim against the
current.
If you are
trapped in a current or a rip tide, you swim across it, or with it. You don't want to panic; you must keep your
wits, and be mindful of slowing heading for shore.
When you're
steering a canoe or an upside-down kayak, in rapids, or hit a hurricane while
onboard an ocean-going vessel, you don't throw the ship away. The same with a life plan, a career plan, a financial
plan or an investment plan.
You stick with the ship, and decide how, or if, to alter your plan. You can’t control the water or the weather. The storm will pass.
The going gets
rough, but you have a vessel, a destination, a chart & map, and a will to
survive.
You must be
committed, and patient to ride out the storm, but it will pass. At times, you may feel sick, tired, cold, and
wet; but you must remain diligent and flexible, and on guard, trusting yourself
and/or your captain.
If you like the
sea, but don't want to be the captain, you can hire one, leaving the
day-to-operations to professionals; if you swim, you can go with a ‘buddy’ or swim
where there’s a lifeguard.
Since there are
no guarantees in life (albeit Ben Franklin quipped, "except death and
taxes"), it helps to learn what it is about yourself that you can always
count on (e.g. knowing how to react in an emergency, body alarms). It’s also helpful to make certain important,
foreseeable decisions in advance (e.g. if a deer walks onto the highway, I am
not going to severely swerve to avoid hitting it since I may run into a tree).
I recommend you
consciously learn & state these things.
Then forget about them, and know that they are a part of you, you can
count on forever. This way, you won't
have to think about them anymore; instead, you can devote your time to new work,
endeavors, inquiries, studies, and skills, and unburden your brain.
You can
live/survive/thrive better, especially when faced with potential threats.
If you can
identify threats, you can also practice preparedness, and devise responses. This an Emergency Plan, and it’s a strength
plan.
This is part of a
larger SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats).
SWOT analyses
work in almost all situations, and are a logical way to prioritize, and
strategically plan.
If you have a
life plan, a career plan, a financial plan, an investment plan, a college plan,
a parent's long-term care plan, or an estate plan, you know that you've set
goals, maybe outlined or identified time-lines, and that you need to monitor
and manage the plan. Simple systems
help; KISS (Keep it Super Simple - a more positive interpretation of the
acronym).
If you don't have
goals and plans, you're either happy with your life/luck/karma/attitude/etc.,
or you may wish to consider setting some, either to help attain goals, or at
least, feel better for having tried.
You may not be
able to swim against the current, and you may feel like a cork on a
fast-flowing river, just bouncing around out of control, but you can learn to
guide a raft down rapids, avoid big rocks & waterfalls, and steer to a bank
(no pun intended). These aren't just
financial skills, they're life skills
Do you swim?
