I recently certified with the PADI Open Water Course in the Andaman at Lacadives in Chidiyatappu.

I had done a discovery dive in Maldives a year ago and loved it.

So I did not think too much and I assumed that I was not scared and very capable of becoming a certified diver, yet, I realized I had a hidden phobia… and I am not the only one who would have been scared (that fact gave me some comfort). My fear was to flood my mask under water, remove my mask and put it back. Apparently this skill is a very hard one for many people.

I am sharing this here because one of the aspect we encounter as EdTech coach is to deal with risk-taking, discomfort and fear of the unknown. A lot of people around us resist change and are scared. It’s probably not a phobia to learn about technology BUT to some extend it’s hard for people and the process from “I can’t” to “I can” way take time and trust!

When I first flooded my mask, I panicked and immediately came to the surface and was very scared as I inhaled some water, felt claustrophobic, felt like I could not breath, like I was suffocating. It took be a lot of time and courage to try again, experience fear but go beyond it. Indeed, there was a time when I was completely stuck and refused to try again and could not relax. I even spent the whole night having nightmares about the mask! I needed some time to dive without thinking about it and then try again with an open mindset.

I cannot believe that my instructor was so patient…

This is the mask clearing and removal/replacement:

While I am still scared, I now know that I can do it and I will force myself to keep doing it at different depths so I can become more and more confident with practice and experience.