While scuba diving in Fiji recently, I realized yet again how scuba rules apply to Life. Some rules are quite simple like don’t drink and dive, keep a foot on the floor if you get seasick, and duct tape works wonders on blisters. But three bigger scuba rules really stuck out for me.

Buddy required! Scuba diving requires a buddy, unless you have special qualifications (and want) to dive alone. A buddy keeps you out of trouble, watches your oxygen tank so that you will make it back to the surface, and shows you the good stuff to look at. On deck, it doesn’t matter what language your buddy speaks because underwater all that matters is fun, safety and survival.

Travel through Life with a buddy. It’s simply a great strategy.  You’ll be safe, you won’t get left behind, and you’ll have someone to share memories. If you aren’t lucky enough to have a life partner right now, you do have family and friends that could buddy-up for parts or all of your journey – if you ask.

Safety Stop. At the end of any dive it’s common practice to complete a “safety stop” which involves floating at a depth of 15 feet for about three minutes. The diver “off gases” to get rid of excess nitrogen that has built up in their system during the dive. It’s easy to do … just float or hang in one spot for three minutes and let your body rebalance. Even if the water is rough with surge, this act of doing nothing for three minutes ensures a safe transition between water and land.

The thought of a land-based “safety stop” came to me in Fiji.  Work and life transitions would be so very different if everyone took the time to spend three minutes doing nothing but relaxing and breathing deeply, rebalancing as they left their work life and/or before they entered their home life.

Cool Factor. There is no glamour in 5 mm of neoprene covering your entire body, including a hood. No allure to wearing 30-40 lbs of gear and huge flippers. No graceful way to roll into a rubber dingy at the end of the dive. No charm to boogers stuck to your mask. It is almost impossible to look “cool” while scuba diving, especially when the diving conditions are far from perfect. Divers accept that fact and do it anyway.

I’m sure if people adopted a more “care-less” attitude to their land-based cool factor, everyone would do far more without worrying about what they looked like, and possibly have more fun with life!