When is it time to stop?

I recently discovered a new podcast, so I've been binging the back catalogue. I just listened to a thoughtful episode entitled, "Why was Bruce Willis still working?"

If you're not familiar with the story, Bruce Willis' family said in 2022 that he has been diagnosed with Aphasia, a brain disorder that leaves patients confused and with difficulty communicating. The pushback within the movie industry was why was Bruce Willis still working, especially if he lacked the cognitive ability to make self-care decisions? It's a difficult situation.

The key takeaway for me: don't wait too late to make a decision. Make decisions for yourself while you still can because it may not be in your best interest to wait for someone else to make the (right) decision for you.

What does this story have to do with aquatics? This podcast episode was in the back of my mind as I found myself in the midst of specific work situation where I suddenly realized: it's time for me to stop doing this type of work.

If I backtrack for a moment: I've been certified as National Lifeguard (NL) in Canada since 2003. I let my cert lapse in 2010 when I went off at graduate school in Israel, but - other than that brief period - I've basically been a lifeguard for 20 years. Although I rarely lifeguard public swim these days, as a National Lifeguard Instructor (NLI) and Trainer (NLI-T), I am required to keep my NL current to be able to teach those programs.

The NL physical standards (400m in 10 minutes, 20 lb. brick recovery, 50m sprint, tow & carry, etc.) have never been particularly difficult for me. The main difference for me over the last five years (since the Pandemic) is that I literally now have to block time on my calendar to go to my community pool to swim laps. So much of my work & teaching is remote via Zoom, it is not possible for me to go 6+ months without actually getting into the water at a pool.

All of this to say: up until a few months ago, I could never imagine a time when I would let my NL lapse or "cut off" that type of work, but all of a sudden I can see it on the horizon. I know that horizon line is not in the next six months (I will recert my NL when it expires in September), but it is somewhere out there.

In the words of one content creator I follow who made a 180° turn regarding a decision she had just made, "Sometimes you have to get slapped in the face by life to realize you made the wrong decision and need to turn around."

As of April 2024, I'm finding new avenues of work that interest me more than lifeguard training, and I need to be honest with myself and follow those passions, even if it means dropping easy or comfortable work. I will never not be a lifeguard in my own mind, and I won't stop assisting with NL classes or NLI Clinics right away, but the time to stop is approaching.

How will you know when it's time to stop? Are you alert to the possible signals? What will they look like? Are you still being challenged by what you're doing in your life or work day-to-day?

Thanks so much for being here.

Katie Crysdale
Lakeview Aquatic Consultants Ltd.