I’m a thrill seeker, and I am always looking for my next natural high – but this next adventure I am about to go on has everyone around me (including my wife) thinking that I am crazy.
I am going diving with sharks – Great White Sharks to be exact.
This Friday, me and a few of my buddies who are just as crazy as I am, will step into a steel cage and be submerged into the ocean to see some Great Whites up close and personal. We are taking a surf road trip up to San Francisco, where we will end our trip face-to-face with Jaws and his friends on the Farallon Islands.
No one thinks this is a good idea — absolutely nobody. But, being the kind of person I am, I can’t say no to this opportunity. It’s truly a part of who I am, and who I have always been. Also, it ties back into how I quit smoking and am now striving to be as healthy as possible. I guess I will get to test the capacity of my lungs with the scuba tank!
I do everything in the ocean – I surf, wakeboard, paddleboard, swim – you name it. But I never really thought I would go diving with sharks. It’s so cliché, but the idea came after watching Shark Week. After watching people dive with Great Whites, a buddy of mine said, “we should go do that!” Of course it seemed like a pipe dream at first, but after seeing that we actually could go do that off the coast of San Fran, I was on board.
While I am definitely nervous about what this experience is going to be like, I know that it is going to be unforgettable. I have done all kinds of crazy things to get my adrenaline pumping, but this will by far take the cake. We are bringing along a camera crew to catch all the action, and we are hoping that we all make it out alive to see the footage!
Kidding aside, this is truly going to be one of the coolest things I have ever experienced, and I know that without a doubt, it will probably be one of the biggest natural highs of my life. Even though it seems crazy, I can’t wait to dive in – both literally and figuratively!
Author
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Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
