Anna-Karina Schmitt

Diving from 50 to 80 meters in FIM, a new freediving discipline for me. Documenting the method, focus, and team support that made every dive safe, mindful, and full of joy under the water.

Yesterday, on our last flight back home to Switzerland from Dominica, the man sitting next to us was watching the documentary One Breath  with Alessia. As I glanced at his screen, I felt something deep irritating inside me. I realized that I had written this blog article a long time ago—but never published it. And suddenly, it felt like the right moment. This article is about how freediving is often perceived as an extremely dangerous sport, closely associated with blackouts and even death. I...

No matter what you aspire to, there will always be someone who is better than you. This is not the problem. This is reality. The mistake is believing that competition is about beating others. True competition is about being present with all you got in each moment. It is about doing what you can with what you have, right now. Some days that means winning. Some days it means learning. Both are necessary. Healthy competition only exists when it is directed inward.