Swimming for a purpose

I know that most professional mermaids swim with sort of meaning behind their mersona.

Like Hannah swims for the whales (and dolphins? I can't remember) Linden swims to help children learn how to swim, some others swim for wildlife in general, protection of reefs, and less pollution.

As I was lifeguarding today (Where I do all my serious mer-thinking haha) I was wondering if I wanted to become a professional mermaid and do some gigs. I've had some wild ideas, but I've been so shy about mermaiding I just don't know if I'm ready to come out yet to everyone.

But I wanted to have a purpose for why I mermaid. Because frankly, right now I just do it because "it's cool". But as I thought about it more, the only purpose I really stand for and feel passionate about is the same Mermaid Linden does. As a lifeguard, I feel it's so important for kids to learn to swim. I've had so many near drowning incidents that I helped save. It really opened my eyes to how easy it is for kids to drown and how they should learn to swim. (Lots of kids at my park are SO scared of the water. They either won't go in at all or cling to a floatie the whole time. Its a little sad...)

My question is I guess, is it alright to swim for the same platform another fellow mermaid does? I don't want to be a copy cat, I just feel passionate about the same thing she does.

For me, its a matter of what you're passionate about.. for me its my local area. If you're interested in making yourself known for dolphin conservation then go for it, I figure the more mermaids speaking up for the ocean the more people who will listen. Hey, maybe a wave of mermaids will rise up and the hoomans wont be able to escape us and our ranting :D

I don't really see this as beeing a copy cat. I see it more as aiding another mermaid in her quest to help people learn to swim in this case. So I would say go for it :)

i agree. it takes more than one mer to save the world... and in this case to teach the world to swim ;) ive only just realised my mermission, and its a little less.. lets say noble... and more about stopping my brain from exploding due to this demented planet we live on.

I agree wholeheartedly with everyone - it's not about having a different cause than everyone else or worrying about being a copycat...it's about using what you are passionate about to make a difference. This really isn't a matter of stepping on someone else's fins. And if you do actively support a cause and someone *does* have a problem with it in that way, they obviously aren't as committed to the cause as they are about being the unique star of that cause.

I don't see it as copying at all... If one mermaid in every city in the world set out to teach children how to swim, that STILL wouldn't be enough to get them all taught!! That is one purpose that there could never be enough help with. Plus, it is also what you do for a living! What can be more appropriate than that? :)

Like everyone else has said, it is not copying. But if you still have doubts, what if I said "after reading this post, and my life experiences I want to mermaid with the purpose of getting all kids to know how to swim!" Is that copying?

I agree. It's not copying. I want to mermaid to inspire others to protect the oceans through education and conservation.

Ah alright :) I just didn't want someone to be like "That's already being done, why don't you be creative and stand for something else?" But then I kinda realized how many mers stand for ocean conservation. And no one says anything to them about it.

totally, causes cant have enough supporters!

I wanted to support a lot of things, mostly around healthy child development. What I did was create sort of a little rule for myself called "The Three I's" They stand for:
Information, Inspiration, Imagination

Under Information, I recognize that kids are naturally very inquisitive and that the trait NEEDS to be encouraged. So when I do events I try to nurture their thirst for MEANINGFUL information that is applicable to their lives. Because of my child development and educational background I know a lot of information around ecological issues is not developmentally appropriate for kids. It can be too abstract, scary, or overloading for kids to really grasp when presented in ways not suited to their developmental level and or learning needs. I use my mer persona to bridge that gap as best as I can.

I want to inspire people and kids to live their dreams as mermaiding was a way for me to overcome Illness- I do this basically by telling my story a lot.

I want to nurture imagination and let kids of all ages know it's okay to dress up and play mermaid- or play anything for that matter. So many people see kids as little adults and rush them to grow up. Imagination gets stifled from a young age, which is stupid because kids learn the best when they're playing and being creative! I have worked with kids of all ages as a mermaid and so long as you take the right approach for their age I have just a good a time with 4 year olds as I do 16 year olds. I speak to adults too

I spent a lot of time thinking about my cause and really the best way to sum up all these things is "healthy development". Everything I stand for overlaps and really doesnt just apply to little kids. I find actually writing it all out like I did on my website (www.rainamermaid.com) helps me keep goal oriented and grounded. It also helps a lot when you get interviewed, and helps me figure out what avenues to pursue.

Literacy is something I feel strongly about which is why I did the reading with raina web series. Id like to re-do them with better quality, and next year I'll actually be leaving the country to promote literacy as Raina and a Teacher :)

So having a cause is GREAT and it's opened many doors for me, it helps me feel very secure in what I do as a mermaid, and I grow a lot as a person as Im on a constant journey to improve how I support my cause.

huh where'd my comment go?

lets try this again:

Every mer has a purpose, whether its the "in thing to do" or another reason. My mermid Purpose is to raise awareness for cetaceans, sharks and marine life which need our help. I believe your not copying but your being inspired by someone, because they started the movement, or spread the word- you continue their shared message and soon enough you'll inspire others to do the same. Plus it must be one hell of a compliment to have someone walk up and say " your my inspiration, because if you, I decided to follow in similar footsteps and start a program in my area." You're doing what they want you to do, share the message with others.. its like a giant game of telephone..lol

Presenting yourself as a mermaid to kids will naturally get their attention, and I would bet they would be more confident in the idea of learning to swim by someone they think is interesting, like a mermaid.

Using mermaiding for things like this is something I never heard of before I found the MerNetwork. Is all very nice, however, there is still nothing wrong with swimming in a mertail just for the fun of it:)

I want to be a professional mermaid too. D:> But I think Im too young.. even though I'm a very good swimmer. I have many purposes for swimming as a mermaid, but there's already so many professional mermaids that I don't think I will ever be able to stand a chance.. if you get me. I have no idea where to even start anyway... ;^; I wanna do modeling and swim for the sea creatures... Do kids parties.. Like the typical mermaid stuff.. But again, Im so young.. D: Even if i ever do become a professional mermaid, I dont think anyone would wanna hire me...

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Karin

I want to be a professional mermaid too. D:> But I think Im too young.. even though I'm a very good swimmer. I have many purposes for swimming as a mermaid, but there's already so many professional mermaids that I don't think I will ever be able to stand a chance.. if you get me. I have no idea where to even start anyway... ;^; I wanna do modeling and swim for the sea creatures... Do kids parties.. Like the typical mermaid stuff.. But again, Im so young.. D: Even if i ever do become a professional mermaid, I dont think anyone would wanna hire me...

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You can start off by becoming involved with community service projects! Your age is not really a big issue if you can develop a professional rapport. They might not hire you at first, but the more positive exposure and experience you get, the more interest you will receive. Just remember that you will be more successful this way if you do it because you truly believe in your cause, and not just use it as a way to promote yourself/get attention.

Also, I have no idea why "too many professional mermaids" is a problem or even a thing right now. :) There may seem to be a lot online due to them all being condensed onto one corner of FB but they are all extremely widespread and there isn't much competition within local communities. In fact, it's happened that places with more than one mer usually team up or work together.

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Karin

I want to be a professional mermaid too. D:> But I think Im too young.. even though I'm a very good swimmer. I have many purposes for swimming as a mermaid, but there's already so many professional mermaids that I don't think I will ever be able to stand a chance.. if you get me. I have no idea where to even start anyway... ;^; I wanna do modeling and swim for the sea creatures... Do kids parties.. Like the typical mermaid stuff.. But again, Im so young.. D: Even if i ever do become a professional mermaid, I dont think anyone would wanna hire me...

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Thats not true. D: When I get finished with my tail Im going to do parties and such. Im only 17 at the moment. What if a person wanted to be a doctor but because there was so many doctors they didn't? That person could have saved many lives. The more mermaids there are the more people will be aware of our causes.
I am kind of afraid of people not hiring me to parties and such but think of it this way. You are a MERMAID!! You know how many little girls would beg their parents just to see you? Even if they don't hire you at least you tried. Since we live in the same area one day you could tag along on one of my gigs(if I get any) and see how you like it :)

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Karin

I want to be a professional mermaid too. D:> But I think Im too young.. even though I'm a very good swimmer. I have many purposes for swimming as a mermaid, but there's already so many professional mermaids that I don't think I will ever be able to stand a chance.. if you get me. I have no idea where to even start anyway... ;^; I wanna do modeling and swim for the sea creatures... Do kids parties.. Like the typical mermaid stuff.. But again, Im so young.. D: Even if i ever do become a professional mermaid, I dont think anyone would wanna hire me...

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I'm young too! What I did, just this past week, was go to my local library. Every summer they have a kids reading program. I talked to lady in charge, and although a mermaid does not realy fit with the nightly theme of 'Dream Big, Read!' she took my name and number. So that way if she coems up with anythign she can call me. I would also suggest going to the local pool/beach. Just get notced by people. Or if you have younger siblings, do a party for them and their freinds. Then their parents will see you and maybe ask yoyu for their kids parties. Like Spindrift said, do community events. I would see if there are any organizations in your area that you could work with.

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Originally Posted by Dacora

Thats not true. D: When I get finished with my tail Im going to do parties and such. Im only 17 at the moment. What if a person wanted to be a doctor but because there was so many doctors they didn't? That person could have saved many lives. The more mermaids there are the more people will be aware of our causes.
I am kind of afraid of people not hiring me to parties and such but think of it this way. You are a MERMAID!! You know how many little girls would beg their parents just to see you? Even if they don't hire you at least you tried. Since we live in the same area one day you could tag along on one of my gigs(if I get any) and see how you like it :)

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That's true. :3 Besides.. It seems that us merfolk do alot more for the ocean than some. So even if we dont do parties or get hired by people, we could always do what we can for the sea. <3 I want to really try and see if it all goes well. >.< where in texas do you live btw? Im in San Antonio. o: I kinda wish I lived in Florida considering theres alot more open waters and people there are more keen of the sea and such, but then again, people are fond of the beaches in Texas too. I think theres hardly any pro mermaids in Texas, so we could probably have a higher success rate. :D

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Originally Posted by Bellasea

I'm young too! What I did, just this past week, was go to my local library. Every summer they have a kids reading program. I talked to lady in charge, and although a mermaid does not realy fit with the nightly theme of 'Dream Big, Read!' she took my name and number. So that way if she coems up with anythign she can call me. I would also suggest going to the local pool/beach. Just get notced by people. Or if you have younger siblings, do a party for them and their freinds. Then their parents will see you and maybe ask yoyu for their kids parties. Like Spindrift said, do community events. I would see if there are any organizations in your area that you could work with.

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Thats true.. I never thought about reading sessions. o: Thats a good idea. For now Im going to improve on my swimming and try to keep my heart rate down so I can hold my breath longer so it will be easier and better/more fun for me to swim under the water. xD I will be turning 18 soon, so then i'll have a better chance of getting a job and finally saving for my own Tail. Im pretty much done growing... >> so yay. I can have my tail sooner than most I guess. LOL. I need to work on a tail design. But I need stupid colored pencils. xD

It doesn't matter how many mers are out in the world performing right now. You can still make a name for yourself, even in just your own community. The volunteering idea is a good one. I think it takes pushing yourself out there, which I have yet to really do...I want to do something special and meaningful with my mermaiding as well.

Gah. >.< I like being solo.. but sometimes like mermaiding, its fun to have someone do it with you, you know? I dont really have any friends that would do anything mermaid related with me. They think its weird and im all "its just like going to anime conventions and doing cosplay, except you swim, and it doesnt really cost money and you're actually doing something for a good cause." but still v.v They dont mind walking around in a costume and a funky wig, but having a tail and swimming is out of the question. Dx </3