The Day I Showered With Swimming Goggles

A small moment of reinvention, laughter, and learning not taking life too seriously.

One day, not too long ago, I caught myself standing in the shower wearing swimming goggles. Personal reinvention is often described as inspiring and transformative. In reality, sometimes it looks a bit ridiculous.

Having never worn false eyelashes before, I decided to indulge myself and booked an appointment with a beautician. The entire procedure lasted about three hours, but the end result was nothing short of fabulous. I felt beautiful.

The beautician carefully instructed me on how to maintain my new lashes to maximise their longevity, emphasising that heat and water were absolute “no-nos.” So serious, practical me immediately started thinking about how to protect them. Then it hit me: wearing swimming goggles in the shower was the perfect solution.

Being someone who likes to get things done quickly, I drove straight to a store that sold swimming goggles. I found the perfect blue pair.

The next morning I put the goggles on and stepped into the shower. I must admit, I looked a bit ridiculous. My husband walked in, and we both erupted in laughter. He even snapped a quick photo. Somewhere between the shampooing and the fogging lenses, I realised how peculiar change can seem from the outside — until you truly embrace it.

We all try to figure things out in our own way, in a way that fits our story. Someone I know often says, “In my movie…” And as you go along, you experiment, you try different things, maybe you adjust your habits or change your attitude. Sometimes you do slightly silly things. But you always learn something about yourself. The process can be messy and not always graceful. Eventually, though, we arrive at a solution that fits our lives perfectly.

I am known to take life a little too seriously. Ironically, one of my favourite sayings is: “Don’t take life too seriously; you will never get out of it alive.” I try to be the best version of myself that I can be. Sometimes that pursuit of perfection brings me to a halt, and I reset and remind myself to be gentle. I want to remain independent now and into old age. But on the journey there, we need to be able to laugh at ourselves. Humour lightens the load, and it is a big part of my life.

That shower moment might seem trivial, even amusing, but it reminded me to embrace change and the unexpected. To find joy in simplicity. To be kinder to myself. To stay open to life’s surprises and cherish the little lessons along the way.

— Frannie ☕