Find your Goggles

Being a hydrophobic and raised as one I have feared water all my life. The thought of being close to the pool would be bothersome. Fast forward to 2013 I plan a holiday in Malaysia. Malaysia is famous for dive sites. So I thought of getting rid of my fear for water and go for deep sea diving. My friends who are experienced divers told me I need to learn how to swim first. I decided to go anyways and reached Sipadan. After jumping into the ocean and staying at surface for quite some time, contemplating if I should go back, I decided to go under. I discovered there is a whole new world. I also realized I did my first dive with an 18 year old instructor who had 6 months of experience.

I decide to do a sea diving certification and started preparing with an instructor. We practiced in a pool and I learnt there is an important step to pass the certification where you go deep under water and drop your buoyancy compensator, tank and goggles. Then you pick up ur goggles and wear the gear again. The fact that I was in a pool the first time, after being in an ocean, was one interesting aspect but the other one was that my eyesight is -12 and -13. Wearing contacts means I have to keep my eyes tight shut while I find the goggles. Add to it I have asthma and cant blow bubbles for long. I tried to convince the instructor its time to change the certification requirement, as it didn’t make much sense. The chances of you dropping everything together during a dive are almost zero. He agreed its an illogical rule but no one challenged the rule till now.

Not a surprise I failed to convince him. I went back to my resort and thought I cant come this far to fulfill a dream and not achieve it. Next morning I woke up at 5 am and sat by the pool. I thought of a plan. I practiced dropping my goggles for 5 hours and mastered the location where the goggle falls. I dropped them at the same pace, from the same height (my knee) till I knew exactly where it falls and started finding it with closed eyes.

I practiced for another day and went for the certification. I found the goggles and became a certified sea diver. Three years after diving I thought swimming cant be that bad and learnt to swim as well.

There is no fear that you cannot overcome, there is no rule that can stop you from achieving your dreams and there is always a way out. Give power to your dreams and you will achieve them. Find your purpose. Find your dream. Find your goggles!