The Why and How of Emotional Design

I am scared of water.

It’s an irrational fear deeply embedded in my mind that I struggle even taking a dip in the swimming pool (forget about doing it in a lake or a sea).

But something happened which helped me overcome my vulnerability. Okay, just a bit.

I was reading a book at Zuma Beach in Los Angeles. Just about then, a young boy came up to me and asked me why am I reading when it’s the perfect temperature for a swim. I told him that I don’t know swimming and I am scared of water.

He was taken aback.

He threw me a little “why a full-grown human is scared of getting into harmless water, duh!” look and smiled at me saying that his father can help.

I didn’t want him to judge me for not trying so I agreed to accept his help. Long story short, his father offered me his hand and leg fins and taught me how to swim without freaking out.

Surprisingly, I did float well (and didn’t die). How? Because of the incredible swimming gear.

I came back home, hopeful about finally overcoming my fear of water. So, I ordered swim fins for myself. Sadly, when I used it, I was utterly disappointed. It didn’t fit me and kept slipping off underwater. I tried hard to remember the brand name of the gear which that stranger in LA…