How to have convos you won’t overthink in the shower

If there are three things guaranteed in life, they’re death, taxes and overthinking everything you’ve ever said in the shower. "Did I bring a really off-putting vibe to the convo?" "Do they think I’m weird now?" “Did they always think I was weird” "Should I just move to a different country?" Before you start snowballing, here’s how to have social interactions that won’t haunt you while you wash.

1. Your presence is a present

Unless you’re a weird twin, you’re not telepathic. You can’t read minds, so stop assuming what people are thinking. Instead of locking into a “they must hate me” narrative, focus on what’s actually being said, because 9 times out of 10, you’re overthinking about things you made up in your own head. Besides, most people are too busy thinking about their own awkwardness to be judging yours.

2. Ask, don’t assume

Instead of assuming someone was offended by your joke or thought you were rude, just ask. Hit them with the, "I hope that didn’t come out wrong" or "I just wanted to check that didn’t seem like a snub" and clear the air before your brain turns the convo into a Christopher Nolan plot.

3. Silence is okay

Are you the type of person who’ll unleash your biggest secrets to avoid a few seconds of silence? It’s alright. Sometimes silence is just silence—not a sign you’ve messed up. Say your piece, then let the other person respond. Less is more when it comes to avoiding future cringe attacks.

4. Laugh it off

Think about how all your favourite people react to doing something embarrassing. They laugh it off right? So why not try it yourself? When you’re chill about your own human-ness, others will be, too. Plus, you’ll have way fewer "OMG, why did I say that?" moments replaying in your head later.

5. Keep moving forward

After the convo is over, leave it there. Don’t drag it into your day, your night, or your shower. What’s done is done, and all you can do is take a beat to find the lesson from your experience and approach the situation differently next time (while being self-compassionate). In the very unlikely event that something did go wrong, you can deal with it when it happens. If it didn’t, then congrats—you’ve just saved yourself from hours of overthinking! We all make mistakes from time to time – but while it might sound clichéd, it really is about how you learn from them that counts.

So next time you’re about to start replaying an entire convo mid-shampoo, keep in mind: it’s just a convo. Let it go and keep your shower as a sacred place to work on your vocal range. If you can nail the art of communication, you’re well on your way to being a star player in any workplace.