Seeing the World Through Rose Colored Glasses (and how you can too!)
I've always been a bit of a, "glass is half full" gal. My default is to find the positive in a situation, which sometimes annoys my family, but I hope overall has given them a better experience. One common phrase we use about this is, "Seeing the world through rose colored glasses." This phrase is not always intended positively as some people perceive this outlook as a negative. They would contend that I am not adequately preparing for the trouble that might come my way or that I'm getting my hopes up unjustifiably. My husband, for example, is more of a preparer.
One of the big shifts that came to our household from Covid was the backup pantry. Many, if not most, people have a pantry. In ours we mostly store backups for open items in our kitchen. For example, if there's an open bottle of ketchup in the fridge, there should be a sealed one waiting to replace it in the pantry. When scarcity came to town in March of 2020, the backup pantry was born. It was no longer good enough to have one backup item on the shelf because you didn't know when you might be able to get that item again! So, from complicated formulas and spreadsheets, my husband designed the backup pantry to hold as many of an item as we are likely to use before they expire. For example, we eat pasta 2-3 times a month and if a box of pasta is good for 6 months, we should have 18 boxes in the house. Then, when we use one from the pantry, it is replaced by one in the backup pantry, and pasta goes on the shopping list. It may sound simple, but in practice it can be a bit intimidating, so my husband has had to maintain his coordination of the backup pantry ever since its inception because I would just not be able to maintain it like him. If it was up to me, I'd be like, "Score! We have a jar of spaghetti sauce on the shelf! I can save on groceries by using that. I'll buy some more next time we want it." Together we make a pretty good team 🤣.
My husband will ask questions like, "What if it doesn't work out?" And I will counter with, "But what if it does?" After I expressed frustration with him for his lack of positivity, which I interpreted as a lack of support, he developed the phrase, "You'll do great!" which is usually said through gritted teeth and accompanied by an expression of clear disbelief. The reality is, he's not lacking in positivity or support, in fact he's overflowing with a desire to support and provide for me. He's wanting to make sure all my bases are covered and I'm going to be ok. I'd rather live in the questionable belief that everything will probably work out fine, but he wants to make sure it does. I've often teased him that he reminds me of Aunt Josephine from A Series of Unfortunate Events.
The thing is, if you know this story well, Aunt Josephine ended up being right and her admonitions saved everyone's life but her own. My husband ends up being right more than I'd care to admit too. That said, he needs me to keep him balanced. Yes, it can be good to keep 18 boxes of pasta in preparedness, but if you don't ever use them, they go to waste! Yes, it's wise to buy travel insurance if you have certain conditions, but then you've got to travel to make it worthwhile. I might make it sound like he spends his life following after me and cleaning up my messes, and maybe he does sometimes, but I bring so much more to the mix than something to clean up!
I bring fun and excitement and passion. You might say my middle name is Joy, umm, because it is! I'm the one who pipes up from the living room, "What if we hopped on a plane to Sydney Australia on Tuesday?" I'm the one wearing the rose-colored glasses.
What's up with those crazy glasses anyways? I'll tell you. My future's so bright, I had to wear shades! No, really, it's crazy bright out there ya'll. As you might know, I suffer from migraines. That's actually what led to the discovery of my brain tumor last year. For a few months after my surgery, the migraines abated, but then in November they started to ramp up again. By this fall, I was having about 4-5 migraine days a week. When I went to order my most recent pairs of glasses on Zenni*, I noticed that they had an option for FL-41 lenses. From their website:
I had never heard of such a thing, but my family, while patient, was quite tired of me asking to turn down the lights and close the curtains all the time. Was I light sensitive? I would have said, "Of course not!" but my husband would have told you otherwise, and he would have been right. I gave them a try, and I was hooked!
I'm not going to say they cured my migraines, but I definitely believe they contribute to having fewer migraines and being more comfortable when I do. Paired with using Visible and learning to live within my limits, I've noticed a big reduction in the frequency and intensity of my migraines. In addition, they actually make the world prettier! Sunsets are amazing!!! I'm often saying, "The sky is so beautiful," and my family nods along, then I take off my glasses and have them look through them and they're like, "Wow! That is pretty!" Apart from the enhancing my visual experience (which is huge because I am a very visual person) toning down my experience of light helps me feel better and less stressed. I am what's referred to as a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) and stimulation overwhelms me. When I am inundated by light, whether I realize it or not, I have less bandwidth to handle other things that come my way. I am more inclined to withdraw and feel exhausted. With these lenses, I am more inclined to process life better and be up for more adventures. I loved them so much I ordered my reading glasses with these lenses too. In case you're curious, I went with the 50% tint and that was perfect for me.
If you're interested in giving these a shot, don't rush down to Costco, because they can't make them. I know, I was surprised and disappointed too! Fortunately, Zenni * is a great option. You have to take a few more steps to choose the right size frames and figure out your pupil distance, but they'll help you through that whole process. I can attest to the fact that they handle returns quite well, and their rewards program is great. I'm currently a VIP with them which, above all, gives me free shipping. You can just about always find great discount codes if you look on Bing, and their standard prices are very good. I typically buy frames that cost less than $20 and I've never had an issue with quality. If you use the Zenni * link in this post, you will get $30 off your first pair of glasses with them, and I get $30 too!
Here's the Thing: We all need a glass-half-empty person in our life to keep us grounded, but even those people could use a little *joy*. Life is just so much more fun if you look on the bright side. If you can find little hacks, like these glasses, it makes it that much easier!
* All of the Zenni links in this post are my referral links which will get you $30 off your first pair and credit me $30 as well.
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