Focus and Clarity

I put my contact lenses in twice today. Yes - you read that correctly. I put my contacts in, got distracted and walked away. Then came back and proceeded to put another pair of lenses in my eyes. It took me far longer than it should have for me to realize why I wasn't seeing clearly. When I finally realized that I was wearing four contacts, I had that split-second moment where I thought, "Shouldn't my vision be crystal clear right now if I have double the power?!" Turns out that's not how lenses work! Here are two reflections from this moment:

1. Sometimes you can "double the power" and you're only making it worse.

   Do you ever have those days where you think, 'If I just do more, try harder, achieve better ... then life would be better?' Let's white knuckle our way through life with the double the power, force or motivation and that'll get us where we want to go! Here's the problem ... sometimes double the striving is actually just killing us. It's stealing joy along the way, and we're caught in the hamster wheel of 'more! more! more!' My regular contact lens power is the sweet spot - exactly what my eyes need to do their best seeing. Where is your 'thriving' sweet spot? Where you aren't white knuckling your way through life or killing yourself but instead are operating in your strengths, your wheelhouse, and doing your best work day to day? Find your sweet spot - and thrive!

   
   

2. Sometimes routine gets in the way of better things ...

   I'm a routine gal. I love consistency. Typically routine is really good. And, in this instance, my routine blinded me - literally. I always put my contacts in first thing after washing my face and before putting any moisturizer on. On this specific day, I washed my face, put my lenses in and got distracted before the moisturizer went on. So when I got back to the bathroom and remembered I didn't have moisturizer on, I also assumed I didn't have my contacts in ... thus the second pair that went in my eyes. The way we've always done something works until it doesn't. Are there rhythms and routines that might actually be hindering your ability to lead in abundance, step into what's next, or that keep you in a pattern that steals joy and hope? Your routines are not bad but it is a good habit to self-check those things every now and again to make sure they're serving the purpose originally intended. I don't plan to change my morning routine -- it achieves the purpose it was made for. But I will pay more attention!

Two takeaways for you today -- find your sweet spot (where your strengths and goals intersect and do your best right there!) and evaluate any routines that may or may not still be serving you. There's abundance for you today - don't be blinded by silly things!