Was Blind But Now I See

Improve your visual acuity by taking a sabbatical

Since starting my sabbatical in September 2023, I started noticing worsening left eye pain and headaches.  I had suspected that my previous vision prescription from March 2023 may have been too strong for me, but, as I noticed the pain become more frequent, I decided to make an optometry appointment.  Being on sabbatical, I don’t have eye insurance. I looked into cash pay rates and was pleased to find that the Walmart across the street had both the highest-rated optometrist and the cheapest eye exam. #frugalwin

As things all things Walmart, I was able to quickly make an appointment for two days out and get seen.  The optometrist checked my vision and confirmed that my prescription was too strong for me.  Surprisingly, my current vision was also better than my prescription from two years ago. 

Photo by Lensabl on Unsplash

I used the optometrist mirror to place the new lower prescription contacts into my eyes for my fitting.  My eyes felt immediate relief.  As I gazed at my now comfortable eyes in the reflection, I asked the optometrist if it is possible for vision to improve. 

She remarked that this was certainly possible especially for people like me who have a lifestyle change that decreases their screen time.  I remember that Brad Barrett, co-host of the ChooseFI podcast, had mentioned that his vision had improved after reaching financial independence.  I was impressed by this, but I was surprised that this happened to me so quickly after starting my sabbatical. 

Relative to the number of things going on within our bodies, the things we can measure are a small fraction.  Seeing myself in that optometry mirror, I knew it was more than just my vision that had improved.  My arms and legs appeared more svelt. I had less central abdominal fatty tissue. My hair was full and thick.  I know there are innumerable improvements that I cannot see or measure. 

In that moment, I felt extreme gratitude to myself for listening to my intuition and taking a sabbatical.  Most of the time, we are the exact person who knows what’s best for us, but so often we defer to other people’s recommendations or societal norms to guide our behavior. 

The card I drew this week at Tarot Tuesday

Previously, I followed too many masters.  I didn’t trust myself to be the one to best make decisions for myself.   I’m not a people pleaser per se.  I’m not that nice, but I do sometimes subconsciously submit to other people’s notions of a normal life.  I shouldn’t look at others who have lives I don’t want for advice on what direction to take my own life. Seeing my vision improve, emphasized that I am the one who knows what’s best for me.   It’s an affirmation that my inner compass points north.