Conquering Fears And Making It Through

We all have fears or phobias. My son is afraid of heights. My sister is afraid of being trapped. According to google, there are many who have a phobia of holes. And I’m no exception. I have fears and things that just plain freak me out. And I have spent most of my life letting these fears dictate my decisions in life. I have never gone on an upside-down roller coaster. The last time that I went to an ice-skating rink, I watched because I didn’t have the nerve to try it again. I almost cried at my one and only pedicure because the lady put toe separators between my toes.

And I avoided anything related to eyes. I’m absolutely terrified of an eye injury, can’t stand the word “eye-balls,” and

This is a bit of a bummer since I recently decided that I needed contacts. You see, I have worn glasses for several years and I kind of hate it. When I was in my 20’s, my then boyfriend called me “eagle eyes” and now I can’t see things across the room. It stinks.

I have thought about getting contacts before but never had the nerve to actually go for it. But what really got me inspired to conquer my fears was an upcoming trip to megacon. I knew that I wanted to do my make-up as well as I could and the idea of just putting glasses over it, seemed counter-productive.

Plus, I was cosplaying as the Joker and he doesn’t wear glasses!

So this meant that I had to get over my extreme phobia and also my insecurities over whether I would look ok without them.

I was determined. And let me tell you, sticking with this “project” has been the biggest achievement of my life.

But, it definitely didn’t go off without a hitch. 😁

Emily Goes To Get Contacts!

Step 1. Go to the eye doctor. Have a slightly awkward appointment with a slightly awkward doctor.

Step 2. Wait for trial contacts to come.

Step 3. Go to the eye doctor, swallowing fear and try to put the contacts in for an hour and a half.

Step 4. Leave without contacts.

Step 5. Go back and try again. Leave with contacts after a long hour of trying to get them in and out.

Step 6. Try to put them in at home. Get one in and immediately tear the other one. Spend hours trying to get other one out of my eye.

Step 7. Get replacement trial contact after several days and immediately discover that I have somehow lost the other one.

Step 8. Wait for another replacement trial contact.

Step 9. Get a replacement contact at a different location that has them in stock and find out your eye doctor is “no longer with the company.”

Step 10. Obsess about whether he correctly prescribed your glasses and contacts.

Step 11. Finally get both contacts in! And out!

When my husband got home that night, after I got them in and out on my own, I cried. I just couldn’t believe that I did it. Brian understood and just hugged me.

Step 12. Successfully get them in and out the next day!

Step 13. Don’t put them in again until your follow-up due to fear of tearing them and concern over whether you have the correct prescription for my eyes. Cross fingers that you get through the follow-up so that you can finally get your official prescription and start ordering them by the box so you can tear them all you like.

Step14. Go to follow-up. Attempt to put them in your eyes and tear one. Fight a complete emotional melt-down. Get immediate replacement because they actually have one in stock. (Fun fact! The new trial contact went in comparitvely easily so I’m guessing trials aren’t designed to withstand the “trying” I gave them.)

In the end, I got my prescription! I don’t feel completely confident that it’s the strength that I need (see Step 10!) but I have 30 days to go back if they don’t seem right.

I went on my trip and wore contacts all weekend. I got a little faster each morning when I put them in. And by fast, it took me only 20 minutes instead of 30, etc. I also got really good at taking them out so that’s awesome.

How It’s Going Now!

And I haven’t worn them since. hahaha.

But, the fact that I conquered this huge fear and succeeded is…EVERYTHING.

And it has led to me take on other somewhat ridiculous fears like getting a pedicure.

I’m being a little (LITTLE) more adventurous with food and I just feel all around more confident. I’m not sure that I’m ready to go bungee jumping but I really do feel like I can take on the world, in a way that I never have before. (As long as that world doesn’t involve me falling upside down.)

It really is amazing what a little thing like a contact can do for you. I guess it really has made me see more clearly after all…

So my message to you is this. If there is something that you want to do but fear is holding you back. Just remember that there is a quirky girl in Florida who spent hours sticking fingers in her eye and survived to tell the story!