Happy New Year - Setting Intentions

Happy new year so glad to have you with me as we journey through the year.  As an eye doctor, I am thrilled to be in the year 2020.  Maybe have not heard this before, but many of the doctors considered dry eye disease to be a vision disorder.  One of the hallmark signs of dry eyes is fluctuating or blurred vision.  To me, this year of 2020, is a great year to spread the word on alleviating dry eye symptoms and causes from your life.

 

This past weekend, I was on a retreat with one of my closest to gal pals and dry eye expert, Dr. Jennifer Planitz.  We spent the weekend talking about our goals for this epic year.  It prompted me to decide to share with you some of the ways I set intentions for both my day and my year.  I am hoping you will set one intention to care for your eyes in 2020.

 

 

There are a few rituals I like to review each January to set intentions for the new year.  I have a look back at the past year.  If you want to check out the review of this website, take a look at this blog.   I like to determine what needs to change and what needs to be amplified in the year to come.

 

 

One of the first things I like to do in the new year is to review my favorite book.  The book that has had the biggest impact on my life is The Success Principles by Jack Canfield.  I highly recommend you read it if you have not already.  This year marks at least my fourth read of this book.  If you only read one book this year, this is the one to read.

 

 

The next thing I like to do is re-commit to my morning routine.  Many of you have a morning routine or a way you like to begin your day.  Maybe you don't actually label it as a routine, but it is the way you like to get your day started. 

 

As a working mother, I have found that having a morning routine is instrumental in getting through the day with a happy disposition.  The morning hours, before the kids are awake is my time.  I am able to set my intentions for the day in a time of calm.  If I don't take this time, the day can get away from me too easily. 

 

I developed my morning routine based on Hal Elrod’s book The Miracle Morning.  This book is a great short read, and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking to have more meaning in their daily life.

 

SAVERS

 

Hal Elrod introduces a morning routine which consists of 6 steps, which he calls the SAVERS:

S - Silence

A - Affirmations

V - Visualization

E - Exercise

R - Reading

S - Scribing

 

Although I don't get to all 6 parts of this routine on the daily, I try to hit a few of them each morning.  A couple of the parts of the morning ritual which won’t change for me.  Scribing is a time to journal or keep a gratitude list.  It is easy to get discouraged in life, so I like to write down 3 to 5 things that I am grateful for at the beginning of each day.

 

The second thing that may be modified in my morning ritual is the quiet time. This is a time to meditate or reflect.  Calm is a guided meditation app that provides 10 to 15-minute sessions with music. I highly recommend the Calm app.  Recently, I was introduced to the Tapping Solution app. Which I am also enjoying.

 

Finally, the way I exercise may change a bit this year. My favorite way to exercise is to be outside running.  However, sometimes due to weather or time constraints running outside isn’t always possible.   I'm looking into two new methods to get my body moving this year.  

 

The first is an app called Down Dog is a yoga app I’m going to try it out for some strengthening and stretching exercises.  I am also hoping to try out the Peloton bike. I was able to use the bike and the program while staying at a hotel recently.  I absolutely fell in love with the system.

 

What are the best ways to care for your eyes in 2020? 

1) Have an eye exam.  Make this a priority every year.  And, make sure you are dilated or at least have an Optomap retinal image taken.  

2) Develop good habits with your contact lenses in throwing them out on top and properly cleaning them.  For a refresher, refer back to this blog on contact lenses.

3) Properly remove your makeup every night.  For the best habits of using eye makeup that is free of irritants and toxic ingredients, check out the CLEAN Makeup Manual course here.

4) Sleep 7 - 9 hours a night.  During sleep, our bodies rejuvenate and heal from the day before.  Getting enough sleep is imperative to having a healthy body.  If you have trouble sleeping, check out the sleep tips in Chapter 4 of Alleviate Dry Eye.

 

In the weeks ahead, I will go over the best morning and evening routine for you to care for your eyes and alleviate your dry eye symptoms.  I hope your 2020 is the best year yet!  I invite you to share with me one of your goals for 2020 in the comments below.