What My Scary Surgery Taught Me About Life

On January 1, 2023, I underwent eye vision surgery. This life-changing upgrade has me wondering—why do we wait to give ourselves the good things in life?

I know vision surgery may not sound like a big deal to some, but for me, it was a HUGE leap of faith outside of my comfort zone.

Without glasses or contacts, I have been legally blind for as long as I can remember. I identified as the “four eyes” kid with one-inch glasses and the adult who could not see until putting my “eyes back on” in the morning.

Eye doctors repeatedly told me my eyesight was too poor for LASIK. I resigned myself to a lifetime of bad vision… until I met Dr. Oday Jumah, a renowned eye surgeon in Amman, Jordan who is also my partner’s cousin.

Dr. Oday specializes in cataract eye surgery with Multifocal Intraocular Lenses (IOLs), which I qualified for due to my poor vision.

Before the surgery, I almost backed out (multiple times!) because of fear that something could go wrong. And perhaps a part of me felt hesitant to accept this life upgrade. I had gotten so used to being blind in the mornings and nights—why change now?

There’s a hashtag #usethegoodsoap, which essentially means not to wait for the good things in life. What if in 2023 we all choose not to wait to #eatthegoodchocolate, #drinkthegoodliquor, #useyourchina?

I decided to gift myself with good vision, and I’m so glad I did! I can see better than 20/20 now, and I’m forever grateful to Oday for helping me with this major life upgrade.

When my partner and I went to the Mediterranean Sea so I could completely heal without any stressors, we woke up in the morning to this breathtaking view in Limassol, Cyprus.

It was the first time I could see and receive a gorgeous view in the morning.

This made me think. Why did I doubt giving myself this “life upgrade”? Why was willing to accept this handicap when there were solutions and resources around me, making life so much easier and more enjoyable?

Are you accepting something less than what you deserve in life? Consider a life upgrade! It can be big or small, and it’s something that you gift yourself to elevate and savor daily life.

Here are 10 recent upgrades I’ve made in the past year to improve daily life. I hope this will inspire your own list of life upgrades, too!

10 Life Upgrades You’ll Love Every Single Day

1. A “cloud” bed. During one of our travels, I found the most comfortable bed in a hotel, and when I asked the hotel manager what the secret was, he said it was a “cloud” mattress pillowtop. Now my bed is my favorite place to hang out at home because it is so soft and heavenly! (Accompany it with these sheets, and you may never want to get out of bed.)

2. A good backpack. When I traveled with my Burberry backpack, it looked stylish but I had such a hard time with the unsupportive straps. I decided to get the backpack Amazon raves about. It has a compartment for everything, feels so supportive on my back, and I get loads of compliments on it.

3. An inspiration planner. I like to call it “organizing my gorgeous chaos”, and I depend on my Savor Beauty planner to plan everything from self-care time to work meetings. Without it, I’d be lost. Commit to planning out your days with whatever method best suits your style. You will feel like you are flying first-class with this major life upgrade!

4. Colorful matches. Anything with bright colors makes life a bit more festive and fun. It’s so pretty that I keep it on my desk, and it reminds me to light up candles at night, which gives an atmospheric dreamy vibe.

5. New intentions. Yes, I have goals, but as I have gained “wisdom years,” I prefer to create intentions. For example, while I am very plugged into the financial health of my company, I prefer to intend for abundance, ease of sales, and helping customers to glow. It gives me a greater sense of purpose.

6. An egg cooker. This one may seem random, but if you like hard-boiled eggs, you must treat yourself to this little life upgrade. It takes the fuss out of making the perfect soft, medium, or hard yolk. And you can run your eggs under cold water for about 30 seconds for that smooth outer texture.

7. Organized cabinets. Does a messy cabinet zap your energy, too? I feel like my pantries and cabinets represent the clutter in my mind, so I apply a minimalist approach. My rule of thumb is to only keep what you’ve used in the past year (unless it’s of sentimental value.) When I open my pantry, I swear I can hear an opera lady sing—that’s how glorious this life upgrade is!

8. A certification. Do you want to learn a new skill? Why not get certified while you’re at it? It appeals to a goal-oriented type of person, and I love the notion of learning a new skill while working toward something bigger.
Example: I have been wanting to commit to a more consistent Kundalini yoga practice, so I decided to get certified to teach it as a way to stay committed and get that certificate of completion. #sosatisfying

9. Facial massage. From brow furrows to tight jaws, did you know the face has 50 muscles? To fully relax, I like to do a facial massage with two pumps of the Savor Beauty Pumpkin Serum and two sprays of the Toning Mist. Then I give my face a little massage with an Amethyst quartz roller, which is like an instant relaxation mask. It also elevates my mood, putting me in the right mental state. #peaceandbeauty

10. Good vibes people. I took a note from Mercedes’ motto, “The best or nothing” and have applied it to the quality of my relationships. There’s no room for gossiping, negative interactions, and non-reciprocity.

I hope to have inspired your own life upgrades, from the little things like eggs to the big things like eyes.

Don’t wait a lifetime as I did with my eyesight. You deserve the life upgrade.