Editor's Note

You Might Call It a Toxic Trait but I Prefer to Think of It as Chaotic Good

Lean into the chaos, because often the more there is to do, the more I seem to get done.

Published

9 months ago

March 13, 2023

Deirdre Carroll Invision March 2023 Issue

I RECENTLY SAW A viral meme that said “I used to think adulthood was one crisis after another. I was wrong. Multiple crises. Concurrently. All at once.

All the time. Forever.” And I swear I never felt anything more.

We’re only three months into the new year and it feels like I’ve been drinking from a fire hose for two and a half of them. And I don’t see that changing anytime soon … summer at the absolute earliest … but then that’s just a temporary reprieve until the end of August. Thing is, I am often at my most creative when overwhelmed. You can call it my toxic trait but I prefer to think of it as chaotic good. The more I have to do, the more I seem to get done.

I would love to be one of those people that proactively works to get ahead on projects but for some reason my best results happen when I’m running out of time (much to the ire of my design team who are waiting on me to finish this last page so we can send this issue to the printer.) Don’t be like me. Use our Vision Expo East Buying Guide (page 52) to come up with a plan of attack for the show (or to reach out to new brands you’re interested in if not attending). And if your business’s green practices understandably fell off during COVID’s time of harsh disinfectants, single use PPE, and cycling through disposable pens, it’s time to re-double your effort to help save the planet and we have a checklist of easy things you can implement today (Special Feature, page 62).

Life happens. Crises happen. Chaos happens. I hope you’re one of those steady, methodical people who keeps bandwidth open for when it does. But if you’re like me and handle things by leaning into the chaos to create good than you’re my people and I’ll see you in the eye of the storm.

Best wishes for your business,

Power Yogaing My Way to Metamorphosis

Five Smart Tips From This Issue

It has never been cooler to operate a small business. What are you planning for National Small Business Week? (Calendar, page 26)
We’ve got some night lenses sure to offer your patients overnight success. (Better Vision, page 42)
Wine, appies and shopping? Sounds like an awesome Ladies’ Night to us! (Best of the Best, page 68)
How to write an email newsletter your customers will actually read. (Columns, page 74)
A third-generation optician shows us how she keeps it fresh and fashion forward. (Sanity Files, page 90)

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