Be An Investigator Of Your Reality

Today, I woke up with blocked meibomian glands.

Meibomian glands are lipid glands along the rims of the eyelid inside the tarsal plate, which produce an oily substance to prevent the evaporation of tears. Mine are selectively operational. The fatty substance blocks the exit, creating small cysts, leaving my eyes red and dry.

This is the first recurrence in several months, so I’m taking it as an opportunity to put on my thinking cap and investigate, rather than fret. What have I done differently lately? Is this accompanied by any other subtle autoimmune symptoms?

While I may not have access to a lab or large cohort of study participants, I can run my own one-man observational study. I can follow up with additional studies, implementing small changes and then analyze results. With enough experimentation, I may come to understand which factors are problematic for me.

I am curious by nature.

Developing chronic illness amplified that superpower.

Recovering from chronic illness allowed me to redirect that curiosity toward more meaningful endeavors.

Yet, my life is still brimming over with these mini-medical mysteries. As I question the cold feet, hair loss, and meibomian gland dysfunction, I find myself researching, hypothesizing, and analyzing. I find myself entrenched in the scientific method.

This wasn’t meant to be a science lesson.

Instead, it’s a reminder to be a constant observer of your life.

My awareness has sharpened, as overlooking a single symptom could leave me bedridden. But it is a skill that anyone can learn. Pay attention to sensations in your body, pay attention to the thoughts passing through your mind, and pay attention to how you feel in your interactions with others. These seemingly small things matter in the holistic story of your life.

Start with an observation and then launch into the scientific method. For example, you may suspect your lack of confidence stems from being bullied as a child. From there, research solutions that have worked for others and hypothesize what may work best for you. Perform your experiment approaching strangers or speaking publicly and then analyze the data. You survived, didn’t you? How did it feel? Perhaps not as bad as you anticipated? Try it again, and again.

The same principles apply to physical health, mental well-being, career, finances, relationships, and more! Keep observing, keep tweaking, and keep growing.