Welcome Yorkie. Great post.
I was in the exact same position (20 years ago) that you are in now.
I hate to think what my life would have been like if I'd not decided to wear.
Within reason, it gave me my life back.
Its an old cliche' but true none-the-less, its the things we don't do that we tend to regret the most.
At least these days its not the huge financial investment it used to be and as wearers we can be more in control of whats going on our heads.
Those heavy scratchy monofilament bases are a thing of the past and the lighter laces are nothing short of a miracle.
It WILL take some getting used to, but hopefully for you, the mental & visual improvement will encourage you to persevere.
Good luck and keep us posted.