For those of you that do not live in FL, or along the east coast, you may not be able to relate to what it feels like to hurricane prep. Having lived in FL now for over half of my life, I can say that I feel like a Floridian. Floridians take hurricanes seriously; however, we don't panic. We've been through this enough to know that watching the news/weather channel incessantly, doesn't change the outcome of the storm, and certainly does not calm your nerves. I can't tell you how many storms I have watched anxiously approach via TV, social media, etc. only to watch the storm completely change course leaving us without even a drop of rain.
That's not to say that it is not important to watch the forecast, and make preparations. But running out to Walmart (TERRIBLE IDEA! Complete battle zone! Stay way! Stay far away!) before an approaching storm to get dozens of unnecessary water bottles, when we have countless vessels in our home to hold filtered water in the case of an emergency, feels ecologically irresponsible. Also, posting memes about how we are stocking up on liquor, instead of supplies, is also probably not very helpful (although occasionally funny!). Don't get me wrong- I'm not judging anyone. We should all do what we need to do to feel safe. I know for me, it helps me to talk with others who are calmly prepping and have ideas to share on how to utilize what they already have.
So for this storm in particular, I'm doing my best to be a true Floridian and remain calm. I'm only checking the forecast a couple times a day, and I'm choosing to utilize ALLLLLLL of the food we already have stocked up in our pantry that needs to be eaten anyway. We will definitely fill up coolers of water, if needed. The food in our fridge and freezer might actually be eaten! What a relief.
But there is more to be said about the fear that is spread right before a storm is about to hit. It is hard not to get caught up in the fury of the herd mentality. The media and forecasters don't always help the already scary situation. We have this innate need/desire to follow what our neighbors are doing! We see everyone at the grocery stores and images of empty shelves and wonder if we have prepped enough. Do we have everything that we need? Our minds can start swirling as fast as that approaching hurricane...
And such is life, right? We are constantly faced with "storms." The unexpected problems and inconveniences that pop-up when we least expect it. Things didn't go the way we planned, and we feel caught off guard and slighted. Lord knows, that is how I felt when I was diagnosed with cancer. I spent weeks in disbelief and horror. How could this be happening? It didn't feel real. The irony is that when I slowed down and surrendered to the diagnosis, and focused on the the things I could control, I felt an overwhelming peace. That's not to say I didn't struggle with acceptance through the entire year long treatment process, but it is so true that our resistance to "what is" tends to be the thing that causes us the most pain. Finding peace in the storm means: going with the flow, not trying to change the storm, watching and observing the storm with a calm presence, and ultimately deciding what you do have control over that might help you weather the storm.
How can we contribute on a personal level to reducing global anxiousness and fear? I believe our individual energy, kindness, and individual mindfulness has an impact globally, even if it may be small.
These words and thoughts are hardly novel and new, but I hope they bring you some "peace" in whatever storm you may be facing...
Namaste.
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