Over the past few weeks several hurricanes have been heading for different parts of the US. As part of that process, the public was informed in order to plan ahead. That planning may have included anything from evacuating, stocking up on supplies, sand bagging their spaces, safe guarding loved ones, or any combination of those things.
It is interesting to see how different people prepare for storms. Some people are methodical and cautious, others are sporadic and unaffected. Some people need to talk about the planning, think about the planning, then execute on the plan. Others slowly prepare or prepare very little and are willing to ride it out. Everything from electronic devices getting charges to buying extra food items gets done by some or none. Some people make elaborate lists, others write a few things down but go with the flow or what they can think to remember to do.
I noticed that those who had been through a storm before had a variety of reactions. Some greatly prepared because of what they had experienced before. Others took little notice figuring that they can’t control what is going to happen anyway, so why panic? The in between group prepared a little – food, water, charged items – then settled in for whatever inconvenience might come their way. The way people reacted also depended upon who they were responsible for. When children were involved, activities, sleeping set ups, food, water, and school were all ‘handled’ as best as possible. If parents or a more mature audience would possibly be impacted, things like medications, food, water, lighting, and something to do might be considered as well.
Some people panic, others take it all in stride. Some people knew very little about what might happen and others had updates from the internet on a frequent basis. Again, it depended upon what they had experienced in the past and how prepared they wanted to be for this storm.
How do you prepare for a storm? A storm could be a life change, an organizational change, a career change, or family cycle of life events. When you know the storm is coming, do you need to think, need to plan, need to make a list, or have you been through so many changes that you simply take it all in stride? Does the impending storm keep you up at might, do you have stress dreams? Or does the change excite you, get your juices flowing and actually spur you on to new thoughts and ideas? It can all depend upon how you fared in the last storm life brought your way? Experience is a great teacher…especially if it is someone else’s experience.
Knowing how you react to impending storms is important. Those around you may not react the same way. Some may need more reassurance than others, some may have no clue how to prepare, and others have been through so many of these things that they do not prepare at all. Panic is contagious. Calm is contagious. Knowing how you react to storms and how that will impact those around you can change the course of the event drastically. Preparation may work for you, maybe it doesn’t work for someone else. Your way of handling the impending storm may be completely opposite of how someone else deals with it.
When dealing with an upcoming storm – whatever it is – know yourself and know how your reaction will impact others. Because guess what, a storm is coming. You are either headed towards one, in the middle of one, or just getting out of one. And there will always be another storm on the horizon…so how do you prepare?
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