In September, 2022, my daughter Rachel started law school at Dalhousie University in Halifax. During the orientation, she was at a presentation where the speaker said “If we get a hurricane…” Rachel laughed out loud and then looked around to see everyone else nodding and paying attention. Oh, they weren’t kidding! This wasn’t in the school’s brochure advertising the program!!!
Later that month they did have a hurricane and lost power for several days. Rachel was to learn that Halifax frequently experiences major storms and the residents prepare themselves appropriately. Her landlord had a barbeque that could boil water on a gas burner during a power outage. People shop in anticipation of storms, as those that wait until it hits will usually find the store shelves empty when they try and get supplies. An east coast potato chip company capitalizes on this phenomenon, selling “Storm Chips”, that are a must have to indulge in while hunkering down to wait out the current storm.
Why do I bring this up during our “In Good Health” article as a wellness topic? We will all go through various kinds of storms in our lives. Health and life challenges will impact us or our loved ones that we support. If we wait until the storm hits, it can be very difficult to start to develop strategies to manage the storm. Last week I was invited to speak for a church group on zoom on the subject of my book, “Living Through the Storms of Life”. There were more than 90 people that logged on to learn more about storm preparation. It’s an important topic.
Today, August 1st, we are at the “half way point” of the summer. I hope you have gotten some good time relaxing and taking it easy, or if you haven’t yet, that you make some time to do that this month. I also hope you can take some time to do a little “storm prep”, as the best time to prepare for a storm is during good weather!
Four things you can do to prepare for a future storm are:
Educate yourself. Knowledge is power, they say. (whoever “they” are). The more you know about a storm, the more you can prepare for it. This applies to physical or mental health challenges you might face. Perhaps there is a family history of a condition or you have had a problem in the past and know it may recur. Reading a book or researching online can help understand the condition and plan strategies to manage it. This is much easier to do when you are not mid-crisis! I would give the warning to avoid researching a condition (whether it is something that is in the family history or even something you have already experienced) and expecting all of the same symptoms and challenges. It is good to learn about it, but know that your ability to interact with that situation may be very different than someone else.
Develop Tools and Habits. Nosce te Ipsum. Know thyself. As you understand yourself and your potential storms, you may develop routines that will improve your ability to weather particular storms. Structure with regular exercise and good sleep hygiene help you maintain your health during turbulent times. Examine yourself and think about what habits you could develop to cope more effectively with a future storm.
Cultivate a “Storm Buddy”. It is easier to go through a storm with a friend, but building a new friendship is incredibly challenging when you are dealing with heavy life situations. Take time during quiet waters to evaluate your relationships and note who you think you could call if the waters started to rise in a flood. Some good friends don’t have the bandwidth to support you in a crisis because of what is going on in their own lives. It is nothing personal. Think about who your “storm buddy” could be and have fun together during normal times. Invest in a friendship that will be a support during turbulent times.
Stock Up. Like the Halifax residents, stock up on supplies that will equip you for a storm. If you identify that a craft helps you manage stress- invest in wool or paint or appropriate craft supplies. If you don’t eat well in crisis, make some healthy meals in advance and freeze them for a future date that you won’t feel up to cooking, or buy some frozen healthy meals.
We are wired to feel that the state we are in is the way things will always be. That is why, when you are low, you tend to think you will always be that way. When things are good, you may fear that you will jinx it by preparing for a future storm. This couldn’t be further from the truth! It is better to have a plan in place and not have to use it than to scramble for one if a storm hits you unprepared. Take time this summer for some storm prep, you will be grateful you did – perhaps you can watch it through the window as you munch on some delicious storm chips?
#LivingThroughtheStormsofLife.
If you would like to know more about storms preparation, check out my book! You can order it on Amazon by clicking here or pick up a copy in the office for $20. It is also available on Kindle. If you are part of a group that brings in outside speakers on health related topics- on zoom or in-person – let me know!