Don’t freak out
The wind is blowing again. And my oldest daughter is freaking out in tears. The two-year-old is going around saying “Trees are falling, trees are falling”.
This is what a light windstorm looks like around our house since October. Since the tree fell on our truck and crushed it. Trauma sticks in their minds.
It won’t matter what I say. The damage is done. And now any little insignificant breeze causes panic.
The problem is panic means you are not thinking clearly. When crap truly does hit the fan, panic means something gets left behind. And that something could be life or death.
It’s important to prepare ahead of time. To make checklists. To have a plan. Because then at least if someone is freaking out, the plan can still guide them to safety.
A plan provides stability in unstable situations.
Our county is running a wildfire practice exercise. We are in four days so far, and today our area went to get ready. While I can calmly process that this is just a drill, a practice, it still sends a small chill down my spine. Would I be ready if this was real?
I know some people around me would not. They would be the ones I would stuff in the car, secure and out of the way. Panic is the only operating mode they can run when crap hits the fan.
There are areas in our country and around the world that went through a mess this week alone. Whole countries without power for hours or days. Panic sets in fast. Stores are emptied in hours.
You can’t fix panic. But if you avoid freaking out, you have a much higher chance of survival. If you prepare, you can avoid putting yourself in harms way to get something you are missing now. Avoid the panic in the stores.
Last week was all about testing your preps. This week it’s all about planning to avoid panic.
It’s not if it will happen. It’s when. Maybe it won’t be catastrophic. But I know I will feel better with a plan. Not just where to go, but how to handle people in and around us. Knowing how they will handle the mess and being prepared to handle their mess with love and kindness.
Because that’s how we will all make it through alive.