I have to be honest - it's hard to write a blog post or do a podcast with Hurricane Ian looming in front of us and not knowing if our house will be obliterated in its path.
As I'm sitting here writing this post, another band of the storms due to the hurricane is moving through. I'm grateful we're in a solid spot of land that has so far been safe from flooding and the storms.
It's been a wild week, with a lot of twists and turns. So instead of just covering a topic on parenting, we're sharing with you the reality of our life this week, and the crazy stories of the past few days.
Prepping for a Hurricane
It's funny how people you haven't talked to in ages start reaching out when something like this hits - so I've been touching base with family and friends from all through our lives updating them on how things are for us. Here are a few of the latest posts we did to share:
I'm grateful for the parks and their hard work to keep everyone safe during this time, and how everyone bands together to help each other out.
Wait to Worry
The bottom line with the whole podcast was how we make decisions and assess a situation when we don't have all the answers. There are so many variables. We can't control the weather. And Hurricane Ian has been wildly unpredictable with where the brunt of the the damage is going to be!
So what do we do? We look at these three areas -
- What is in our control? How can we be proactive to prepare ourselves for what may be coming?
- What is NOT in our control? How much time do we really want to spend speculating on something that is outside of our control?
- What does our gut say? Are we moving so fast we haven't really sat with our decisions?
Don't be afraid to gut-check yourself and change course. Listen to the podcast - we have shifted our plans a ton of times. We were literally packed up and on our way to Venice to our house and we decided to turn back around and stay put.
Your Challenge:
Are you over-complicating things in an attempt to manage what isn't in your control?
Are you adding more stress and it's not really necessary?
Are you barrelling forward with a plan even as circumstances may change and it's not the best option anymore?
Pay attention to how you handle when things go awry in your life. What is your focus. Are you ready to "wait to worry" and use your time and energy for something better and more productive?
Look at what is truly in your control, and be responsible and proactive. Let go of what isn't, and know worrying and speculation isn't making anything easier.
We don't know what our whole future will look like. But I know how I can approach what comes my way, and I know Nathan and I are prepared to face it together. I'm grateful for what IS in my control, and how I choose to face whatever comes my way.
Sometimes you need to mourn what you wanted in order to face the reality of what is. We're facing a hurricane. It clearly wasn't on our wish list to have this under our belt of experiences. Yet it is what it is, and whatever will be, will be. We're ready to move forward and look at what it makes possible for us - in our learning, growth, and what we may create from here.
Are you navigating hurricanes in your life? Look at what you can simplify, and don't forget the journey and relationships along the way.