The present is the key to the past and the path to the future, so we all need to be prepared for future natural disasters.
Focus on how you want to react to stressful moments in the future. Many of us have experienced the fear of a natural disaster happening close to home. In the first few minutes of realizing a disaster is happening, Do you feel prepared to execute the plan you’ve developed? Many people are not ready and have no plan. If you are ready, here’s what your plan should be::
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Ensuring safety and health of your housemates and pets
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If your home or property is at risk, turn off the gas/electricity/water
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Carry bag (pre-packed), keys, and 5-10 important items (pre-planned)
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Evacuate if there is imminent danger
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Check for the latest disaster information: Thank You for the Earth Emergency Resources Page
If you’re not in immediate danger and have the time to think about your next steps, take a few deep breaths and know that by completing the steps above, you’ve done all you can to protect yourself and your family. During a natural disaster and elevated stress levels, your body prepares to respond to a dangerous situation even as your mind slows down. Muscles that speed movement tense, breathing rate changes, blood pressure rises, and fight-or-flight instincts kick in.
So once the immediate danger has passed, take a few minutes of deep, slow abdominal breathing and stretching to calm your body. This is how I reduce anxiety during wildfires, pandemics, and other natural disasters. You get anxious because you are not prepared, and being prepared reduces anxiety. Anxiety is a natural response to stress, the fear and anxiety you feel because your environment is unsafe. Danger is real, and the only thing you can do is prepare to keep yourself as safe as possible. But you can’t be prepared at the moment of the emergency, because the definition of the word prepared is “to be prepared in advance.”
When you train your endurance, strength, and flexibility, your body responds faster, more gently, and recovers more easily. Exercise (from the Latin “exercise”) is all about feeling good every day and making sure your body is ready to support you when stressful situations arise.
Can you reduce stress about the future now and have the peace of mind that you already know what to do in many less-than-ideal situations? How many of you have witnessed the natural disasters that have occurred over the past few months and thought, “I should have packed a bag, made a list, or made a plan”? Everyone who has faced a disaster and didn’t have a plan has wished they had made one beforehand.
So what do you need to do to prepare? Prepare a survival bag, make a list of what to do and take with you if you have to evacuate, exercise regularly, Emergency Resources Mention when things go wrong.
