Pre active versus inactive

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That is why I believe in being pre active,being prepared to take action before a situation occurs. Much like taking a test,you know there are certain things you need to do to be well prepared. By being pre active,you anticipate a situation before it arises. Though I wasn't expecting the battery of my new car to be dead, I did not have road service membership,jumper cables in the trunk,and a charged cellular phone handy. By being prepared,I was able to handle the situation with a minimum of stress.

Many of life's catastrophic challenges are definitely beyound our control-tornadoes, earthquakes hurricanes,the death of a loved one, unexpected Illness,an unfaithful spouse,and random acts of violence,for example. Though many major hazards are beyond our ability to control,they are definitely a part of the human experience, particularly natural disasters. They are inescapable regardless of where you live.

It's been ten years since the Loma Prieta earthquake in San Francisco,and I have a friend who still has a clear image of what happened that day. She told me that she was in the middle of hosting a reception for prospective students at the college where she worked when the earthquake struck. It was fiften seconds of terror. When it was over,sixty seven people were dead,more than three thousand injured,a major freeway had collapsed,more than a hundred roads were closed,the San Francisco Bay Bridge was broken and eight thousand of more people became homeless that evening.

I'd been in earthquakes before,but this one was different. I knew the drills. I have heard them all in my life: stand in a doorway. Get h der a desk. Have an escale route keep an earthquake kit-flashlight, batteries,portable radio,food rations,bottled drinking water. Basically,Jade,I was being what you'd call pre active. I'd practiced drills in school even while at home. On that day, I knew a doorway wouldn't do. With all the talk of the next 'big one' I still wasn't prepared.

Unlike a tornado or hurricane,with an earthquake there is no advance warning or machanism for determining when the hazards is going to occur. Many of life's hazards are the same disastrous, unpredictable and beyond your control.

Fear for my life was the motivating factor here. By the time I got everyone out of the building and made it back to the office,the campus seem deserted. I got in my car and reluctantly headed home. I didn't know what to expect. When I arrived,I found my neighbours standing outside afraid to go in. A gas line had ruptured,and they were waiting for emergency crews to arrive. I went inside to take a quick look at the damage,gather a few belongings,call my parents and a friend to come get me. I was afraid to be alone. While I did not smell gas,I heard the groans if yhe building as it shifted. For the next few days,we experienced hundreds of aftershocks.

Whether you go through an earthquake, divorce,or any major catastrophe,you can expect aftershocks. An aftershock is a continued disruption or a major inconvenience that occurs after the initial hazard appears to be over. After an earthquake there is the rebuilding,the insurance to deal with,major detours,smd traffic delays. After a divorce, there is yh distribution of financial assets,custody issues,and emotional challenges.

My home had always been a place where I felt safe, but hazards have a way of making familiar and trusted places seem unstable and unaccommodating. I stayed with friends for two nights. At the end of the week,I returned to work, even though there wasn't much to do since our offices were being relocated across campus. Just being among my colleagues and the students were comforting. On my way home from work,I stopped by a store to replenish my earthquake kit- batteries for my flash light and radios,bottled water,supplies for my first aid kit. I withdrew emergency money from the ATM snr invested in a cell phone. I decided to be wd prepared as possible for the next one.

Catastrophic life hazards have a way of throwing you completely of balance. When devastation hits and you feel as if your life is no longer yours to control,it is important to re establish a routine. This could be something as basic as getting up at the same time each day and having a set time to meditate or pray or eat. The shock may linger,the memory certainly does not go away,but you can adapt and eventually recover. How will you recover from life's earthquake and hurricanes determines your ability to handle the next after shock or storm.

Let us look at what my friend did to take control of the disastrous situation:

1 Used fear as a motivator and took action

2 Supported other people in crisis solution

3 Shared her comcern with others

4 Monitored her inner dialogue

5 Became pre active by planning for the next hazard

6 Sought support from others

7 Maintained a routine that helped keep her attitude in action.

Thanks for reading!