Brainstorming with Perspective

The Old Farmer's Almanac, and a lot of other weather sources, are predicting a BIG winter. At least for most Northern areas in the U.S. Lots of snow. Every time we have an extra big snow here, the stores run out of snow shovels. A little thinking and planning ahead can make life much less stressful and more enjoyable. Preparedness really is peace of mind.

Today can be a brainstorming day. Start with just 10 minutes. Sit down with paper and pencil, ask yourself "What might I need to be prepared for?" and let the thoughts just flow. Write down whatever comes to you. Here are some ideas:

• Weather - Do you have to worry about heat waves, snow, flooding, tornadoes?
• Income - What big financial needs could come up that you aren't prepared for, like medical emergencies, vehicle repairs, home repairs or maintenance, college for kids, elderly parents... How long would your resources hold out if you lost your job?
• Food - If there were a shortage, or you were out of money for a period of time, what would you need to get by? If a big pandemic ever does come and you had to self-quarantine, what should you be stocked up on?
• Shelter and Fuel - If the power were out for an extended time, could you stay warm? Would you be left in the dark? Could you prepare food?

Just choose one topic for today and explore it a little. What tools might you need? What can you prepare while the weather is accommodating? Keep it simple. I used to sit down and write exhaustive lists of every detail of possibilities, look at it, and want to collapse. I've learned that if I can only do what I can do, then I may as well just do that, and be joyful that I can do it! One tiny preparation is better than no preparation at all. So just start there. Look at one small thing and feel the peace it brings to have that small thing taken care of, rather than the stress of a huge picture that you can't tackle all at once. It's really all about perspective, isn't it!