WORRIED ABOUT WILDFIRES: Anxiety over natural disasters.
The subject of this article is finding peace during times of turmoil by turning our worries over instead of being overrun by them.
When should you worry? What are the real worries? In general, worry is only useful if there is something you can do about it. If there isn't, no matter how tragic or how much we empathize with those less fortunate, worry is not the answer. |
Once again The Serenity Prayer describes the basic guide to handling things we have no control over.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can and
the wisdom to know the difference.
Having the mental strength to set worry aside is a learned skill.
Being unworried does not mean that you don't care.
When is it good to worry and when should we dismiss it?
The following do's and don'ts have been written for the wildfire situation in California but the same reasoning can be used for any natural disaster particularly hurricanes.
Worry
We worry that the wildfires may come our way: Take all precautions: Have your bags packed. Fill the gas tank ahead of time. Withdraw cash from your bank. Plan your exit route.
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Don't Worry
Once you have done everything you can, put worry aside. It is pointless and actually detrimental to your health to worry about it.
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We worry about potential dry lightning storms or changes in winds: Be prepared to leave at a moment's notice.
We worry about our friend who may lose their home to the fires: Provide emotional and even financial support (if possible). Let them know you care and are there if they need help. We worry about the population vulnerable to difficult weather: Keep yourself healthy by taking precautions. Leave the rest to others.
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Turn your worries over to a power greater than yourself. We have no idea what the weather will deliver. There really is nothing we can do to change those conditions.
Once you have done whatever you can, place your worry on hold. It is hard to do, but put your generic worry on the shelf and instead take care of yourself.
Do not worry in general about those stuck in fiery and smokey conditions. All that worry accomplishes is makes you vulnerable to illness yourself. |
We worry about the possibility of more frequent disasters: Consider moving to a safer environment if you live in wildfire, hurricane or tornado country. Support renewable energy. Fund fire control and disaster assistance.
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We have no idea what will happen in the future. A number of years ago a large volcanic eruption lowered the temperature of the entire planet, a completely unexpected event.
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We worry about global warming: Vote for and support green energy initiatives.
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Changes in the climate take many years to present themselves. Nonspecific worry about them beyond what we can personally influence is invasive and creates an environment for poor health.
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How do you turn over worries? This is an acquired skill that takes practice and persistence. The worry that arises under these circumstances can get placed at bay but it often quickly returns. So this dismissal of needless worry usually has to happen over and over.
An important aspect of anxiety is that it causes the mind to have difficulty focusing. When you are worried it is really hard to think clearly. If you cannot concentrate on what you are doing make the task smaller and simpler. Maybe you don't have the mental focus to decide what to take with you if you are being evacuated. Make a list ahead of time during a time of calm. If you can't concentrate on your exercise regimen, do only one part of it, the most useful part. Use techniques that strengthen mental focus like structured meditation.
- Stay centered in the present. Think about what you can do today and tomorrow instead of worrying about potential future outcomes. Take one step at a time and do not indulge in future possibilities.
- Turn your worries over to a power greater than yourself.
- Placing worries to the side requires self discipline. The worry revisits. Keep placing it to the side.
- Let worry stream off your back as if it is rain. Let it be carried away just as water drains off the street.
- Mind centering methods help immensely. Worry is infectious. Habits like structured meditation and regular exercise disburse worries.
- Be concrete in your actions and your decision making process. Ascertain the facts and base your decisions on those facts instead of opinion or heightened feelings.
Turning your worries over to a power greater than yourself is a transformational act. Worry is really based upon the false notion that we can control our own lives. Life is uncontrollable and it is usually beyond our abilities to command the outcome of future events. Turning your troubles over to something greater than yourself is the answer. The name of that power varies: God, life force energy, the universe. The important part is to give up trying to control and instead trust that the positive forces in the universe will carry us through.
Inherent in this though is that there are many things that can be done to improve conditions and it is essential we take those precautions no matter the problem. This is in effect the Serenity Prayer using different wording.
Take sensible precautions.
- Eat a healthy diet and get proper exercise and sleep.
- Take steps to address anxiety and stop it in its tracks using deep breathing exercise and/or alternative techniques to reduce stress.
- This is a really important time to bring structure into your life. Structure gives us a sense of consistency and security. Lack of structure increases anxiety.
- Being empathetic is a wonderful quality but not if you are losing sleep over feeling sad for someone else and therefore making yourself more vulnerable to illness. Worry for worry's sake is an emotional sponge that takes up vital energy we need for other purposes, especially today.
- You have to be healthy to care for other people. If you're not healthy or if what you do makes you less healthy, then it isn't care. It is something else.
- None of us knows what is going to happen. Ultimately this is a time of coming to terms with our life and doing whatever it is that makes us happy.
One of the most important actions to take during times of intensity is to improve deep breathing. If you are being impacted by a wildfire, the associated smoke makes this difficult. Wearing a mask outdoors really helps breathing in these circumstances. And we are already wearing them because of the pandemic. Practice breathing exercises indoors or anywhere the air is clear. If that can't be found then practice other techniques for reducing anxiety. See "When Breathing is Difficult" to find out more.
You have probably noticed that the media will always report the worst that can happen. If there is a range of possibilities, they will create headlines based on the worst outcome instead of the best. If the end result is unknowable, reverse that and place your confidence in the best instead of the worst. This requires self disciple. The emotion of the moment will carry you away. Take a deep breath, resist and persist.
If you are worried about the direction of the country politically:
55.7% of those eligible to vote in the US did so in 2016.
107,000 votes in 3 states decided the outcome.
VOTE!
If you are feeling chronically anxious it is especially important to include balance exercise in your daily routine. Improving your balance will really help to control your anxiety. The Building Better Balance series of DVD classes are particularly good to practice in this regard. Taking these classes helps to focus your mind. You don't have to do it yourself. And the incredible additional benefit is that you no longer have falls, something far more likely if you are feeling severe anxiety.