Many of you aren’t old enough to remember a time when there was no internet, grocery stores, or online shopping. Since I was born early enough to remember the time before technology when we still lived happy, fulfilling lives, I thought today is a good time to give you practical tips for living through uncertain times.
Choose Your Way of Life
The first thing I’m going to talk about is making choices, since I personally was reminded that I have choices here and now. I can’t tell you what kind of country you want to live in – although I feel sure that everyone can see that in the United States at least we are being offered two opposing ways of life. But, I can tell you that you can choose. Once you do, focus on that way of life completely. Forget about what the opposing side is doing or saying. That is not the world you want to continue to recreate.
Ask Empowering Questions
My personal experience is that “why” questions especially are depressing and, therefore, disempowering. The Universe also doesn’t hear them. LOL So, if you need help in any situation, ask an “empowering” question. Empowering questions start with the phrases:
How Can I…?
What Would It Take for…?
If you don’t understand what is going on, ask, “How can I understand this circumstance?” If you are confused about what to do in a particular situation, then ask, “What would it take for me to be certain of a desired outcome in this?”
I’ve written quite a bit about empowering questions. So, that’s a good search topic to find other posts.
Remember, Jesus said, “Ask, and you shall receive.” NOT “Ask and conclude.” Asking questions will save your sanity and help you be more productive more quickly. They open up the energy of creativity.
Plan Ahead
An old saying is, “Plan ahead. It wasn’t raining when Noah built the ark.” This is so true and part of the American way of life (which unfortunately many younger people have not been taught). When I grew up, we always planned for every eventuality. For example, I remember a time when we got 6-7 feet of snow in 2 days. We couldn’t even open our front door, and the neighbor at the end of the block got out through his window and dug his next-door neighbor out. We couldn’t go anywhere for nearly ten days, and we had no electricity or heat for the first few days. But, it wasn’t a problem because our parents planned ahead. Everyone had several weeks of water and food stores in a dark place. Some of the neighbors had wood-burning stoves or fireplaces. There was no shortage of the essentials. So, here’s one resource to build your own preparedness kit. Also, make sure you always have a full tank of gas for your car, if you have one.
Rolling Shopping Cart
If you must walk to the grocery store, how would you get your groceries home? Every family should have a rolling shopping cart, wagon, rolling suitcase, or some other easily movable container to bring supplies back to the house. Again, this is just a common sense item. When we lived in the city, had no car, and the trip was too short to make taking the bus attractive, we used to go to the store with our Grandma and her rolling shopping cart. We filled the cart to the brim, and even though it was too heavy to pick up, we could still get the groceries, etc. home.
No Internet
People did a great job of connecting with others before the Internet. So, if the Internet goes down temporarily, you can still communicate. Remember, you can send written letters via the mail, use someone’s landline to make a phone call, or personally visit a friend or family member to make sure they are okay. In cases of long-distance or emergencies, you can go to a local police station and request a welfare check. You even can ask for the police to contact the police in another state to check on a loved one.
De-Stress
When times are chaotic, everyone feels stressed. Here are some things you can do to reduce stress:
- Breathe (long deep breaths from your belly)
- Take a Walk in Nature
- Exercise
- Meditate (especially on the temporary nature of everything)
- Listen to Music
- Sing
- Dance
- Read a Positive Book
Right Use of Technology
Technology can be empowering. You can chat with someone in another country without ever leaving your home, for example. But, too much dependence on technology is disempowering. You might take some time over the next week or two and contemplate how you can loosen your dependence on technology and create more balance in your life.
Conclusion – Practical Tips for Living through Uncertain Times
If the last year has taught us anything, it is that we can pull back and live a simpler, more family-centric way of life. You can enjoy this evolution even more if you focus on creating what you want, ask empowering questions, and plan ahead for a rainy day.