The Worriers Guide to Weathering a Hurricane

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The Worriers Guide to Weathering a Hurricane - Columbia SC Moms Blog

I’m what some people might call a worry wart. I worry about EVERYTHING. In fact, I’ve been known to worry about not being worried enough about something.

Any single men who’ve stumbled across this article can thank my husband for taking me off the market a few years back. The thing is, I could handle worrying when I was single and only had myself to worry about. Even as a newlywed I felt like I had a handle on my worrying.

However, nothing prepares a worry wart for motherhood. So here we are … days away from a potentially catastrophic weather event and I’m trying not to go into overdrive worrying about my family, specifically my 10-month-old son. So what am I going to do to beat the worries?

Be 100% Prepared

Okay, so maybe you can’t ever be 100% prepared for anything, but if there is a pin on Pinterest about hurricane prep … I’ve read it. I’ve read them all! I’ve stored clean water, I’ve packed non-perishable food in a waterproof container, I’ve gathered flashlights and batteries and stowed them together and in waterproof bags, I’ve turned down the fridge and freezer temps and taken precautions to protect our animals and our home as best I can. We have go-bags packed in case we decide to bail at the last minute and both cars have a full tank of gas.

I cannot stress how valuable FEELING prepared is. It has brought me so much peace when I otherwise might be a total nervous wreck. Anytime I start to worry or feel anxious I just consult my list. I skim through it and mentally check off every task I’ve completed. Checking things off gives me something to do and reassures me that I am doing everything I can to protect my family.

Have a Plan … and a Backup Plan

My husband and I sat down last night and made a safety plan and then we made backup plans. If there’s a tornado where do we go? Under what circumstances would we feel like we need to leave our home, our city, or our state? How would we do that with our pets? Where would we go? What do we need to take with us? How will we stay in touch with family during the hurricane? 

We sat for over an hour last night and asked each other every question we could think of and we made sure we came to an answer for each one. Our closest family is in Greenville … but we reached out to friends and family in Georgia, and even as far as Ohio and Indiana, and made backup plans if for some reason we couldn’t get to the upstate. We probably won’t have to use any of our plans. I hope and pray that we don’t. But if an emergency were to arise and we had only moments to make a decision, I know we will most likely already have an answer. In times like this minutes can be all the difference. 

Stay Informed

On top of being a worry wart, I’m a learn-it-all. I think most worriers are like this. It’s harder to be anxious or scared when you know all the facts. The internet and social media are excellent resources for staying informed. I recommend finding reliable resources to follow at the local, state, and national levels. I’ve spent the last few days trying to become as informed as possible. I’ve researched safety tips and how to properly prepare for a major weather event and I’ve been tracking the hurricane’s path. Below are some great resources for staying up to date in the days to come. These are just a few of my favorites but there are so many out there. Find them NOW so you know where to get information later.

Twitter:

Facebook:

Apps: Highly Recommend 

Have Faith and Trust Yourself

This is the hard part, but at some point, you have done everything you can do. You are as prepared as you can be, you have read all the articles and followed every piece of advice to perfection, and it is now out of your hands. You now have no control. Come to terms with that reality now. Pray, read scripture, call a friend, watch a funny movie … do something to occupy your mind while you wait. Have faith in the preparations you made and trust you are doing everything you can to keep your family safe. 

I hope we don’t need any of this advice. I hope all of the prepping I’ve done these last few days are not needed, but just in case they aren’t … I’m glad I did it. Best of luck to everyone weathering the storm … whether you’re a rookie worry wart like me or a cool as a cucumber, seasoned pro. 

Are you a worrier? What would you add to the list?

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