Most of my life I lived in Florida and….most of my life around this time, we would all start to get a little edgy that the “big one” may hit us this year….I’m talking the nasty “H” word!  Hurricanes!  Each year we would gather supplies, water, extra gas, check the generator, uncover the hurricane shutters, find copies of insurance policies….the list goes on and on…..as we would “Prepare” for the possibility of being the bulls-eye target for Emma, Katrina, Rachel….or whatever alphabet-given name the fierce winds were given at the time. Most seasons, I just remember a lot of cleanup in the yard of branches that should have been trimmed anyway and major window washing afterwards from all the salt spray that would get brought in, returning tumbled items to neighbor’s yards and playing a lot of board games for entertainment until the power was returned to our area.

The next year, the same ritual would begin….and mostly, it was just a lot of waiting for the infamous Cantore to let us know where he thought (actually it was just a guess because Hurricanes seem to have a mind of their own) the storm would make landfall.  What I remember vividly is how I would push myself to “Be Prepared”.  Even when I tried to convince myself that I was fully stocked,  the uncertainty would creep into my mind and I would find myself rushing out to the local store for more of those non-perishable snack foods, buying one more bag or two of ice and stopping at the gas station on the way home to ‘top off my tank’.  My personal compulsive ritual was to make sure everything was filed and put away in my home office and multiple copies were made of my computer back up disc to be locked away in a water-tight safe.

Funny how things get imbedded in your psyche……last week at work, I was compulsively cleaning off my desk and making sure everything was filed away.  Has L.A. ever had a hurricane?!!   Interesting weather trivia question….anyone know the answer??  Needless to say, there are other disasters that L.A. has experienced.  In fact, I probably should make filing an hourly chore just in case the ground starts to….shhhhush!  I just can’t repeat that nasty ‘E’ word!

What I keep thinking is why don’t we take other things in life more seriously?  Why don’t we “Get Prepared” for good things too?  Why does it always have to be about something disastrous?  So Today, I’m declaring that….

Monday Gets Prepared

That’s right!  We’re going to be prepared for whatever comes our way.  But instead of disasters, we’re going to prepare for something good!  What is it going to be?  Well, that’s your homework!  I know what I’m going to do.  I believe something really exciting is going to happen in my life.  I’m not sure what it is yet, but I believe Life brings us great joy only if we are willing to open our heart to receive the good stuff and to be open to change and opportunities.  Some people actually get lots of good stuff showered on them; but they haven’t opened their heart, so they don’t even know what has arrived at their front door!  It just passes them by without even an acknowledgement.  How sad!

So here’s the ‘how to prepare’ directions that I’m using.   I would love for you to join me in this Preparedness Extravaganza.

• I’m going to make a list (I know…I know, you’re tired of these….but humor me for now) of things that I would like to accomplish this week, in the next month and then each month after that for the next several months.
• I’m going to focus on eating good and healthy food and getting more exercise (my good buddy, Tramp, will love that part) and getting plenty of rest.
• I will NOT let ‘roadblocks’ stop me when I feel I just can’t make the next hurdle.
• I will do more things that make me happy and make me smile.
• I will make difficult choices by listening to what my heart tells me is the right thing to do.
• I will truly understand and appreciate the gifts I have been given and use that feeling of gratefulness to be able to live in the moment instead of pushing life along too quickly.
• I will continue to do my part to make a difference in this world.   I will become a model for the ‘lead by example’ role.
• But the most important thing is that I will love and appreciate and be grateful for whatever Life brings me.  My heart will be wide open!

So, how about you?  Want to be a good girl/boy scout and attest to your motto.

I wonder what’s around the corner for you?

I hope you will ‘stock up on supplies’ so you will “Be Prepared”.

But, more importantly, I hope you will have an open heart so you can feel the joy that is bestowed on you.

I hope Monday is the beginning of something exciting in YOUR life.

Be ready for the ‘gifts’ that arrive on your doorstep!

You Matter!

Smiles,

Nancy