In order to gain a clearer picture of what this preparation step is all about, I’m going to list off some pretty annoying, yet truthful clichés:
· “No man is an island.”
· “Many hands make light work.”
· “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.”
All of these clichés speak to the notion of our Preparation step #6 of emotional support and well-being during difficult times. We may not agree with them 100% of the time on 100% of our days, but they do ring true at many points along this journey. They will be valuable to remember as we prepare for an uncertain future.
No man is an island. The human brain can be a powerful thing. It can build us up and bolster us forward in action or it can tear us up and cripple us in fear. I heard a line one time in a movie that as someone said they were ‘lost in thought’ the other person said: “Hold on! That’s a scary neighborhood you don’t want to go into alone!”
Many hands make light work. Not only is this emotional support, but physical as well. The help and company of others working toward a common goal is so valuable to what may seem like a long road in an alternate, niche’ lifestyle. Building fences as well as learning and sharing together builds a bond that even difficult circumstances may not be able to break.
When the going gets tough, the tough get going. For anyone who has managed stress over losing a job/income, moving to down-size, pinching pennies and scraping the bottom of whatever reserves you through you may have just to get by – you – are the tough ones! This is not to say that stress is not an emotional drain. Oh, I know all too well that it IS. Our well-being is affected by stress. So handling that stress constructively (exercise, healthy eating, rest, hobbies, friends and a good old-fashioned back rub, just to name a few of my favorites) will greatly aide in our emotional well-being and allow us to be a support to others.
Surround yourself with like-minded (but not so like-minded that you’re bored!) people. People who know the vision of preparation and look at it as a welcomed challenge are a great support system indeed!
