Perception Is Everything

This week’s focus is on perceptions and how they can affect stress and anxiety levels. This week has been, and continues to be, an adrenaline-pumping week due to Hurricane Ian. For all of those directly impacted and their loved ones everywhere, it has been an intensely challenging time. The stress continues as the hurricane moves along to other areas and the rebuilding begins in its wake.

There’s angst and fear that intensifies when we aren’t able to communicate with those in harm’s way.That’s when it’s easy to fall down the rabbit hole of dark imaginings. Our own fears set off a cascade of hormones that would allow us to fight or flee in an attempt to preserve our own lives and yet we can feel powerless to do anything but worry. Of course it's worse for those directly dealing with an impact of this magnitude.

I was born and grew up in Florida so I’m no stranger to hurricanes. As I waited to hear from my family members that live on the West Coast, I observed the tension in my neck and shoulders, my shallow breathing, and racing thoughts. “What if” became a phrase I repeated in my head. I had to remind myself, “But also, what if not?” I had to separate my future moment fears from the unknown present.

I thought back to my childhood, in Miami, Florida. Hurricane Cleo stands out in my mind with its destructive fury. But I was unafraid because my grown-ups weren’t afraid, or at least that was my perception. My mother was calm and had prepared everything, and my father was in the glass and window business, which meant prosperity! The perception that we would be safe and it would be a good year affected my whole experience of the hurricanes.

I remember pressing my face against my bedroom window to watch the storm throughout the night. (Certainly not safe but I didn’t know better then.) We didn’t have shutters. Our power was out but we had the candles lit. It was also time to eat the ice cream in the freezer, before it melted. The coals for the BBQ grill had been moved to a dry place for the aftermath. There were fresh batteries in the transistor radio so the perception was that we were all set to ride out the storm. Without TV, we played the memory game, In My Grandmother’s Trunk, which was fun. Raking the fallen debris would be the next day’s activity and the beach would have the best shells that had washed up to the shore. After one hurricane when our power was out for a few days, my Dad used a blow torch to cook hotdogs and S’mores.

Fast forward to the present and it’s a whole different perception of the experience. But the memories of it reminded me that while we are not in control of events like this occurring, we at least have some power to decide how to respond to the overwhelming stress.

Staying in present time and continuing to discern what you’re in charge of and what you’re not, can help. Monitoring your thoughts and redirecting them, as well as deepening your breath and regulating tension in your body aids the calming of your nervous system. It goes a long way toward assisting with your stamina for what is required of you, next.

Thank God my family let me know that they are safe, even though 90% of the structures in their community have been destroyed. May all who have been impacted go from strength to strength as they move through the process ahead.

Breathe. Pray. Direct your thoughts and energy and stay enchanted.