Make A Plan

A lot of fine people are in pain right now, and fighting to figure out the future.

Howdy Horn Honkers.

Make a plan.

Take it from someone who has ridden out natural disasters, personal tragedy, and unsure situations on many life fronts as my story has unfolded.

You gotta make a plan.

It need not be a grand plan, and it doesn't have to be complicated. But a plan will make you feel more settled when the ground has shifted beneath your feet.

It will stabilize you during times you need it most.

Get a piece of paper or open a note on your device. It's time to get real about what you need.

By the way, denial is not a plan. It will only create panic when it gets pierced.

I'm not much into forced positive thinking in hard times. I can't sit there and say "All is well. All is well. All is well” when all is obviously not freaking well, not even a little bit.

Come on.

A good attitude certainly helps, but a plan helps more.

Prayer helps some folks. Others are just not into it. But getting in touch and connecting to Something Big (nature, meditation, universal consciousness, creativity) is a great way to feel better.

Your plan could be as simple as "talk to people who make me feel good 3x a week." You might do that to keep your spirits up and fears down. It could be an exercise plan ("Walk a mile 4 days a week, while listening to my favourite music from high school.").

Seeking balance does not suck.

Grounding yourself is imperative.

It could be to tuck away a rescue fund or save x-amount of money each month, large or small, so if you need to engage in reverse American migration you have some ability to make choices.

You're in no immediate danger this minute. Use the rest of the year to plan.

If you feel you need to, and you have friends and family in other countries, get in touch and cultivate their ideas.

Is there something you've wanted to immerse yourself in (a new skill, language, physical or emotional goal)? Go for it. There's zero reason not to.

"Oh Therra, I'm freaked out. I can't concentrate on that right now."

My dear, you have to show up for yourself no matter what is going on in the world. It's not optional.

"I'm too depressed."

Yep. Depression is real, and a hard master. I'm not negating it. Get therapy or medical help if you have that path. Find a book that helped others. Join a free in-person or online group.

This is a great time to grow and find your peeps. There are a lot of good people out there. Millions of 'em.

There is a real power in numbers when supporting each other and vulnerable communities.

Make a plan.

Base your plan on what you want to feel like and what you want your personal world to consist of.

Get real on it. Dream a better dream.

A plan makes the future more concrete, and more possible. Plans can change but that's up to you --- don't let others decide your destination.

You don't get in your car every day and let someone else decide where you go. Who is in that driver's seat? You are.

The president of the United States, no matter who it is, doesn't make your personal plan. You do.

Even a simple little three-point plan will create consistency and help you inject hope in a world where you see and feel despair.

With a plan comes a feeling of both security and accomplishment. We need both in uncertain times.

We don't have to feel helpless or immobilized.

A plan will give you a goal, the gift of something to look forward to.

We all need something to look forward to.

You need to be reminded what you of what you're capable of, and your power to DO something, be something... to create, calm, accept, or resist something.

Can't do the one thing? Do the other thing.

Your plan may not save the world. But it will definitely save YOUR world from descending into depression, destructive habits, and chaos.

Over and over, in tough times, I've seen the one thing --- the only thing --- that separates folks into those who thrive and gain ground from those who sink and struggle is a person's ability to take action, even if it's hard.

Making a plan is action. Action is personal power.

You don't have to be perfect. No one is. This is not all or nothing. A goal is a destination, like a pin in a map.

Even baby steps move you toward that destination.

It's self-care. It's mental health care. It's community care.

Make a plan.