I live in South Florida. We just endured Hurricane Irma and our family was very, very fortunate. For the week leading up to the actual hurricane, I avoided listening to any commentary and just checked the map for updates really often. Otherwise I would not have felt very rockstar-like. I would have felt more like an anxiety freak. Sometimes looking at the projected path was scarier, but I knew that if I listened to any newscaster they were going to dramatize every situation even more.
What ended up happening is that many family members ended up staying in our home (19 of us to be exact- 22 if you count pets). Well, to be really accurate, we saw a frog hiding in the shutters after the storm so technically there were 23 of us. All things considered we actually had a really great time together, and everyone stayed out of everyone else’s way amazingly. We all cooked, cleaned, and played lots and lots of cards and games. The kids made forts. If it wasn’t for the hurricane I would have called it a vacation. As I said we were very, very fortunate.
Afterwards, as we clean up whatever messes the storm made, and patiently (and sometimes not so patiently) wait for all the hard working people to get power and cable back on for everyone, I’m reminded of a teaching Tony Robbins gives about blame. I know that many people that have lost everything in this storm (as well as from Hurricane Harvey). They may want to blame someone, something, or God. Tony shares that if we are going to blame for the bad stuff, we also need to blame for the good things that arise out of those experiences. (warning explicit)
The reminder to blame for both the bad AND the good is so important, especially when things feel like they really “suck.” For example, I got to know some family members in a way I never would have without the hurricane. Being in a confined space for a longer period of time enabled way more bonding and connection than we’ve had before. We also all had an opportunity to contribute afterwards and help our family and neighbors to rebuild. The list of “the good stuff” goes on and on.
I still feel tender about the experience… and scared with other storms looming as I write this. At the same time though, I am grateful for the blessings that come from the struggle.
The challenge for you rockstars is to think of something in your past where you have been blaming others (or even yourself) and then find at least one good thing to “blame” for as well. Giddy up rockstars!
