Finding Hope After Hurricane Destruction

Finding hope can be almost impossible after an event as devastating as Hurricane Ian. When you’ve lost your home, livelihood, and people you care about, it can be difficult to know how to move forward, emotionally or otherwise. Everything feels chaotic, and it can be hard to think at times.

Hope might seem entirely out of reach, but you can find it again. You just have to remember a few things as you try to get back on your feet. It will take time and a little work on your part, but we’ll get there eventually.

Be Kind to Yourself

This might seem unimportant in the grand scheme of things, but it’s necessary for your well-being. When everything seems overwhelming, you can take a moment to sit down and breathe. It sounds simple, but focusing on your breathing can help you stay calm when it least feels possible.

You also need to talk about how you feel. You can reach out to friends and family and open up about your fears, grief, and anxieties. Keeping your emotions quiet and buried deep within you will only make your life worse in the long run. Everything is difficult right now, and the best thing you can do for yourself is to be kind. You’re trying to find ways to cope with what happened, and you should give yourself a little patience and kindness, especially on your worst days.

Make a Plan

If you have a lot to do and are unsure where to start, you can start by making a plan. It’s a good way to organize your thoughts and make you feel more prepared for whatever obstacle you face next. You’ll also feel less anxious about the future if you have some sort of guideline to help you through the most difficult parts.

Stay Informed

It’s important for you to stay informed about what’s happening in your area. It can help you stay prepared, and it might help you find resources you might need in order to move forward. But it’s also important to be careful not to listen too much to the news. If you listen to the news all day, you can’t give yourself time and space to heal. You need to get a break from the horrors of the news every now and then.

Check on Other People

In times of crisis, staying together is what gets us through. You can check on your neighbors and check on your friends. You can check on the people you know who live in the area. You don’t have to do much if you don’t have the ability to, but a single text asking how they’re doing can do a lot more than you think. In the same way that talking to other people can help you, listening to other people can help them.

There are a lot of things you can do for the people around you. Of course, you can help in other ways. Maybe you can offer food to a neighbor who doesn’t have the time or ability to cook or run errands. All you have to do is ask them what kind of help they need and be ready to offer it if you can.

Find Professional Help

There are hotlines for all sorts of emergencies, which you shouldn’t shy away from. Crises like a hurricane are exactly the type of situation where you should accept all the help available.

Scheduling an appointment with a therapist is also an option. You’ve experienced something incredibly traumatic, and it’s normal to need additional help. Don’t hesitate to make an appointment with us. We can help you find hope after the disaster you’ve just lived through.