How in the heck do you run a business in the face of disaster? It
seems heartless to focus on growing a business when an entire
city has been flooded, and thousands have been killed in the
blink of an eye.
It's only now, days later, that I am starting to taste exactly
what happened on the Gulf Coast from hurricane Katrina. I spent
all night, from dusk until dawn Sunday, in a Sufi prayer retreat
that was focused on asking for help and mercy for the people
affected by the storm. That evening, our traditional donations
to the poor went mostly to help victims of Katrina.
When I launched Heart of Business, it was September, 2001. Yup,
right after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon. And I was roundly, and rightly, chastised by my readers
for sending out my launch email right after that disaster.
It was a bad mistake on my part. I know why I did it: partly
inspiration, I had been excited about the launch for a few weeks,
and partly out of fear, I didn't have another job, and I wanted
to jump into it.
I know many of you may be in a similar position- a big disaster
hits, and so your sales slow down, but the bills don't. The gas
company, or the phone company, doesn't say, "Well, there's been a
big disaster, so we'll give everyone a month's reprieve."
If your business has done well, and gotten over the hump, you may
have a few weeks, or months, of financial cushion that you can
afford to donate money and volunteer. I believe that it's really
important to be selfless in these moments, and to give more than
is comfortable, when so many are suffering so badly. We gave more
than was comfortable ourselves.
You have a business to run, and bills to pay, and people to help.
But, your heart is numb from the disaster and you don't have the
-oomph- to promote your business.
Before Heart of Business, I was a paramedic on an emergency
ambulance for eight years, and I was also a trained member of the
Critical Incident Debriefing Response Team for my county- the
ones who came in to support the emergency workers who faced
very traumatic situations, out of the realm of the "normal"
emergencies. I have personally been the chief medical officer for
multiple casualty incidents, and have been through the beginning
stages of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder a few times myself.
One of the symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is
repeatedly seeing images from the incident in our minds. Watching
television of horrific events can help to create similar symptoms
to post traumatic stress disorder in you. It's my belief that
most of the US, and anyone else who immersed themselves in
watching news reports of this tragedy, is in the grip of PTSD
to some degree.
Dealing with PTSD, and continuing to work your business requires
a great deal of gentleness. It's not heartless to work on your
business- continuing your routine is actually helpful to the
healing process. However, not acknowledging what's going on can
also increase your distress.
I assume that your networks have already flooded you with
suggestions on how to donate and volunteer to help the victims
of the disaster. If not, start with the American Red Cross.
What I want to give you are some practical steps on how to care
for yourself and your business during times of disaster, when you
are affected from a distance, and you aren't in the middle of the
swirl.
1. Be gentle with yourself.
This may include taking a nap and resting- strong emotions put
a high stress on the body and are exhausting. Napping, taking a
bath with epsom salts, giving yourself a slightly relaxed work
schedule, can help a lot.
2. Keep up your routine.
The sheer overwhelm from an event like this can bring up
helplessness and despair. Stopping everything, and sitting around
watching television, or not being active, can increase your sense
of despair and helplessness. Keeping your regular work routine
helps to focus you and give you a sense of purpose so you can't
slip into paralyzing depression.
3. Exercise and water.
Vigorous aerobic exercise, or even just taking a quick-paced
walk, can help clear toxins out of your blood that are released
when you are under emotional stress. Drinking water and exercise
will add greatly to your sense of well-being. Avoid excessive
sugar or alcohol- these tend to excerbate feelings of isolation
and despair, even in relatively small quantities.
4. Limit your television watching.
Keep yourself informed, by all means. But, once you notice that
the reporters are repeating themselves, and you've seen the same
video clip a couple of times, turn the television off. You can
tune back in later in the day, or the next day. The fewer times
you see images like floating dead bodies, the less stress you go
through. Even just typing "floating dead bodies" brought up
memories of past calls I ran as a paramedic, and I can feel the
stress and sadness run through my body again.
5. Connect to your heart, connect with spirit.
Prayer, Remembrance, connection to spirit is critical in times
like this. Be honest and sincere with your feelings- if you are
angry or despairing, bring those to God, spirit, Higher Power. Be
in an honest dialogue with Essence. And, don't forget to listen
with Remembrance to any answers that might come to you.
6. Wait before sending any commercial messages.
If you are writing promotional material, write it! But, read it
a few extra times, and wait a little longer before sending it.
Show it to a trusted friend or two to help make sure that your
messages are coming from the heart, and you don't say anything
you might regret.
7. Connect with others.
Isolation increases despair. Connecting with friends and loved
ones helps to remind us that we aren't alone in this. And,
volunteering to help can make a big difference- a heart in
action is a heart inspired.
As a former paramedic, I've seen a lot of tragedy first-hand,
and I've been inspired countless times by the incredible
compassionate human response to pain and loss. As a current
business owner, I am inspired by the power of the individual
to affect change.
Bottom-line: donate, volunteer, help, keep running your business,
be gentle, and care for yourself.
I pray that you, your family, and your loved ones are safe and
cared-for.
My very best to you and your business.
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