Several tornadoes made their way through my home state of Iowa yesterday afternoon, damaging homes and businesses. Images and videos began flooding social media almost immediately.
Last night I woke in the wee hours and couldn’t get back to sleep. My mind turned to our spiritual + holistic community and I wondered how everyone had fared.
As I laid there, I got the urge to get up and put together some tips on how to first prepare for a disaster as a spiritual entrepreneur, and second, how to respond to a community disaster as a spiritual entrepreneur.
Now, this is the first time I’ve really ever thought about this topic so the list may not be comprehensive. If you have any additional tips, please let me know! I will be adding to this post as new ideas come up.
First…
How to Prepare for a Natural or Community Disaster as a Spiritual Entrepreneur
- Have a safety plan, emergency plan, evacuation plan, and communication plan. Try to make them consistent across most kinds of disasters that could potentially happen near your business, and include info about safety before, during, and after the disaster.
- Have at least 2 methods of access to client, supplier, and employee contact information.
- Be insured.
- Have all of your materials, books/records, and policies up to date and always backed up.
- Have clear instructions that someone else could follow incase something happens to you, designate at least one person to handle those things, and have a meeting with them to go over everything.
- Have emergency contact info accessible in at least 3 places.
- Keep a list of your preferred practitioners for your own physical and emotional health.
- Have an accessible first aid kit and other emergency supplies.
- Make sure your fire extinguishers are up to date, accessible, and you know how to use them.
- Know how you can best serve others within your wheelhouse if they experience a disaster. Prepare the details of that so you will be able to quickly offer it when it happens. Include this in your procedures and policies guides so you can jump in right away.
You can find more information about disaster preparedness for businesses here: https://www.ready.gov/business
How to Respond to a Natural or Community Disaster as a Spiritual Entrepreneur
Take care of yourself and your business first:
- Implement your safety, emergency, evacuation, and communication plans.
- See trusted practitioners to help you through any physical or emotional trauma.
- Communicate your needs with your loved ones, support team, clients, suppliers, employees, and community, as appropriate.
If you and your business are safe, take care of your community next:
- Honor your limitations and boundaries. Do what you can within your limits and remind yourself that it isn’t all yours to do. Block out your schedule if needed, until you are re-grounded and ready to serve. Stay on top of your well-being.
- Check in with your clients about their safety and needs. Offer your services where appropriate. Act as quickly as possible.
- Check local news sources about the needs of affected communities. Offer your services where appropriate. Act as quickly as possible.
- Mobilize others to help where appropriate. Act as quickly as possible.
- Spread a message of love, kindness, and unity.
When you’re not sure what to do:
- Hold space for those affected.
- Designate time to send energy or intentions of comfort, peace, and healing.
- Meditate on how you can best serve.
- Reflect on what learning this situation is offering to you.
- Ask your colleagues, network, or community.
