When Life Turns Upside Down...
One year ago, during this week in August, wildfires erupted in the Santa Cruz coastal mountains where I live. They burned over 86,500 acres and destroyed 1,400 structures and homes. As the fire got super close to my property, I had to evacuate and was without a normal home for close to a month.
A miracle saved my property from being burned. An intense lightning storm actually started the fires in the mountains, and a strike from that same storm hit a giant Madrone tree in my backyard, causing it to fall and bring another giant tree down with it. The lightning was so powerful it shot a hole through the base of the tree and blasted it off the ground, leaving hardly any stump. Amazingly, the tree didn’t catch on fire or cause any structural damage.
It was in a dry wooded area that was full of leaves and sticks (basically tinder) so I consider myself incredibly lucky that we made it through unburned. You can see the burn hole that went through the tree, that black spot in the base. I remember being consumed by anxiety while I was evacuated, wondering if I would have a home to return to.
This was one of the scariest experiences I have been through because I had to figure out a way to survive with my chemical sensitivities outside of my safe zone. Unexpectedly my friend and contractor offered me the trailer on his property to stay in. That was a huge blessing because I don’t know where else I could have gone (because of my chemical sensitivities I can’t stay in other people’s homes or hotels).
Staying in the trailer with my daughter became an adventure mixed with stress and fun. We were close to the beach and saw the ocean a lot more. Plus our hosts had a great big swing in their backyard and we had some joy rides on that!
Everything worked out and even though it was challenging, I made it through.
This ordeal taught me just how much the Universe
has my back.
It reminded me to surrender to the divine flow because I will be taken care of, even when everything feels out of my control. It also taught me to be more prepared. So I bought an RV with backup supplies so I can live elsewhere whenever I need to now.
I also want to share a little backstory of what happened with my business when this wildfire turned my life upside down. Just before it happened, I had hired someone to help me manage a new launch. We had just begun executing when I got completely distracted. The launch preparation got delayed for a month, which created a big time crunch. We had already set launch dates with referral partners and decided not to push them.
For several reasons, my business really needed the launch to happen on time. So this was an extreme test of my commitment. How determined could I be to make it happen despite the massive hurdles I was facing?
When I returned home after being evacuated, I didn’t even have electricity for a week! I had to deal with extensive ash cleanup, which caused more damage to my health because the ash was toxic. I relied on my team to help, I asked for more help than I had anticipated, I worked odd hours to make up for delays, I simplified my plan to make things more efficient, and focused on manifesting my vision. It wasn’t easy.
The emotional roller coaster alone would have been enough to throw most people off track, not to mention the time-consuming logistics I juggled just to survive. I got more healing support from my holistic practitioners and practiced extreme self-care. Friends and family showed up to offer comfort and assistance as well. I learned how strong I am and more than anything, how important community is. We can’t do this alone even when things are going smoothly.
My words of wisdom to share with you are…
1. Create and nurture your support network now. Look for even more support than you think you might need just to be prepared. I’m not in any imminent danger of being evacuated again but it’s warm and dry and you never know when a fire can start again. I’ve been researching a good spot to park my RV if I did need to evacuate.
2. Take a moment to thank the people who already support you. Just appreciate them, give them a card or a gift, or help them with something. Leading with gratitude is a good way to build stronger support – you never know when you will need it even more.
3. Set clear concrete goals and commit 100% to manifesting them. Your total commitment makes things happen! Your commitment will be tested by obstacles, so you’ll have to prove it through your actions, not just your words. In wild circumstances you might have to move launch dates (I would have if I my home had burned), but most obstacles don’t require this. E
ven when it’s inconvenient, stick with your dates and meet your deadlines. Take these steps and you can feel A LOT more prepared to ride the ups and downs that naturally come with manifesting big new visions.
That’s the life of an entrepreneur! We make things happen despite uncertainty and challenge. Trust yourself, trust your support network and the Universe. You got this.
