It’s been almost 2 weeks since Hurricane Helene hit Asheville where I live, and it’s very clear that the recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint.
The outpouring of help and support has been amazing. I’ve experienced incredible community support, organization and connection.
After 5 days of no power, no cell service and no water, we made the decision to go to WV to get connected, reassess and get on the Gauley river for a mental health break.
At first I felt really guilty about leaving Asheville when I was seeing amazing folks jumping into action to help. It’s easy to feel like you’re not doing enough, or if you’re on social media a lot, to compare yourself to what others are doing.
Now that I’m back in Asheville, I realize that the break was important for me to get clear and feel empowered to volunteer. Although we still have no running water in our house, we are happy to be back and in the community.
It’s so important to remember that everyone has a different reaction and response to a trauma of this magnitude, and that compassion and empathy are key.
We’re all grieving on many different levels for people, homes, businesses, towns, rivers that have changed forever.
Keeping myself as a no judgement zone has been challenging, but important and I’m doing my best.
Some normalcy and routines
I’m also happy to incorporate some normalcy into my schedule. It was nice to host a webinar this week, and I’m looking forward to the Guided Fall Cleanse coming up on the 21st. The thought of spending a week in community, nourishing my body and giving myself an opportunity to ground and reset is really appealing right now.
In fact, the routines that I’ve been practicing for over a decade, and that I share and facilitate in the cleanse and mental agility mastery, have been clutch in keeping my stress level down and providing comfort.
How to Help
A lot of you have been asking what you can do to help. Here are organizations I recommend for donation and volunteer opportunities:
https://hurricanehelenewnc.com/
https://www.handsonasheville.org/
Some of you have asked if there’s anything you can do for me. I so appreciate the outpouring of support and care, and I feel VERY grateful that my home and family are safe. AND very grateful for YOU and this community.
I did have to reschedule some programs, which isn’t ideal, but compared to folks who lost their businesses in the flood, or who can’t reopen because Asheville still doesn’t have water, I feel very fortunate.
What I will say is that if you feel drawn to the cleanse or coaching (offering 2 month bonus until Oct 31) or any other program I offer, then I invite you to register. Being able to continue on and have a positive impact on your life via my work is the best gift!
Here’s a video update I posted on social media on Thursday. Thanks again for the outpouring of support. ❤️
