This post is basically off-topic, because it is not about job search or career management issues. Because of the recent devastation and ongoing havoc inflicted on the east coast by Hurricane Sandy, I (and a lot of other people) have been thinking about what I can do and encourage others to do in this challenging situation. Mind you, I live clear across the country from the region that Sandy lambasted, but I have at least enough imagination to catch a glimpse of what it might mean, and I know that discouragement breeds inaction, so anything we can do to combat discouragement and foster hope has to be better than the alternative.
Along those lines, I want to share brief information from Jon Gordon’s weekly newsletter, in which he talks about Staying Positive Through Challenges. He has scheduled a teleseminar on this subject, and here’s the essential information:
Fundraiser for Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts – Monday, November 19, 2012 from Noon (12pm) Eastern Time. The teleseminar is free to all who want to listen, but Jon’s hope is that when you register you will decide to make a minimum donation of $10 or more to help the victims of Hurricane Sandy [emphasis added]. The call will be recorded, so you can still listen even if you can’t join the live call.
To get back to my original question: How do you respond to challenges like Hurricane Sandy? Hopefully, most of you will never have to face a situation like the one people on the east coast are now dealing with, but as we all know, disasters and other challenges can come in many shapes and forms–some of which don’t give even as much warning as Sandy did. If you follow the old Scout motto (Be Prepared), you’re probably in as good shape as you can hope to be in a disastrous situation. Ideally, you’re in good enough shape to reach out helpfully to others who didn’t come through as well as you did.
That’s it for now. Excuse me while I go register for Jon’s call and set up a donation to my favorite charity. (I can do that easily because I have electricity and a working computer/Internet connection, which I will try not to take for granted any more!)