Let's face it, we are half way through 2020 and we are not really sure what we should prepare for next. The answer is: EVERYTHING.
I am not talking about Doomsday prep, but safety protocols and mental preparedness are more important than ever before. Below are a few recommendations and personal practices for staying alert, prepared, and ready for anything!
Connection
I know the first thing my mother asks me when I leave the house is, “Do you have your phone?” “Is it charged?”. We are so connected to our phones today that they are literally our life lines. If any emergency happens you will most likely want a phone close by. Taking it a step further, in terms of safety, I downloaded the Life360 app on my phone. This app allows you to create an inner circle (for me it's my immediate family) in which to share your location. Yes, tracking for strictly safety purposes. This App has been a lifesaver anytime myself or family members take a road trip. Every summer I road trip across the country alone (well with my dog) and I often lose my cell signal. This app allows my inner circle, that I have chosen, to watch my travels in real time. This also prevents me from texting and driving or calling to check in at every gas station with my mother. Bonus, it provides my family real time updates to reach my destination.
Supplies
I think we all understand this one. We need the basics on hand. The basics include: Food, Water, First Aid Kit, and Household Essentials. What is considered essential?
Is coffee essential? Myself and Kuju Coffee of course think so and we know the owner of ClubTac, Blake, Agrees with us!
My two essential supply items: Aluminum Foil and Coffee.
Aluminum foil:
- Emergency insulation
- Wind Shield
- Fire starter
- Can be used as a frying pan
- Emergency signal
Coffee:
Let me tell you - you are not going to get too far in an actual emergency if you are tired. Being alert is important in times of high anxiety and stress. Being anxious can cause us to lose sleep, so you're going to need a friendly cup of joe in the morning to keep you productive and alert. Covering the night shift? You may need a second cup of coffee.
Automobile
How many times have you been told to listen to your grandparents? Well, spend more time and listen to your parents/ grandparents - they actually know some cool stuff.These tips from my grandfather have come in handy on more than one occasion:
- Keep a hammer or baseball bat in your car - This is my favorite one. Anyone have a fear of bridges? Well, if an emergency happens when you find yourself in your car in a body of water the only way out is to break the window - Thus, a hammer or baseball bat works great.
- Always keep water, food, and blankets in the car - Unexpected Road Work can cost you extra hours in the car. Always be prepared with water and snacks.
- Roadside Emergency Items: Jumper cables, first aid kit, tire jack - Of course, we know our car should be all up to date with maintenance, but we want to be prepared for anything and everything. So step one is to have emergency roadside items. Step two, know how to use them.
- Cash- I get it, we are at a day in age where we are supposed to be cashless. But when you are traveling, it's always wise to have a few extra bucks in your wallet while traveling. The last thing you want is to pull up to a gas station in the middle of Death Valley,CA almost empty and have your debit card/ credit card decline for whatever reason. Emergency Cash. Enough Said.
Mental Stability
You can not be fully prepared for something if you are not mentally healthy. You can not plan ahead if you first don't care for yourself in the present. Being self aware, making healthy choices, and creating healthy habits right now are the best ways to prepare for the future. Just like you train for a marathon - we are training our minds everyday to prepare us for what is yet to come. My favorite mental exercises:
- Eating Healthy
- Listen to music/ write music
- Puzzles
- Reading a book
- Learning a new language
- Fostering Relationships - Have a check in system with your friends and family
So what else can we do to help? Besides providing our best practices we can keep you alert with coffee! Whole beans to stock your pantry and Single Serve pour over for those automobile snacks we mentioned ( All you need is hot water, which you should already have that water in the car!). We are taking it one step further - be prepared with coffee delivered monthly on auto with our new membership. Added bonus - the membership comes with perks and discounts from your favorite outdoor brands so you can get all the supplies you need to be PREPARED.