Before the Storm

As I’m writing this, a winter storm is bearing down on the U.S..

You can feel it. Not just outside, but culturally.

Stores are busy.

Gas stations are full.

People are checking forecasts, buying supplies, charging batteries.

Nobody wants to be caught unprepared once the storm hits.

And yet… this is exactly how many of us live large parts of our lives.

Why Storms Create Panic

A storm itself isn’t what causes panic.

Unpreparedness does.

When you know the power is going out and you’re stocked, ready, and calm, there’s very little fear.

When you’re scrambling at the last minute, every decision feels urgent.

Life works the same way.

The Storms We Pretend Aren’t Coming

Most of the storms that disrupt our lives aren’t surprises.

They’re predictable.

We just don’t like thinking about them.

A few examples:

• A financial setback

• A job change or loss

• An illness or injury

• A season of burnout

• A crisis that affects your family

Unfortunately, many of these aren’t if scenarios. They’re when scenarios.

Where Preparation Changes Everything

Here are a few areas where preparing before the storm hits changes how you experience it:

Finances

Having an emergency fund doesn’t make hardship pleasant, but it prevents panic.

Margin creates options.

Family & Home Readiness

Basic preparedness matters:

• Food

• Water

• Power backups

• A plan

Peace comes from knowing you can take care of the people you love.

Health & Energy

You don’t build strength during a crisis. The crisis reveals how strong (or not) you are.

Sleep, fitness, and discipline are quiet preparations for loud moments.

Faith & Inner Anchors

When everything shakes, what holds firm?

Storms don’t create beliefs, they test them.

The Cost of Waiting

Waiting until the storm hits always feels rational in the moment:

• “I’ll deal with that later.”

• “Things are fine right now.”

• “I’ll prepare when I need to.”

But later becomes panic.

And panic leads to bad decisions.

The Takeaway

Preparation isn’t fear.

It’s wisdom.

It’s choosing calm over chaos.

Don’t wait for the storm to make preparation urgent.

Prepare now, so when it hits, you can stand firm, lead well, and take care of what matters.

Don’t settle. Be relentless.

— Hunter