Face the Storm

I want to run. It’s an instinct.

I want to run in the opposite direction of discomfort. I want to avoid pain and confrontation. I want to put off my duties, my bills and work, skip the gym and sleep in late.

But, really, avoiding only prolongs misery.

I found a metaphor recently that I love. It's about the American Bison—what we call a Buffalo—and how it reacts to a storm. Unlike their close relative, the domesticated cow, who runs away from a coming storm—prolonging the torrential effect—the Buffalo face the storm and travel directly into its path. By facing the storm the Buffalo minimizes the amount of time and fear and discomfort it experiences.

The lesson is this:
avoiding always makes it worse.

We procrastinate and look for cheap shortcuts and make each task more daunting in our heads. We wait to ask for what we want, avoid the difficult but meaningful conversations in our relationships, avoid making a sales call, or just don’t do the work.

Don’t run. Don’t avoid. Don’t hope your anxiety about the future will go away. Face it. Head on.

We all have our own storms. I got mine, you got yours.

We all have our own ways to deal with them.

For me, I find it best to not go alone.

I gather the strength that comes from community. I use the tools I teach at Camp Victore, surrounded with fun, creative comrades all traveling through their own storms.

Together we learn to face our blocks, accept who we are in the safe company of others, and increase our ability to face our storm and carry that forward into our life, leaning into discomfort and confidently finding our way out.

You always have a choice about how you respond to storms.

See the buffalo in yourself.
Face the life you want.
Face your storm.