ASK A PIONEER
Q1 I DON’T LIVE IN A STATE AFFECTED BY THE MOST RECENT HURRICANES, BUT IT REALLY HAS ME THINKING.I WANT TO BE PREPARED IN AN EMERGENCY, BUT GET OVERWHELMED TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW.
A Start by thinking about this process being two-fold-communication and preparation. Here we will focus on immediate family and other persons significant to you.
First: Consider how you will communicate with other family members (since you may not be together when a natural disaster occurs). Is assigning one person to be the family’s point-of-contact feasible? Will you text, call, or email? Will there be an agreed-upon meeting spot? Who will pick the children up at school or check in with elderly or dependent adults?
Second: Think about supplies. A good rule of thumb is to keep emergency kits both at home and in the car. Amounts of water and food, and other supplies, are listed on the Department of Homeland Security Website. Print out the directions and use them as a checklist. Being overwhelmed in the face of-or even preparing for-a natural disaster is very common and very human. Taking small steps to prepare can help counteract that feeling and help us to effectively pull together the supplies we will need. https://www.dhs .gov/how-do-i/prepare-my-family-disaster
Q2 SEEING SO MANY PEOPLE IN NEED THESE DAYS, I REALLY WANT TO GIVE BACK – TO HELP IN SOME WAY IN ADDITION TO A MONETARY DONATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS?
A Your willingness to help in a hands-on way is a gift.Charities, including the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, have seen a sharp rise in calls for help since the recent hurricanes in the south. Regardless of where you live now, call our social workers for suggestions of how and where you can lend support, including to fellow motion picture veterans. “Volunteering may just become an enriching, regular part of the rest of your life.”
“You and the Pioneers Foundation have been my absolute angels. I am crying of joy as I type this email. I cannot thank you enough” –From a client whose home was damaged by Hurricane Irma
Healthy Trails to You!
Cold Shoulders in the Office
At work, the pressure to operate as a team makes it especially difficult when someone ignores or snaps at you.
If it does happen, take a moment to center yourself. Try to view the situation exactly as it is and resist the urge to change it just yet. Notice your own feelings — fear, anxiety, anger, sadness — and how they make you want to react. Often difficulties with other people make us want to focus on the other person when the place to start is on yourself — not in a blaming way either. Rather, to understand how to detach and not react. This is part of centering yourself. It will help when you finally address the issue in an effort to sort things out.
“Worrying is like paying on a debt that may never come due”–Will Rogers
Buck Up Buckaroos!
The Equifax breach has essentially affected everyone with a credit report- regardless of whether your personal information was taken. Experts are saying that, as of this printing, consumers should inquire about placing a credit freeze with all three credit bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian. These can be initiated via each website. Other steps to take include: getting your current credit report, signing up with identity protection services, and putting extra security measures on all accounts. As with any crisis, it is easy to freeze and do nothing. Try breaking down the steps by setting goal dates and the one or two actions you will take to reach them. Once one goal is reached, set the next one. Keeping this as a daily practice simply makes chores part of the landscape-part of life (for everyone).