First and foremost, do everything you have to do to prepare for the storm as soon as you know there is a high likelihood of it hitting you. Doing 95 percent of the work and then waiting to move in the last of the outdoor furniture makes people anxious and preoccupied. Leaving important work unfinished puts a cloud over your head everywhere you go.

Next, once you have finished all of the work that needs to be done pay attention to your anxiety level. If you are still anxious it is time to start asking yourself certain questions. One great question to ask yourself is: how many times have I been nervous about a storm? Take a guess. Maybe 10? 20? even 50?

Then ask yourself: How many of those times have I died? How many times have I lost my home? How many times have I been left without a place to sleep? For most, the answer is none. If these things have never happened then why did you waste all that time worrying? Why are you wasting more time worrying now? If any of these things have happened to you then it is a good time to talk to a psychologist in person about your anxiety as it may be more complex.

Finally, it’s time to distract yourself. If you have thought all of these issues through and you find yourself continuing to think about the same unproductive fears over and over then it’s time to distract yourself. Read a book. Think about a happy place like a summer camp from your childhood. What did the camp look like? Who were your friends? What sports did you play? The more detail the better. Every second you are not thinking about your anxiety is a second you are healing from negative thoughts.

As always, I look forward to your comments on my Facebook page.