Surviving the Storm: A Lesson in Community
There are those precious moments in life that you just want to savor before sharing with the world. One of those moments happened to me in January 2024 during an unexpected snowstorm in Portland. Like thousands of others, Bob and I lost electricity, heat, and even internet—for 12 days!
Now, to be completely candid, Bob and I are not exactly the outdoorsy type. We don’t have a special generator for emergencies, the right footwear for ice and snow, or even a gas stove. Picture it: two slightly helpless people, more at home with a cup of tea than chopping firewood, thrust into a survival scenario.
But where we may lack in physical survival skills, we more than make up for in brainpower! And that brainpower told us one thing: our neighbors are much better prepared. They had everything we didn’t—yes, even internet access! And because we’ve been good neighbors to them (most of the year, anyway), they were more than willing to help us out.
One neighbor made sure we had hot water for tea and coffee, another took care of a dangerously ice-covered tree leaning toward our house, and yet another lent us a mobile generator so we could have a few lights. The cherry on top? Our neighbor across the street shared their Wi-Fi with us. Talk about luck!
A Moment of Joy: Dubai Awaits!
It was during one of those lucky moments, when we finally had access to emails, that I received an unexpected message: Your Proposal Is Accepted!
Dubai? Me? OH, I AM BEYOND HAPPY AND EXCITED! With no phone reception to share the news, I did what anyone would do—I jumped around the house shouting and singing at the top of my lungs, “I got it, I got it, I got it!” Even Bob got a bit tired of my celebration after the seventh round of dancing and screaming!
And now, I share it enthusiastically with you—my time has come—this weekend, I’m headed to Dubai for my biggest audience yet! How big? I’m not sure, but I asked, and it’s the biggest! I’ll be speaking at the MDRT Global Conference, a highly coveted opportunity that I’m incredibly blessed and grateful to have.
I’ll be talking about Mental Fitness, specifically how it relates to the Oy’s and Joy’s in our lives. From my work with financial professionals, I’ve discovered that out of the nine accomplice saboteurs, four are the most prominent. Can you guess which ones they are?
Looking Ahead: What Were You Born For?
If you want to follow my Dubai adventure, make sure to connect with me on LinkedIn! I’ll be posting videos and pictures throughout my week-long stay. Please send me all your good vibes, friends! I’ll feel them as I walk into a conference of 7,000 people, reminding myself of what I said the first time I was on stage in 2019 talking about my book—For this, I was born!
What were you born for, and how do you live up to it?
PS: If you enjoyed this article, don’t keep me a secret—please share it and always connect if you have a need for a speaker!
Dorice Horenstein is an internationally recognized resilience speaker who transforms lives through the power of Positive Intelligence. With a background in education and a deep understanding of human potential, Dorice, known as the Oy to Joy Resilience speaker, guides individuals and organizations to unlock their inner strength and thrive amidst challenges.
Explore more insights and tools on building resilience by visiting the rest of my blog. Interested in coaching or speaking engagements? Schedule a time on my calendar. Stay connected and keep growing!
As always,
Be Yourself, Be Positive, Be the Champion you want to be.
