The Importance of a Plan

In the days following our traumatic experience we are tempted to just let things happen without any planning. We don’t want to deal with things.   This is a normal feeling but not thinking about it will not make life disappear.  It will not make the stress of interacting with others disappear. It will make it worse. If you don’t make a plan, you will quickly become overwhelmed.

By now you know that an important part of dealing with trauma is admitting that you are in a ‘new normal’. Many things have changed and are changing, except, of course, for God and his ongoing concern for you.

A plan will help you from becoming overwhelmed. Planning allows you to have some control over what is happening instead of having others and circumstances control you.

Part of planning is prioritizing.  If there are many different activities that are invited to participate in, ask yourself how many you think you can handle.  One?  Two?  Or?  After you have decided on the number, decide which activity or invitation is most important.  Then accept only these!  It may be hard but if you don’t you quickly become overwhelmed.  Then you will spiral down further in depression and despair.  You will also not enjoy anything.  Better to enjoy one or two things than none.

Start small.  You can always add an activity later.  Easier to add than to decline after having said, “Yes”.

Need wisdom. Ask God to help you.  He wants to!
__Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shall cry, and he will say, ‘Here I am.’ Isaiah 58:9a__