#FortMcMurrayStrong Starts Today

 
It's been two weeks since my last blog, since my life changed forever, and since my beautiful town of Fort McMurray was evacuated due to a wildfire they have called the "Beast."

Homes have been lost, lives have been shaken, but one thing remains: the indomitable spirit of the Fort Mac community. 

I, like most evacuees, struggled to make sense of it all. I personally gave myself permission to fall apart, to feel the feelings, and to mourn the situation. Everyone must deal with stress and tragedy in their own way, and as long as everyone gives themselves the opportunity to do so, it's all healthy. 

But there comes a point in that process where it is time to pick up the pieces and start to rebuild. And although we cannot return to #YMM just yet, there is plenty of rebuilding to be done internally, to heal these broken hearts of ours. 

I figured it was time to break my silence, and share from my heart what I believe we must do next. I've given a little pep talk below so that we can reclaim our power, heal our hearts, and find happiness in the most grim of situations.

For a quick recap of the video:

• While there is a lot out of our control as a #ymmfire evacuee, there are also things we can always control: our perception, our actions and how we choose to "be".
• We are a role model to everyone watching: your kids, your spouse and anyone else that sees you. How to do you want to lead your people? 
• When you give yourself permission to feel joy in any situation, you give others permission to do the same
• We are all eager to rebuild our community, but while we are evacuated, we can start by rebuilding our own broken hearts
• "Joy is the jewel of life, and gratitude is the gold" - Brendon Burchard
• If we are to find joy in a grim situation, it must begin with gratitude. Focus your attention on the things going right in your world, rather than going wrong. What was saved vs what was lost.
• If you ever struggle to find something to be grateful for: check your pulse
• The Serenity Prayer: God grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change, the COURAGE to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference.
• BIG NEWS: I am reopening a special edition of Ask L.K. for all fire evacuees, you can submit any wellness questions anonymously through my messaging system (click here to submit your Q) and I will reply to each and every submission I receive. I will reply either in writing (posted on my blog) or via video blog. Just like you, I'm homeless and jobless, so this will be my full time job until I return to help rebuild our beautiful community.

I'm so looking forward to connecting with you all, and I hope you'll send me some messages, because it would give me something to focus my attention on too. 

At the end of the day, we are all in this together, and I look forward to the day we return home and rebuild Fort McMurray bigger and better than ever.

I'm sending you all my love, courage and peace,
​-L.K.