The toilet paper is flying off the store shelves again. Sound familiar? Blame the Big Bad Wolf. This is certainly not said in a glib or sardonic tone. It is truly devastating what is happening with the tropical storms along the southeast coast. This coupled with the east coast port workers’ strike has instilled panic across the nation. Headlines such as “Devastating Hurricane Force Winds Blast Florida Coast” or “Florida Evacuation Underway” create a sense of unease and anxiety in all. The video being far more graphic and violent than the headlines. While all the headlines may speak fact, as does the video, as so many people must navigate through horrible circumstances, it does not help to consistently feed ourselves with the worst of it. Once the panic button has been hit, it is difficult to retract.

Travel with me for a moment, back to Sept. 11, 2001. We likely all remember what we were doing that day. I was 11 weeks pregnant with my youngest daughter. With each pregnancy came a diagnosis of severe hyperemesis gravidarum. I was unable to hold anything down, including my own saliva. I was put on home healthcare and had a central IV line placed into my arm for intravenous fluids and nutrients. That day, I lay on my bed and watched the replay of the Twin Towers being hit, over and over. I vomited 18 times that day and passed out on the bathroom floor. We all sat in front of our television sets entranced by the tragedy as we watched it unfold repeatedly. We poisoned ourselves with the panic.

As a nation, and a world, we did the same thing in 2020 with the outbreak of a worldwide pandemic. We stayed glued to our social media, televisions and news sources. It is no wonder we are a society riddled with anxiety, fear, and apprehension. Aside from donating, volunteering, reaching out and praying, however, there is little value in consistent focus on catastrophe. Because as a nation, we are builders. We always have been, and we will continue to be.

Every one of these historic tragic events has had strong repercussions in the housing industry. Fear tends to propel extremes. Either way, decisions fueled by panic are rarely deliberate or thoughtful. I hear the fear in conversations surrounding my industry often. The weather, the political climate, the price of homes, the interest rate and the cost of goods and services are just some of the concerns that are being voiced surrounding homeownership. The truth is, these conversations are historical. Our parents voiced these same concerns, as did our grandparents, and so on and so on. Yet, they somehow forged through. We will as well. That is what we do.

This great nation is populated with people full of innovative and groundbreaking individuals. We make goals and then we put our heads down and work toward those goals. We create, plan, construct and organize until we reach those goals. We have always made it through, and we always will. We continue to live in our homes. Sometimes we need to rebuild or relocate, but we do it. We don’t just survive. We thrive. Every crisis unites us, if we allow it to. Yet, our perception (i.e., what we focus on), does become our reality. The choice lies in what we decide to focus on. Perhaps we would be better served to guide our focus on goals instead of what could stop us from reaching them. Build a brick house to keep the fear at bay, and don’t worry so much about your toilet paper.

Jen Fischer is an associate broker and Realtor. She can be reached at 801-645-2134 or jen@jen-fischer.com.