Family readiness for everyone Published April 2, 2013 By Mike Sanford 934th Airlift Wing Airmen and Family Readiness MINNEAPOLIS ST PAUL AIR RESERVE STATION -- What does Family Readiness mean to you? Does it mean your family is ready for a deployment? Does it mean being financially stable? Maybe it means being ready for change? What would you think if someone told you that you may not be as ready as you thought you were? Contrary to what some may believe, being always ready is not entirely possible. That's because we truly can't predict the future with 100% accuracy and we really don't know all of the resources available to us. Believe it or not, there are families who are facing a challenge they never thought they'd expect. And maybe they weren't quite as prepared for it as they thought they were. With that in mind, how can we be ready? The answer is twofold. The first is preparation. You may have heard the famous quote by Benjamin Franklin, "By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." We all need to have a plan in place when facing challenges. This includes knowing who to turn to when assistance is needed. The answer could be from various resources but one of those could be Airman and Family Readiness. Although we don't claim to know everything (because we certainly don't), we more than likely know who would have the answer to your questions when putting a plan together. Airman and Family Readiness can offer support, outreach, and general information. Secondly, Family Readiness is about being prepared to the best of one's ability. It's about ensuring your family is ready for any challenge. So how do we make that happen? With everything in life, one needs to take a balanced approach. You may have heard of Comprehensive Airman Fitness (CAF). This is the new approach to overcoming obstacles and improving performance. With CAF, there are four pillars: mental, physical, social, and spiritual. When one has a balanced approach to these pillars and a strong foundation, overcoming challenges becomes that much easier. When one is off-balance, they are more susceptible to problems, health issues, and can't perform at their optimum level. You may often wonder why some people face difficulties with greater ease, while others struggle almost daily. Those who are prepared and have a strong balanced approach manage and overcome whatever life throws their way. They have a plan and know who to turn to when support is needed. So now you know, Family Readiness is for everyone because no one is exempt to life's challenges. Be prepared. Be balanced. And be ready.