Introducing THIS IS THE WAY, a new series from Beltway Banthas focused on putting the virtues and lessons on living from Star Wars into action. Today's episode is a reflection on Preparedness, or being prepared. There are a lot of things in the world you can worry about, lose sleep over or feel anxiety over, but what you do with those feelings is a choice. News is a fine example. Why do we watch the news? If it is merely to be informed, well you're taking on an awful lot of weight for such an unclear purpose. What you do with information, the actions you take based on knowledge, that's a game changer in how you can live. 

Remember why Yoda brushed off the idea of training Luke Skywalker? "A Jedi must have the deepest commitment, the most serious mind. This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing." From Yoda to Obi Wan to Qui-Gon, there are numerous subtle moments in Star Wars aimed at focus, attention, duty and preparedness. Perhaps from IRL history, consider the words of Seneca..."Everyone faces up more bravely to a thing for which he has long prepared himself, sufferings, even, being withstood if they have been trained for in advance. Those who are unprepared, on the other hand, are panic-stricken by the most insignificant happenings."

As Russia wages an unjust and ugly war against its neighbor, Ukraine, those of us on the sidelines have a choice to make with how we interact with this fact. I would never ask you to jettison empathy and care, but I would ask you to remember to care for yourself so that you can best serve others. This podcast will lay out why and how. 

THIS IS THE WAY is going to be appearing in the Beltway Banthas feed regularly to fulfill this podcast's promise of weaving together IRL politics and Star Wars. These reflections are inspired by passages from my book, How The Force Can Fix The World. 

You can follow me on Twitter @Stephen_Kent89 and subscribe to the This Is The Way newsletter, https://thisistheway.substack.com to read these reflections and other stories on living from your favorite pop culture tales.