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3 Lessons The Manila Water Crisis Taught Me

I was frustrated, disappointed, and angry today. I haven’t been that way since the Manila Water Crises started. But, today it was different. I woke up with all our stored water gone. It was an unspoken rule at home, but everyone understood that it’s a must to fill up our water drums with water when you use them up so whoever needs the supply next will have water to use. Not everyone understood that agreement, unfortunately.

It didn’t help, too, that there was zero supply most of the day. Nada. Nothing came out of the faucet until late afternoon. Imagine my frustration because I have three kids in the house. One of them is a poop machine. Ugh!

But I was reminded by my coach, Martine de Luna, and my tribe of blissful unicorns that what was happening isn’t happening to me but around me. I was advised to step back from the situation and take a deep breath (or more). I felt a lot better after and was able to find a solution to the problem.

It also prompted me to reflect about the situation we’re in and write about it. Who knows? Someone might be having a bad day too because of the water shortage. Hopefully, this blog post will help you calm down and see the brighter side of things…

1. Mindset Makes A Difference

Instead of complaining about the Manila Water Crisis, think of solutions. I know, it’s annoying that we have to go through this dilemma for who knows how long, but all we can do now is adapt.

We were hit by surprise when the Manila Water Crisis began. The supply cut-off started earlier than expected so we were unprepared. But, we learned our lesson and adapted. We already have drums for water storage at home, but we bought an additional one because the ones we had didn’t allow us to store enough water for everyone in the house. When the water supply went back on, we’d fill up all the drums and do everything we needed to do – bathe, wash the dishes, do the laundry, water the plants, clean up our aquarium and birdcage, etc.

Complaining doesn’t help… but finding solutions do.

And it helps that you change your mindset towards it. I don’t complain about the water shortage, but I do express my gratitude whenever the supply comes back. “The water is back!” I excitedly say whenever I hear the first few drops coming out of our faucet. This approach makes it easier to deal with a crisis.

2. It’s Not A Time To Be Selfish

When the Manila Water Crisis started, we became more mindful of how our water use can affect everyone else in the house (even in the community). So, whenever we use up our stored water, we make sure we fill the drums back up (if there’s still supply).

A crisis is not the best time to be selfish. This is, however, the best time to be mindful of others. While we all want a nice, long bath, this isn’t possible for now due to the water shortage. My kids know this after I scolded them for using up a whole drum of water when they took a bath. Since then, they only use the water they need and they always remember to fill up the drums after.

Remember: You’re not the only one who needs the supply–so don’t be selfish and uncaring. We’re all going through the same crisis so be a team player.

3. Our Resources Are Limited

Don’t you think this water crisis is a reminder from Mother Nature? Our resources are not unlimited so learn to be mindful of how you use them. I confess that prior to the Manila Water Crisis, I showered like a queen. I know we were taught in school to turn off the shower when you’re not using it, but I liked the feeling of having it on while I soaped or shampooed. This crisis reminded me of how wasteful I was–and I truly feel bad about it.

Let this crisis be a warning sign for all of us that if we don’t step up when it comes to caring for our resources, we’re bound to experience more resources-related crises in the future. Who wants that, right?

How are you dealing with the water crisis?
Any lessons learned? Share it in the comments section below!

Kimberley Reyes

Kimberley Reyes is an Online Business Manager for entrepreneurs who are ready to get off the hamster wheel and step into their CEO shoes. On top of helping her clients get organized and scale their businesses, she is also happily busy raising her five kids with her firefighter husband.

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