Tips for Emotional Preparedness

Distressing challenges and losses typically impact us physically, emotionally, socially, mentally, and spiritually. President Nelson expressed this concern about our preparedness: “I urge you to take steps to be temporally prepared. But I am even more concerned about your spiritual and emotional preparation” (“Embrace the Future With Faith,” general conference, October 2020).

It is important to prepare emotionally for all of life’s challenges, including emergency situations (natural disasters, pandemics, political turbulence, etc.) and personal crises (job loss, death of a loved one, etc.). The following tips can help you prepare emotionally to face life challenges.

Learn calming skills.

A critical incident or disaster may provoke overwhelming feelings of fear, anger, sadness, worry, and anxiety. Learn strategies for calming yourself during difficult times. You might:

• Create an emotional first-aid kit to use when you are feeling strong emotions. This kit may include personal health reminders, photos, comforting objects, materials (blankets, cloths), music, books, journals, or other supportive items that fit your needs. You may also consider recommendations from this Feelings First Aid Kit.
• Practice a variety of healthy coping strategies to soothe emotional distress (see Facing Challenges: A Self-Help Guide for suggested strategies). Practicing skills to calm these emotions now can help you be prepared.

Keep in mind that some resources used for coping may not be available during an emergency. If medications are currently being used for mental or emotional health, talk with your doctor about ways to access them during an emergency.

Build relationships.

Healthy interpersonal connections are vital for emotional well-being. Reach out and connect with others. You can start by strengthening marriage and family relationships (see Strengthening Marriages and Families). When connections with family or loved ones are not possible, reach out to those who are nearby such as neighbors, work colleagues, faith groups, peers, and communities.

Make plans around safety and communication.

In an emergency, it is common to feel worried about the safety of those you love. Create an emergency communication plan with loved ones, and determine how you will reach each other in a disaster. At times, emergencies or disasters separate friends and family from each other. Consider creating a reunification plan. Refer to the Communication and Gathering Plan Activity in your Area Temporal Preparedness Guide. This can help ease concerns about the safety of loved ones and facilitate supportive connections.

Identify trusted sources.

Identify trusted sources of information and plan to limit news and social media communications that are distressing or unreliable (see General Handbook: Serving in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 38.8.40). Safe, supportive, and reliable information is essential when you are experiencing a personal, family, or community crisis.

Identify your strengths and how you can help.

Identify your skills and strengths. You can prepare to contribute during an emergency and to assist with recovery. You can also prepare to minister to others during a crisis (see Mosiah 18:9 and Discussion Guide: How Can I Minister to Others During a Crisis?). Even if you feel vulnerable or overwhelmed, you can use your talents and strengths to help.

Remember to find hope.

Nurture realistic optimism and hope. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland taught that, “Because the Restoration reaffirmed the foundational truth that God does work in this world, we can hope, we should hope, even when facing the most insurmountable odds” (“A Perfect Brightness of Hope,” general conference, April 2020).

You can prepare by establishing a personal life purpose, learning to find meaning in adversity, strengthening moral and spiritual beliefs, learning how to tolerate uncertainties, expanding your vision to include an eternal perspective, and striving to express gratitude for the blessings and resources you have (see Hope – Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and President Russell M. Nelson - The Healing Power of Gratitude). When heavy adversity hits, it is common for some to feel that their world is falling apart. Prepare now by strengthening your hope.

Additional Strategies for Help

These resources can help you learn more about emotional health and preparing yourself to become emotionally resilient.