| With Hurricane Florence bearing down on much of the Southeastern U.S., flooding in Wisconsin, fires burning in California, and recent gas explosions in Boston, many families have either evacuated their homes or are hunkered down, preparing for the worst. But while survival tips for those affected are flooding the internet, information on picking up the pieces after a devastating natural disaster is sparse. How does life after loss become the new normal? And if you or your family are not in the path of a catastrophe now, what can you do now to prepare yourself — and your community — for a healthy recovery when an ice storm, tornado, fire, flood, or terrorist attack comes to your area? Resilience is the ability to bounce back after a difficult experience. And while there are some very practical steps you can take to boost your resilience, many resilience-boosters are personal. The higher your resilience, the more easily you’ll be able to recover from any crisis that comes to your doorstep. How? Prepare yourself Preparing yourself is all about setting your mind to deal with the task at hand. On a practical level, that means making an evacuation plan from your home, storing important documents in a safe place, and having an emergency kit well-stocked and available. | 