Crisis Preparedness: How Can You Practically Improve Your Resilience?

Having migrated from environmental science, psychology and physical engineering, the term resilience was quickly adopted elsewhere to describe the ability to prepare for, withstand, and recover or transform from crises. As the number of different crises increases and their nature becomes more complex and multifaceted, our attitudes to resilience are becoming more sensitive and nuanced. For citizens concerned about their well-being, safety and security, the key question is how to build resilience in practical terms. The following recommendations are just a small selection of possible actions that can improve resilience at different levels.

Individual level

Since hope is a powerful enabler of resilience, maintaining reasonable optimism and a positive outlook on the future is a healthy attitude that can help steer your mindset towards a more resilient path. In addition, maintaining good mental and physical health supports your personal resilience during critical times when both psychological and physical stressors challenge your soul, heart, mind and body simultaneously. To properly mitigate various risks, your threat awareness should be realistic, i.e. not based on speculative allegations, loose assumptions, weak arguments or unchecked information. In other words, digital hygiene and media literacy also contribute to a higher level of individual resilience.

Community level

It is well known that group behavior can be very different from individual behavior. In a way, this is also true of resilience. Resilience at the community level is based on mutual trust and purposeful cooperation. Supporting and nurturing relationships within a community where you feel safe, valued and trusted is a practical way of strengthening the bonds within groups, be they family, close friends, colleagues or neighbors. Community can be defined more broadly as people who trust each other and build lasting relationships that support cooperation and assistance to survive and recover from a crisis. For practical action, you can initiate a new (or join an existing) collaborative activity on any desired topic with other members of your community or trusted group to practice different ways of working together, making decisions and taking collective responsibility. By sharing your experiences with others like you, you can build community resilience.

Societal level

Resilience at the societal level is a dynamic state that results from a complex interaction of various factors, including trust in governance, patriotism and a sense of belonging, as well as a shared aspiration for a better future with fellow citizens and a collective effort to improve the social well-being of a country. It may seem that individuals have very limited power to increase resilience at the societal level, as the driving forces and shaping factors seem abstract or global at first glance. However, each person can contribute by being socio-politically active, e.g., by voting regularly in elections and by volunteering for a governmental, community or civic organization. Improving the transparency of decision-making and funding is also a step towards making a society more resilient. Last but not least, promoting shared values and defending the dignity and duty of care of vulnerable populations improves cohesion and solidarity, which are essential for societal resilience in difficult times.

Some useful recommendations

Remember that a resilience mindset can buffer against stress and improve problem-solving skills. Positive individuals are more likely to persevere during difficult times, view setbacks as temporary, and believe in their capacity to overcome adversity. Cultivating a positive mindset can involve practices like gratitude journaling, visualization of positive outcomes, and focusing on aspects of life that can be controlled.

Regular exercise improves mood, reduces anxiety, and boosts cognitive function, while balanced nutrition and adequate sleep reinforce emotional stability. Mental health practices such as mindfulness, meditation, and therapy can help process emotions and develop coping mechanisms. During crises, individuals with robust health are better equipped to face psychological and physical challenges, reducing vulnerability to burnout and long-term distress.

Skills and habits of media literacy enable individuals to critically evaluate information, discern bias, and engage with diverse viewpoints, fostering a more nuanced understanding of complex issues. By strengthening these skills, citizens can better navigate uncertainty and maintain a resilient mindset.

Conclusions

Resilience is always based on empathy and trust that fosters open communication, reduces misunderstandings, and encourages sharing resources and productive collaboration, making citizens and the community more adaptable and prepared for future difficulties.

By discussing challenges and solutions, individuals can develop shared knowledge and coping strategies. This collective wisdom enhances the resilience, ensuring that citizens are better prepared to face future crises together.

Strong community ties provide emotional support during stressful times, facilitate resource sharing, and promote teamwork and collective problem-solving. Investing in relationships before a crisis enhances the community’s ability to withstand and recover from disruptions. Through these experiences, community members develop trust, improve their ability to manage conflicts, and refine their cooperation skills.

When citizens trust public institutions and share a common vision for the future, they are more likely to work together during crises. A society where people feel connected and share values promotes cooperation, social stability, and the ability to recover from adversity.

Building resilience involves proactive measures at all levels—individual, community, and societal. By fostering positive narratives, strengthening social bonds, and engaging in civic responsibilities, people can contribute to a more resilient future.

Author: Dmitri Teperik is the Co-founder and Director of the National Centre of Defence & Security Awareness (NCDSA) in Estonia. With over 14 of experience, he has led international research projects, development programmes, and professional trainings focused on resilience, cognitive security, and countering foreign information manipulation and interference.

Background photo designed: by Freepik (submitted by the author).