I remember feeling great after a workout, but as soon as I got home and checked my socials, the news was all about wildfires, extreme storms, power outages and other unexpected disruptions. After encountering the same scenario multiple times, I started wondering if we’ve been defining self-care too narrowly. What if being well is also about being ready when an ordinary day suddenly isn’t ordinary anymore?

That shift has changed the way I think about wellness. It can be a strong body in times of emergency, a bag with a backup power bank and gyms as emergency shelters.

The New Era of Self-Care

Wildfires and hurricanes can knock out power and extreme weather can transform an ordinary Tuesday into a day when the most important question isn’t whether you’ve hit your fitness goals, but whether you have somewhere safe to go. Maybe preparedness for these events can be a form of self-care and protection. 

In that sense, self-care can mean knowing your evacuation route. It can mean keeping a flashlight where you can find it in the dark. It can mean having enough water, essential medications and basic supplies to get through an unexpected disruption. And increasingly, it can mean thinking about the places in your community that are designed not only to help you get stronger, but to help you stay safe.

Your Local Gyms as Emergency Shelters

The modern fitness center provides access to bathrooms, showers, electricity, Wi-Fi, staff and other resources that can become surprisingly valuable during an emergency. That makes gyms a great option for emergency shelters.

During a natural disaster or extended power outage, a fitness facility may have the infrastructure to support people when their homes become uncomfortable or unsafe. A large, accessible building can provide a place to cool down, charge devices, access showers, gather information, or simply be around other people. They can formally function as emergency shelters when designated by local authorities and emergency organizations.

Why Disaster Preparedness Is Actually Mental Healthcare

Preparing for an emergency can feel like an invitation to worry. After all, making a disaster kit requires us to imagine things we’d rather not happen. However, there is an important difference between obsessing over everything that could go wrong and calmly preparing for the things we can reasonably anticipate. Preparedness can be a profound form of self-care rather than just ignoring the world’s current circumstances.

Taking Control of Your Environment

When you have a plan, uncertainty becomes a little less shapeless. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and anxious, you can turn those emotions into actions:

• Check the flashlight.
• Charge the power bank.
• Move important documents somewhere accessible.
• Review the evacuation route.
• Fill the water containers.

None of these actions guarantees that everything will go smoothly. However, each one turns an abstract fear into something concrete.

Building Functional Community Ties

Some of the most valuable part of disaster preparation happen between people. These questions turn preparedness into community building:

• Do you know your neighbors?
• Who might need extra help during an evacuation?
• Does someone nearby have medical training?
• Who could check on an older neighbor during a power outage?
• Who could offer a spare room if someone has to leave home?

Knowing that you have people you can call and that you are someone others can call can make uncertainty feel considerably less isolating.

Training for Life’s Unpredictable Moments

Mental readiness is only one part of preparedness. The other is having a body capable of doing what circumstances may require. That’s where the idea of survival fitness becomes useful.

Building Explosive Functional Strength

Emergencies don’t always happen at a convenient pace. Sometimes you may need to move quickly, step over an obstacle, climb, jump, push, pull, or change direction. Training explosive strength teaches your muscles to produce force rapidly rather than only generating strength during slow, controlled movements.

Plyometric exercises are one way to introduce this kind of training for disaster preparedness. Depending on your fitness level, that might include movements such as squat jumps, low box jumps, skater hops, or medicine-ball throws. The key is quality rather than quantity. Explosive movements should be performed with good technique, adequate recovery and an appropriate progression for your current fitness level.

Sneaking Readiness Into Your Routine

The biggest mistake you can make in disaster-preparedness fitness is turning it into another overwhelming obligation. You don’t need to spend two hours in the gym every day. Instead, look for small opportunities to practice useful movements, also known as exercise snacking.

For example, do a few body weight squats while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. Carry your groceries instead of treating the walk from the car as an inconvenience. Take the stairs when appropriate. These small bursts of activity can add up.

Packing Your Wellness Survival Kit

A traditional emergency kit focuses on survival essentials. A wellness-oriented kit takes that idea one step further by considering what will help you stay physically and emotionally functional during a stressful disruption.

Start with the basics of disaster preparedness:

• Water
• Shelf-stable food
• A first-aid kit
• Necessary prescription and over-the-counter medications
• Flashlight or headlamp with spare batteries
• A power bank and charging cables
• Copies of important documents and emergency contact information
• Basic hygiene supplies
• A battery-powered or hand-crank emergency radio

Then consider the wellness additions that are easy to overlook:

• Earplugs or an eye mask for crowded or unfamiliar environments
• A small notebook and pen for making lists
• Familiar comfort items that help you feel grounded
• A printed list of important phone numbers in case your phone is unavailable
• Simple breathing or grounding exercises written on a card
• Items that help you maintain a familiar routine, such as reading material or a small deck of cards

Focus on making your kit help ease a difficult situation.

Ready to Build Your Ultimate Wellness Plan?

Self-care doesn’t always look like a spa day. I’m starting to think that the most meaningful version of wellness is about being prepared and building a life in which you’re better equipped to handle emergencies. Sometimes it looks like charging the flashlight or training your body to carry you farther. Sometimes it looks like knowing who you can call.