Distressing and traumatic events such as a sudden death, a natural disaster or an act of violence can create stress and anxiety in many of us. You can take steps today to reduce stressful emotions in the midst of a crisis by strengthening your resilience. 

Resilience is the process of adapting while facing adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or other sources of stress. By strengthening your resilience, you will be better able to persevere through the challenges posed by a crisis. 

Here are some ways you can build emotional resilience and strengthen your sense of control during a difficult time.

Make connections. It's easy to feel alone in your worries and other reactions. Connecting with close family members, friends and neighbors can be a source of strength and support. By discussing some of the challenges you are experiencing, you may discover you are not alone. You may learn how others are managing similar experiences and incorporate some of those strategies.

Help others. Another way to make connections is to reach out and help others who are also managing challenges. Helping others can give you a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. 

Take a news break. Watching replays of disaster footage can increase your distress. Often, the media tries to interest viewers by presenting worst-case scenarios. These may or may not be representative of what's happening to your home or community. 

Accept that change is a part of living. Your goals or visions of your future may need to be modified after a crisis. Accepting circumstances that cannot be changed can help you focus on circumstances that you can change.

Move toward your goals. Develop some realistic goals. Do something regularly—even if it seems like a small accomplishment—that enables you to move toward your goals. Instead of focusing on tasks that seem unachievable, ask yourself, "What's one thing I know I can accomplish today that helps me move in the direction I want to go?"

Take decisive actions. Act on adverse situations as much as you can. Take decisive actions, rather than detaching completely from problems and stresses and wishing they would just go away. Although disasters such as a flood or hurricane can uproot people from their normal routines, establish new routines as soon as you can, even if they may have to change again once the crisis is over. 

Look for opportunities for self-discovery. People often learn something about themselves and may find that they have grown in some respect as a result of their struggle with loss. Many people who have experienced tragedies and hardship have reported better relationships, greater sense of strength, increased sense of self-worth, a more developed spirituality, and heightened appreciation for life.

Nurture a positive view of yourself. You are persevering through difficult circumstances. That's an accomplishment. Developing confidence in your ability to solve problems and trusting your instincts helps build resilience.

Keep things in perspective. Try to consider these stressful circumstances in a broader context and keep a long-term perspective. You've tackled past hardships that may have felt overwhelming at the time. Tap into those successful skills to get through current challenges. 

Maintain a hopeful outlook. An optimistic outlook enables you to expect that good things will happen in your life. Try visualizing what you want, rather than worrying about what you fear. Remind yourself of the positive people and circumstances in your life. Try to see beyond the current situation to how future circumstances may be a little better.

Take care of yourself. Engage in healthy behaviors that will enhance your ability to cope with excessive stress. Be patient in the midst of the chaos. You may not feel like it, but eat well-balanced meals and get plenty of rest. If you experience difficulties sleeping, you may be able to find some relief through relaxation techniques. Avoid alcohol and drugs since these can increase feelings of sadness or distress and hamper your progress in successfully managing current circumstances.

For many people, using the resilience-building strategies described above may be sufficient to get through the current crisis. At times, however, an individual can get stuck or have difficulty managing intense reactions. It is important to get professional help if you feel like you are unable to function or perform basic activities of daily living.