Tsunamis, hurricanes, tornadoes, mud slide -   There doesn't seem to be any end to them. The truth is, we are all dealing with the grief caused by these catastrophic events as we watch the images flash across our TV screens, reminding us of how vulnerable we are.

Nature could surprise any of us in the blink of an eye. Disasters and the associated grief, loss and hard times that follow are part of life. They happen randomly and usually with no warning. They are a slap in the face for the people experiencing them, and a wake up call for the rest of us.

It is our responsibility to listen to our wake up calls and prepare in ALL ways to be ready if disaster strikes us and our families. Now is the time to GET IT DONE while we are aware of what can happen when we don't!

Cheryl is a survival expert, mountain climber, and author of Soaring Through Setbacks - Rise Above Adversity and Reclaim Your Life. She shares a unique perspective on how to deal with grief by preparing your life for disaster; emotionally, intellectually and physically.

• Make sure you have your affairs in order. Make a list of all your financial information: lock box contents, important papers, contacts for insurance companies, bank account numbers, family birth certificates, etc. Make sure your family knows where all those things are and can access them with keys and passwords.

• Make sure you have a will, living will, and health care power of attorney so that your relatives know what your desires are about what to do if you become gravely ill, who is in charge of making health care decisions and who will take care of your affairs when you die.

• Send copies of all important papers to a relative or good friend living in a different location: wills, investment papers, mortgage papers, rental agreements, etc

• Put together your own family survival kit with supply checklists, water and food reserves, special needs items, first aid kit, and clean air protection.

• Organize family pictures, make copies, distribute them to your family members. Losing your pictures is like losing your identity.

• Make a list of contents of your home that have personal value. Take pictures of them in case you ever need them for insurance purposes.

• Nurture your relationships, hug your children, tell people that you love them. Spend time with family and friends. Especially those you have lost tract of recently.

• Give all you can to those in need - especially those who are coping with their own personal losses, changes and transitions. Share the most precious gifts you have: your talents and resources specially to those who may be coping with their own personal change, loss or transition.

• Learn about the weaknesses in your community and become an activist in your community to make sure they are addressed by the local and federal government.

• Be prepared

Physically - be fit and healthy
Emotionally - have a support group and practice positive attitude
Intellectually - know what to do if disaster strikes, and know everything you can about what is going on around you

• Do things you've always wanted to do, but haven't - yet! Think about a few things that would make you feel sad if they were never done - and do them now.

• Notice, preserve and appreciate your environment. Don't litter, pollute, smoke, or waste. Enjoy our natural resources.

• Lighten your load. Get rid of all the extra ‘stuff' you have. Organize your life. Determine your ‘needs' versus your ‘wants'. Relax and appreciate simple things.