Most of us are familiar with the green box that contains items we may need in the event of an emergency. Some of us may even keep a few necessary items in our bag, just in case. (Safety pins are always a good choice).

What we may not have, though this could be just as important, is an Emotional First Aid Kit. This is an option when we may feel tense or overwhelmed, where we might access items close by that would help us feel calmer in a difficult moment.

An Emotional First Aid Kit doesn’t need to be expensive. It could be something as discreet as a make up bag or pencil case that fits comfortably in a bag or rucksack.

The contents may focus on the senses, with items inside that we can optimise and draw upon, depending on what feels most helpful for a few moments, when we need. (This can also help with the 5-4-3-2-1 activity). Here’s some examples:

Sight

Probably one of most flexible of the senses in terms of what you could include, this could be: a photograph of a favourite person or holiday destination, a quote card containing a special phrase a mantra that you can repeat to help you tune in to the present moment, such as: “May I remain calm and at ease”. It could also be an instruction that reminds you to do what you need when you’re showing early warning signs that you’re not ok; it might be a single word like “Breathe” or a phrase that you can repeat a few times as required.

Sound

Using the sense of hearing, you might create a favourite playlist that you keep stored on our device, that when the moment requires, you can tune in and tune out. It might be songs that uplift or melodies that relax you, whichever works for you.

You might keep a list in your Emotional First Aid Kit tof telephone numbers you can call when the moment requires it. This might include friends, your doctor and the Samaritans on 116 123 (in the UK).

You might even ask a friend or relative to record a message that you find soothing when you need. You might also find guided meditations helpful, or tuning in to sounds of nature like birds singing. If you find particular sounds soothing, you might find something like a clicker device helpful.

Touch

If you love squeezing bubble wrap, the texture of velvet or satin, or are a hugger by nature, then you may find optimising the sense of touch is useful to help you relax. That doesn’t mean someone will always be available for (or necessarily want) a cuddle, but you may decide to include something in your Emotional First Aid Kit that maximises the touch sense.

Placing your hands on your chest over your heart can be helpful as part of a self-soothing exercise. There’s an example in the video below.

Smell

You might wonder how you can carry something smelly around, but the obvious answer might be to spray one of your favourite scents on a piece of card or fabric, and keep that in your Kit. Or you might have something portable in the form of a tiny air freshener, bottle of perfume or deodorant that you could carry with you. Just make sure the scent is right for you (and not too pong-y that it empties a room).

Taste

Yes you can have a small emergency supply of chocolate in case you need it, though it doesn’t have to be the sweet stuff, it could be anything you like that’s edible that you can keep with you (and won’t go off too quickly) that you can bring mindful awareness to eating.

You might find sucking something slowly and mindfully (rather than crunching) helps to keep your attention focused, like a mint or something similar.

Keep it Accessible

These are just some ideas that might be useful. You could also bookmark this article so that you’ve got the instructions when you need them.

Remember to keep your Emotional First Aid Kit where you can find it, so that when you need it, it’s there as an option for you.

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Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive.  The Helping You Sparkle™ magazine is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. References to third parties does not endorse their content. Please read these policies for details.

© Delphi Ellis 2023