THE REBUILDERS · GROUND ZERO SURVIVAL KIT

The five things that got me through Ground Zero.

Not therapy. Not a fix. Just the small, real stuff that helped me stay functional when everything else felt like too much — plus a couple extras I picked up along the way.

This isn’t a curated list from an influencer deal. It’s the actual stuff that was on my nightstand and in my kitchen during the worst stretch of my separation — the small things that made the difference between a functional day and a day I don’t like to think about.

Grab what’s useful, skip what’s not. There’s no wrong way to use this.

Something to move in:

Some days the only productive thing I did was walk. Comfortable shoes mattered more than I expected — something I could put on without thinking and just get out the door in. Dr. Scholl’s Time Off, City Cloud, or the Hoka Bondi 9 (women’s / men’s).

Something to unload into:

I needed somewhere to put everything in my head that wasn’t safe to say out loud yet. A cheap notebook did more for me than I expected. Moleskine Classic Notebook.

Something for hydration:

Grief and stress dehydrate you in ways you don’t notice until you’re exhausted for no reason. LMNT Electrolytes helped more than I want to admit.

Something easy to eat:

There were entire weeks I couldn’t cook a real meal. Premier Protein kept me from running on coffee and nothing else.

Something familiar:

When everything else about my life changed overnight, having one small thing that didn’t change gave me something to hold onto. Same coffee, every morning — Peet’s Coffee Major Dickason’s Blend.

Bonus:

Something a little ridiculous:

Not everything has to be meaningful. Sometimes you just need something dumb and good. Fog City Freeze.

Something for sleep:

Ground Zero wrecked my sleep. Natural Vitality Calm Magnesium actually helped me wind down.

None of this fixes anything. It just makes the next hour a little more survivable — which, at Ground Zero, is the whole game.

If you haven’t yet, join the free weekly Circle call — this Kit and that call are meant to go together.

Some links on this page are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you buy through them — at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I’d genuinely point a friend toward.