Hello dear reader. It is recently dawned on me that some
people living in the United States and throughout the world might feel as
though their universe due to the current political and economic climate so I
thought I would compose an article on the best ways to keep calm and maintain a
positive attitude in any sort of crisis or catastrophic situation. You are
likely to encounter, regardless of your claimant, geographical location,
material wealth or pre-existing survival skills, so...
With that in mind, it is
critical to stay focused and remain calm. There is no room for fear, doubt, or
any of the counterproductive emotions that we all go through. Your main goal
should be to come out of the scenario safe and sound.
We really have no idea
who will be facing SHTF situations at a certain place or time. It is a fact
that accidents and disasters can happen anywhere and anytime. We may not be
able to predict or determine who will make it through these scenarios but if
you are involved and still keep a clear and focused mind, you increase your chance
of surviving.
Here are some ways of
staying focused and relaxed in the face of life-threatening situations.
1. Assessment
Crisis survival requires
everyone to be realistic in their outlook.
The first thing to be
done is to assess your actual situation. This must be done pretty much without
regard for whatever it is that has caused the SHTF. To use an oft quoted
saying; “It is what it is”. Regardless of what you were doing when the SHTF,
you have now been forced into a state of flux. An immediate and accurate
critical assessment of your situation will be the best tool you have at your
disposal to ensure survival. As you make observations you will begin to develop
a picture of your surroundings. Use this mental picture to help you establish
the facts.
2. Will Power
In order to get through
a SHTF scenario, you need to be determined to get through it.
A key ingredient in any
survival situation is the mental attitude of the individual(s) involved. Having
survival skills is important; having the will to survive is essential. Without
a desire to survive, acquired skills serve little purpose and invaluable
knowledge goes to waste.
3. Practice
Practicing your survival
skills is an essential part of preparing for crises.
If you want the best
chance of remaining calm in an emergency situation, practice what you would do
if an emergency should occur. Run drills with your family and enact different
scenarios each time. What would you do if you were trapped in the basement
after a tornado? What would you do if there were a flood rushing your way? How
would you react if you were trapped in your home and a family member was
injured or ill? By practicing different drills, you’ll be better prepared
should the situation occur.
4. Whatever you do,
DON’T BREAK DOWN.
I know this may sound
silly, but not having a mental breakdown is what kept my friends and I
levelheaded in our experience. It is important to stay calm and not let emotion
get the best of you. Crying and panicking will only cause more hysteria. The
best way is to think before you feel the anxiety approaching is “this could be
worse.”
5. Do you’re very best
to control your fears.
Be realistic. Don’t let
your imagination make mountains out of mole hills. Expect fear and learn to
recognize it. Live with fear and understand how it can alter your effectiveness
in survival situations. Don’t be ashamed of any fears you may have. Control
fear, don’t let it control you. Fears can be lessened by keeping the body busy
and free from thirst, hunger, pain, discomfort, and any other enemies to
survival. Learning basic outdoor and first aid skills may help you prevent or
ease fears by increasing your confidence in yourself. If fear creeps up on you
make sure to think of positive things. Maintain your positive mental attitude.
6. Stay Positive
Challenge your negative
thinking with positive statements and realistic thinking. When encountering
thoughts that make you fearful or depressed, challenge those thoughts by asking
yourself questions that will maintain objectivity and common sense. If it
helps, carry a small notebook in your pocket that contains positive statements.
When you get anxious, take out your pocket notebook and read a few lines to
make you feel better.
7. Laughing and
Playfulness Improve Efficiency
Laughing is a good
survival method in this day and age.
Playful humor enhances
survival for many reasons. Mental efficiency is directly related to a person’s
level of emotional arousal. At high levels of arousal a person makes mistakes.
He or she reacts too fast, panics, and may act in dysfunctional ways. (The
exception is for an action requiring simple, powerful, muscular effort. High
arousal can create super-human strength.) When a person is highly emotional, he
or she is less able to solve problems and make precise, coordinated movements.
Laughing reduces tension to more
moderate levels and
efficiency improves.
Playing with a situation
makes a person more powerful than sheer will power. The person who toys with
the situation creates an inner feeling of, “This is my plaything; I am bigger
than it. I can toy with it as I wish. I won’t let it scare me. I’m going to
have fun with this.”
Another advantage of
playful humor is that it redefines the situation emotionally. The person who
makes humorous observations is relaxed, alert, and focused outward toward the
situation to be dealt with. And a benefit of playful humor is that it leads to
the discovery of creative solutions.
8. Captain your own
ship.
You are the captain of
your own life. You are responsible for taking control of your life and what
happens in it. If you do not have this attitude, it is easy to fall into the
victim mode of blaming others or outside circumstances. This sometimes seems
like an easy way out, but in a survival situation it can severely compromise
your chances of surviving. So use survival psychology to your advantage and
take control. It will be very liberating. However, if you are in a group, this
does not mean dominating others. It means being a responsible and helpful team
player.
9. Get Moving
Another key to survival
is to move forward.
Don’t sit still and let
the fear take over your body. Instead, get moving and shake it off. The flow of
oxygen and the rising of your heart rate can help give you the boost of energy
and adrenaline necessary to navigate your way through a crisis. Exercise also
gives your body the natural high of endorphins, and while an incoming flood
might not be reason enough to start doing jumping jacks, moving into action
quickly to secure what you can to higher grounds, packing up your 72 hour
supply of food and water, and making sure your first aid kit is on hand are all
ways to get your legs going and kick your blood flow into high gear.
10. Remind Yourself What
Is at Stake
Remember, failure to
prepare yourself psychologically to cope with survival leads to reactions such
as depression, carelessness, inattention, loss of confidence, poor
decision-making, and giving up before the body gives in. At stake is your life
and the lives of others who are depending on you to do your share.
11. Prepare
Getting ready for
anything is probably the best survival method.
The best way to remain
calm in an emergency is to prepare for one. While the steps above are great
ways to handle a situation when it happens, nothing can replace the peace of
mind of being prepared. When you are prepared, you have all the tools you need
in an emergency kit. You’ve discussed exit strategies with your family. You’ve
agreed on a place to meet in case of an
I hope this information will be useful and provide you with
a basic understanding and mindset template for how to maintain the necessary
mental strength and physical strength. In combination with composure, common
sense and compassion, and of course a dash of training and practice, you will
be able to keep calm in whatever crisis you may encounter.
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