A crucial step to disaster preparedness is knowing how to get your mind right for a crisis. After all, food, water and other preps are important. But the thing that ttuly sets you apart when the SHTF is how mentally prepared you are – or aren’t – for what happens.
Many preppers underestimate the value of mental preparedness. However, the truth is if you don’t train your brain for what’s up ahead, you’re setting yourself up for failure.
It’s important to do everything you can to get yourself (and your family) ready for an impending emergency. That’s why it’s important to practice these valuable tips on…
How To Get Your Mind Right For A Crisis
Learn Martial Arts
This is one of the best ways to get your mind ready for a crisis. That’s because martial arts techniques don’t just help you defend yourself. They also help make you much more aware of your surroundings. And, since they help your brain think ahead, you can often predict an attacker’s next moves – even before they make them.
These skills are huge in a crisis, and can make a world of difference to your ability to cope and survive.
Visualize Yourself In The Scenario
Preparing for a certain scenario (like an EMP, natural disaster, etc.)? One of the best ways to get mentally ready is to visualize yourself in the middle of the action. Imagine the smells, sights, sounds…make the event as real as possible in your mind. Think about the horrors of that situation – all the circumstances that are likely to happen should that event occur. Allow your imagination to include as much detail as possible in these visualizations.
Now imagine how you’ll react with each passing minute as all of this unfolds. Visualize yourself keeping a cool head, staying calm, and doing what is necessary to help you and your family stay alive. Play it out second by second, minute by minute. Don’t just gloss over certain areas – take in the entire situation slowly as it unfolds.
Again, details are hugely important in these visualization exercises. Imagine the color of the clothing on the people around you, see the dust wafting through the air, feel the heat from the explosion as you run… the more “real” the scenario feels in your mind, the more your brain will be able to prepare for this type of crisis.
The more you can train your brain to imagine these events (and how to react when they happen), the more cool, calm and rational you’re likely to be when the SHTF.
Use Videos As Reference
In the age of YouTube, it’s likely that someone’s videotaped themselves in the middle of most types of emergencies. Not to mention, many Hollywood movies also depict the horrors of certain crises (like natural disasters, for instance). And even though everything is staged in these films, the circumstances that occur are often somewhat realistic, and can give you some insight into what you might expect if that specific event occurs.
That’s why it’s important to watch as many videos as you can about a multitude of different emergencies. Notice how the people in them react, and note what they do well (and what they don’t). Then ask yourself, “What would I do differently? What actions would replicate?”
This exercise doesn’t just give you a visual of what a certain emergency looks like. It also helps prepare your mind by thinking ahead and answering the question, “What would I do next?”
Imagine The Pain
Pain is an inescapable reality that many people don’t prepare themselves for. However, it can be quite debilitating. And you’ll need to practice pushing through the pain in order to survive.
Ever notice that when you’re in extreme pain you can’t think straight? Physical suffering often causes you to stop making decisions and start dwelling solely on the pain you’re feeling. This is a big problem, considering if you can’t move past the pain and keep yourself going, you’re basically waiting to die.
To mentally prepare yourself for the pain you’ll likely feel during an emergency, start imagining situations where you get hurt in a crisis. For instance, you may visualize yourself running through the middle of an angry mob, when suddenly one of them takes a knife and slashes into your forearm.
Imagine the pain and agony of that moment. Try to make the pain as strong and as real as possible. Don’t just gloss over it – really sit in that discomfort. Now slowly imagine yourself moving your limbs, pushing through and getting yourself to safety – all while feeling the agony of that wound.
Remember – getting through the pain doesn’t mean you no longer feel it. It just means your brain is able to block it out – at least partially – so you can do what you need to survive.
These aren’t the only mental exercises you can do to prepare for what’s up ahead. But they’re a great starting point to help you get your mind right for an upcoming crisis. Remember – mental preparedness is just as important as physical preparedness in order to stay alive!
