| Many people who have gone through an | | | | classes? How about avoiding dark streets late at |
| emergency situation find that they will react in | | | | night? At a minimum, you could carry a weapon |
| one of two ways. Either they will be frozen in | | | | that is easily accessible to you when you are in |
| time and not able to take any action because of | | | | dangerous situations. Learn to use a gun if you |
| fear or hysteria or they will know precisely what | | | | are repeatedly in circumstances where you could |
| they need to do because they've planned, | | | | be attacked. |
| prepared and conditioned themselves mentally to | | | | Once you have made a list of things that you can |
| handle the situation. | | | | do in the event of such an event, visualize |
| Emergencies come in many different forms. Most | | | | yourself taking successful action using the action |
| of us think of natural disasters such as storms, | | | | steps that you listed earlier. If one of your |
| earthquakes or fires. Sometimes natural disasters | | | | emergency situations that you have listed is a |
| have secondary effects that can be as bad as or | | | | tornado, for example, you might make a list that |
| worse than the original cause. Another type of | | | | includes preparing supplies in a tornado shelter. |
| emergency is accidents or assaults either on the | | | | Then you visualize yourself when a tornado |
| person or the property. A sudden serious illness | | | | warning comes, calmly gathering family members |
| can cause much the same response as an | | | | or pets and moving to the shelter. You make |
| accident. Finally, an economic emergency can | | | | sure to visualize yourself being calm and collected, |
| result from lost jobs or business failure. | | | | knowing that your have done needed advance |
| By conceptualizing an action plan of what you | | | | planning and preparation. |
| would do in the event of an emergency situation, | | | | The final stage in mental conditioning for the onset |
| you have taken the first step in mentally | | | | of an emergency is to practice. If your |
| conditioning yourself. Set aside some time | | | | community has emergency practice drills |
| individually or with those in your household and | | | | occasionally, volunteer to be a part of arranging |
| make a list of those types of emergency | | | | them or even being a victim. Often part of the |
| situations that you might be involved in. | | | | drills involves volunteers looking very realistically |
| Sometimes, just putting a name to your fears will | | | | like victims. Knowing that you have practiced |
| help you to realize that you are rarely totally | | | | simulated emergencies and that you know what |
| helpless in the event of an emergency. | | | | to do will help you to remain calm in the event of |
| You may want to list those potential emergency | | | | a real event. |
| situations according to whether they are caused | | | | On a more personal level, you can teach your |
| by natural disasters, accidents, illness, economics | | | | family members what to do in the event of a fire |
| or other factors. For example, a forest fire that is | | | | in the home by having home fire drills. Fairly young |
| threatening your home is an external force. If | | | | children can be taught fire safety, lifesaving skills |
| your home is lost to a forest fire or a | | | | and even basic first aid. |
| foreclosure, that would be an economic disaster. | | | | While it's impossible to foresee and plan for every |
| Then after each emergency situation, list items in | | | | possible emergency that could occur, some |
| two categories, those things that you can do | | | | procedures and preparation plans will help you to |
| something about, and those that can't be helped. | | | | maintain mental calmness in the event of various |
| It may be helpful to brainstorm about each of the | | | | emergencies. The habits that you form and the |
| items on your list. You may find that even items | | | | pre planning and preparation that you do will help |
| which you believe can't be helped could be | | | | you to focus on ways of dealing with an |
| improved or resolved with some pre-planning. | | | | emergency that arises that you haven't thought |
| For example, if you were attacked a mugger you | | | | about. You will be able to make use of the |
| may think that nothing could help the results of | | | | common ingredients and carryover techniques for |
| the attack. However, what about self defense | | | | handling situations to bolster your mental control. |