Gas in the Tank

I’ve lagged this week in producing my humble essays because I’ve been at the filling station (I know, this is a 1950’s-‘60’s term; gas stations were also once known as ‘service stations,’ can you believe that? When was the last time that anyone served you in one of these places?). The point is that sometimes one must stop to take in new information and then take time to process it (ponder, weigh, evaluate, compare) before you apply it to powering up your engine. The gas in my engine is knowledge; applying the knowledge to my life is the key to survival and growth.

This week I read a fascinating new book, The Survivors Club, by Ben Sherwood. This book is the fuel for my topic today. Since I cannot, obviously, do justice to a 400 page book in a 500 word essay I will review just a few insights that my reading disclosed. I hope you read the book.

• When faced with a crisis face it: don’t deny it or pretend it doesn’t exist. Take action. Then keep trying to solve the problem at hand. Stay positive and don’t give up hope.
• Assess situations as quickly as possible. Develop priorities and then follow them. Divide big problems into manageable tasks and then perform them, step-by-step, one bite at a time.
• Don’t wait to be told what to do. Oftentimes time is critical to survival.
• Develop the habit of situational awareness. Pay attention to your surroundings. Be observant.
• Believe that you are stronger than you know, for you are.
• Before a crisis identify a resilient role model, someone who inspires you, and see how they operate. Determine to develop their characteristics.
• Stay (or get) physically fit. You have a much greater chance of surviving almost anything.
• Consider this interesting paradox: Posttraumatic growth is much more prevalent than posttraumatic stress syndrome.

I end with an observation by Nietzsche: “What does not kill me makes me stronger.” This is not just cliché, it is true. Adversity is not the enemy we think it is.