{"id":1623,"date":"2023-10-10T05:34:47","date_gmt":"2023-10-10T09:34:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/?p=1623"},"modified":"2023-10-22T13:35:04","modified_gmt":"2023-10-22T17:35:04","slug":"be-cool","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/d2fpc.com\/?p=1623","title":{"rendered":"Be Cool"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
There’s always a graceful solution to any issue<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I have stopped looking at problems, even the dangerous ones, as disasters and started seeing them as a normal part of traversing the deep wildernesses of life. If you spend enough time outdoors, no matter how well you prepare, you\u2019re going to encounter a crisis sooner or later. Trust your future self to handle what comes. And when the mud hits the fan, here are some lessons I\u2019ve learned for keeping a cool head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. There\u2019s Always a Graceful Solution<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Say this aloud until you believe it, and when you feel discouraged, say it again. If you tell yourself that you\u2019re trapped, then you will be. But you\u2019re not trapped. There is a solution\u2014there are probably many. It\u2019s just a matter of figuring out the best one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. You Don\u2019t Have Something, You Don\u2019t Need It<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re lost in the woods, it\u2019s pouring rain, and you don\u2019t have a tarp? Tell yourself, \u201cI don\u2019t need it.\u201d This is, of course, not strictly true, but it will help you to reframe your concept of the situation from wishful thinking into reality. Take stock of what you do have, whether it\u2019s equipment or skills. That\u2019s what actually matters in the moment. That\u2019s what\u2019s going to get you home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. Always Carry the Basics.<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The basics will depend on your climate, but for dogsledding I try to bring a minimum of something warm, something waterproof, snacks, matches, zip ties, and rope. I can\u2019t count how many times I\u2019ve rigged some sort of pulley with the rope or (temporarily) fixed a broken sled with zip ties, and now I\u2019d never dream of going into wilderness without them. Be willing to adapt your kit to the situation: When a wolf pack moved into my neck of the northwoods and I started seeing wolves on the trail, I started packing an air horn in case I needed to startle my dogs and the wolves out of a confrontation (or interspecies sex).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Knowing and working with your strengths increases your odds of success<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
4. Know Your Strength<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

I like to differentiate between slow-motion and high-speed problems: basically, how much time you have to stop and think. If you\u2019re falling off a cliff, that\u2019s a high-speed problem. You have seconds to react and will probably act instinctively. If you\u2019re lost on a mountain, that\u2019s a slow-motion problem. You can take time to reason, to think through different scenarios. Most people are naturally better at one of these or the other, and you can use that to your advantage. If you\u2019re better at high-speed problems, you can trick yourself into acting quickly rather than becoming paralyzed with options. I\u2019m better at slow-motion challenges, so my first goal in a crisis is to pause the problem long enough to breathe and think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Embrace Temporary Discomfort<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The best solution isn\u2019t always comfortable. But if you\u2019re dangerously cold, it\u2019s better to change into dry long underwear than to stay in your sleeping bag, no matter how much it hurts to expose your skin to the air. If the tide is coming in, it\u2019s better to wade now than to swim\u2014or drown\u2014later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. Your Stuff Won\u2019t Save You<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

The more money people spend on gear, the more they tend to rely on it, which is a huge mistake. Trust your senses first and your gear second. If you don\u2019t have the skills to go winter camping with three wool sweaters and a lighter, you\u2019re not going to be safer with a Canada Goose and a Jetboil. Think of fancy gear as a source of comfort or convenience, not insurance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Reflection on a past experience is about “next time”<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
7. Learn from What Didn\u2019t Happen<\/strong><\/h6>\n\n\n\n

After you\u2019re home safe, think back on the experience. Ask yourself what you could have done to prevent problems and how you could have dealt with them more efficiently. Brainstorm solutions to parallel situations. What could you have done if it was raining? Or if you had lost your pack or broken your leg? The point isn\u2019t to beat yourself up but to make things smoother next time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

== Blair Braverman ==<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I have stopped looking at problems, even the dangerous ones, as disasters and started seeing them as a normal part of traversing the deep wildernesses of life. 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