Basic Skills That Will Help You Survive Anything

Once upon a time, men survived by hunting their prey to eat, wearing their skin to adjust to the weather, and moving from one area to another. It took men a great deal of strength, both physically and mentally, to survive the ancient world. Fast-forward to now, survival means different. While technology has helped alleviate some of the more physically strenuous problems, surviving the modern world takes great mental strength and ingenuity. Whether it’s a tech meltdown at work, a pipe burst at home, or natural disasters, here are some skills we need to survive almost anything!

 

Staying Calm Under Pressure

The most basic yet the hardest to master of all survival skills is emotional resilience. While some of us handle stress better than others, some pressures can throw the best of us off. One of the most effective ways to survive almost anything is to stay calm.

Box breathing is a method of deep and intentional breathing that will help you reduce anxiety, get calm, and energised. The steps of box breathing are simple; it only takes four seconds of four steps. Inhale, hold, exhale, and hold out for four seconds each.

Another calming technique is the grounding technique. The 5-4-3-2-1 method includes identifying five things you can see, four you can touch, three you can hear, two you can smell, and one you can taste. According to an article, “This method engages your senses and grounds you in the present. Such practices not only help to lower heart rate, but also create a mental reset, helping you to avoid reactive responses.”

Staying calm allows you to think better and focus on solutions when you are facing difficult situations or problems. That is why this is a skill that will always be essential.

 

 

Handling Emergency Situations

Sometimes life throws curveballs at us when we least expect them. That is why it is necessary for us to have basic knowledge of handling emergency situations.

Basic preparedness, like what to do in blackouts, CPR or first-aid skills, will help us stay calm and feel less pressure when the situations arise. There are many classes you can take to help you with basic preparedness. One of which is the Responders Plus Programme (RPP) by The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF), which includes basic first aid, CPR/AED, Firefighting, and SG Secure. Pretty soon any time you’re in an emergency situation you’ll be able to perform the DRSABC action plan like a pro first responder.

• identify Danger
• Respond quickly
• Shout for help
• use an A.E.D.
• check for Breathing,
• perform the CPR 

Some apps and hotlines will help you get help in an instant in emergency situations. It is convenient if you always have them listed in your phone or somewhere in the house so that everyone in your home will be able to get help when it is needed.

 

 

Mastering Everyday Fixes

While knowing what to do in minor and major emergencies is a great help, knowing how to fix little things will raise your confidence level and make you feel independent.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic is that many people gained interest in basic home repairs and do-it-yourself (DIY) projects. Learning how to fix minor issues in your home or make meals can be beneficial, as you are able to cut costs and use environmentally friendly products. To start, you can always watch tutorials on YouTube and have your own tools. This way, whenever a need for fixing arises, you can feel confident enough to try fixing it on your own.

Basic skills like cooking, sewing, plumbing, and mechanics will allow you to tend to the minor needs around the house without the hassle of hiring someone to do it for you. Doing things yourself will leave you feeling empowered. You could learn to sew patches on clothes or loose buttons via online videos, too. Always have a harberdashery box on standby for whenever you might need it.

With meals, you don’t need to be a master chef; just have easy, convenient pantry staples at hand. Products like pasta, pasta sauce, and essentials like olive oil, herbs, and spices not only have longer shelf lives, but they also make complete meals.

 

 

When we think of survival, our minds naturally go to worst-case scenarios like wrestling jungle cats or outliving a tsunami. However, in this modern age, surviving also means staying calm, being prepared, and being adaptable. Having a few skills up your sleeve will reduce anxiety, stress and provide a sense of relief. So, this is your sign to learn a skill this week and start your basic preparedness journey.