When a large-scale disaster strikes, fear and panic are rampant. They can take hold of a person’s mental state and spur poor decisions. Whether they are simple mistakes or not, these choices may often come with devastating consequences. Keeping a positive attitude is crucial during a survival scenario. If you don’t personally believe that you’re going to survive, then no amount of survival gear or encyclopedic knowledge of prepping techniques can help you make it out of a dire situation alive. Here are a few reasons why having a positive attitude can mean the difference between life and death when SHTF. (h/t to LearnToPrepare.com)

A positive attitude can keep you motivated

Maintaining a positive mental state means making a deliberate decision to survive. It can give you purpose and direction. A positive attitude can sometimes be the only thing that differentiates between being a survivor or a helpless victim. Nothing good will happen to you if you just wait for help to arrive. But if you have a set goal in mind, then you’ve already taken the first step to improving your current situation. No matter how bad things get, it is ultimately up to you to create meaningful change and take control of your situation.

A positive attitude can have a positive effect on your physical health

There is a strong correlation between your attitude and your mental and physical health. If you feel an overwhelming sense of despair, then your body may begin to manifest physical symptoms of this negative emotion. Having a positive attitude can help you remain physically fit and healthy. When you’re feeling down, think positive thoughts that can lift your mood. This can help motivate you to engage in physical tasks that need to be done. (Related: Mental preparedness: How to think like a survivalist.)

A positive attitude can make it easier for you to overcome challenges

When you focus too much on the negative aspects of your situation, the obstacles you face can seem much more insurmountable than they really are. In order to keep yourself from being overwhelmed by these obstacles, you need to focus on the more positive aspects. By thinking positively, you can keep yourself grounded in reality. A positive attitude can make it easier for you to compartmentalize difficult tasks or simplify them into smaller chunks. You can then pace yourself and work on these smaller goals one at a time. It won’t do you any good trying to resolve every pressing issue all at once.

A positive attitude can help you adapt to difficult situations

A prepper is supposed to be ready for anything. Whatever life throws at you, you should be able to learn how to adapt and survive. However, you won’t be able to do that without a positive attitude. It can be so easy to give up when you already have a pessimistic outlook. While you may not have any control over your immediate environment, you still have full control over how you react to any given situation. Instead of letting your setbacks break you down, you should learn from them. Learn how to improvise, adapt and overcome with the power of positive thinking.

The true strength of a prepper is not measured by how many miles he can run, but by how often he keeps picking himself up every time he falls down. You will only survive a dire crisis by keeping a positive mental state and making the conscious decision to survive. To learn more survival tips for when SHTF, visit Survival.news.

Sources include:

LearnToPrepare.com

SurvivalSkills.guide