Disasters can happen anytime, anywhere. Whether it’s a natural calamity like a hurricane, earthquake or flood, or human-made events such as terrorist attacks or accidents, being prepared for survival situations is crucial.
Knowing what to do and how to react can mean the difference between life and death. In this article, we’ll discuss the three golden rules of survival that can help you stay alive when faced with challenging circumstances.
Why it is Important To Know The 3 Golden Rules Of Survival
Surviving an emergency situation takes more than just having the right tools and equipment. It requires mental readiness and adequate preparation. Knowing what to do can be a powerful tool in any crisis situation.
By being aware of how to respond appropriately during an emergency, you’ll be able to remain calm under pressure and take effective action when needed.
Whether you’re facing natural disasters, civil unrest, or other life-threatening situations, the three golden rules are essential guidelines for survival that will keep you alive during those critical moments.
An Overview Of The 3 Golden Rules of Survival
The three golden rules of survival are Stay Calm and Think Clearly; Prioritize Your Needs; Be Resourceful. Let’s take a closer look at each rule:
- Stay Calm and Think Clearly: This rule reminds us not to panic in difficult situations but instead stay calm so that we can think clearly about what needs to be done next. Panic could lead us into making rash decisions that put us further in danger.
- Prioritize Your Needs: When caught up in a survival situation, there are basic needs that we need to prioritize. This rule teaches us the order in which we should prioritize our needs, starting with shelter, water, and food.
- Be Resourceful: This rule is all about using whatever resources are available to us in a survival situation. It reminds us to remain creative and resourceful so that we can find ways to meet our basic requirements and stay alive.
In the following sections of this article, we’ll dive deeper into each of these rules, providing helpful tips and tricks on how best to implement them when faced with a survival situation.
The Importance of Staying Calm in a Survival Situation
Picture this: You’re lost in the wilderness with nothing but your wits and the clothes on your back. It’s getting dark, you’re tired, and worst of all, you’re scared.
Your survival depends on your ability to stay calm and think rationally. Panic won’t help you find your way out of the situation – it will only make things worse.
When we’re faced with a stressful situation, our bodies go into “fight or flight” mode. Adrenaline pumps through our veins, our heart rate increases, and we become hyper-aware of our surroundings.
In some cases, these physical responses can be helpful – if we need to quickly escape danger, for example. But in a survival situation where clear-headedness is key, panic can be deadly.
Tips for Maintaining a Clear Head in Stressful Situations
Staying calm may seem easier said than done, especially when faced with life-threatening circumstances. But with practice and preparation, it’s possible to keep a level head even in the most dire situations. One effective technique is to focus on your breathing.
Inhale deeply through your nose for four counts, hold for seven counts, then exhale slowly through your mouth for eight counts. This method slows down your heart rate and helps activate the parasympathetic nervous system – which is responsible for relaxation.
Another tip is to stay present and focus on what needs to be done next rather than dwelling on past mistakes or worrying about the future. Make an action plan based on what resources you have available and prioritize tasks accordingly.
Ultimately, staying calm comes down to mindset – believing that you have the resilience and ability to overcome obstacles no matter how daunting they may seem at first glance. Remembering this can help you maintain clarity even when faced with extreme uncertainty or danger.
The Second Golden Rule: Prioritize Your Needs
Survival Situations and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
When faced with a survival situation, it is crucial to prioritize your needs in order to survive. One way to understand how to prioritize these needs is through Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
This theory suggests that humans have different levels of needs, starting with physiological needs (such as food, water, and shelter), safety needs (such as security and protection), love and belongingness needs (such as companionship and relationships), esteem needs (such as respect from others), and self-actualization needs (such as achieving personal goals).
In a survival situation, all other levels of need are irrelevant until the basic physiological needs are met. It is important to remember that food, water, and shelter should always be the top priority.
Without these basic necessities, it is impossible for the body to function properly or for any other need to be met. Once these basic physiological needs are taken care of, the next level of safety can be addressed.
Priority Ranking for Basic Needs in Survival Situations
While Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides a good guideline on how we prioritize our own personal goals in life, when it comes down to survival situations there is one simple rule: stay alive by meeting your most basic physiological needs first – air/warmth/sleep/food/water/shelter/personal hygiene. When prioritizing your basic survival necessities begin by finding safe drinking water first; without it your body will shut down within days.
Look for natural resources around you such as rivers or streams but also look toward rainwater collection techniques.
Next on the list should be finding or creating an adequate shelter that protects you from harsh weather conditions such as cold temperatures or heavy rainfall; this will regulate your body temperature while also offering a sense of security.
Then, you have to focus on gathering and cooking food with minimum gear requirements as long as possible – otherwise, the lack of calories will leave you feeling weak and unable to maintain your daily routine.
Maintaining personal hygiene is essential when trying to prevent disease or infection since survival situations are generally unhygienic environments that could quickly spread sickness if left unchecked.
Prioritizing basic needs like shelter, water, and food in a survival situation will increase your chances of making it out alive. It is important to remember that it is always better to prioritize the most important necessities before moving on to other things.
The 3rd Golden Rule: Be Resourceful
Importance of Being Resourceful in a Survival Situation
When it comes to survival, being resourceful is key. In a situation where you may not have access to modern conveniences or technology, you must rely on your skills and the resources that nature provides. Being resourceful means making use of what is around you to meet your basic needs such as food, water, and shelter.
Being able to adapt and think creatively in a survival situation can make all the difference between life and death. For example, if you’re stranded in the woods with no shelter, you can use natural resources such as branches and leaves to build a makeshift shelter.
Or if you need water but don’t have access to a source, you can collect dew from plants or create a solar still using plastic sheeting. Being resourceful means that even in dire situations, there is still hope.
Examples of How to Be Resourceful Using Natural Resources
Nature provides us with an abundance of resources that we can use for survival purposes. Here are some examples:
- Fire-making
Fire is essential for warmth and cooking food in a survival situation.
You can start a fire using natural materials such as dry leaves, twigs, and pieces of bark. Use friction by rubbing two sticks together or create sparks using flint.
- Shelter-building
A good shelter will protect you from the elements and provide insulation against cold temperatures. You can build one using natural materials like branches, leaves, grasses or even snow.
- Fishing
Food is essential for sustaining life in any situation but especially in survival scenarios where it’s scarce or non-existent. If there’s a river or stream nearby, you could make simple traps like fish baskets made out of woven material like bark strips which are easy to find around most riverbanks.
You could also use a fishing line made out of a branch and a hook made from one of many natural materials lying around such as bones or thorns. Being resourceful in survival situations is critical.
The key is to be creative, adaptable, and willing to make the most of what nature provides. With these skills, you can have a better chance of surviving even the most dire circumstances.
Related: The 5 Cs of Thriving in Wilderness
Final Thoughts
The 3 golden rules of survival are crucial to know in case you find yourself facing a survival situation. The first rule is to stay calm and think clearly. It’s important to keep your emotions in check and make rational decisions that prioritize your safety.
The second rule is to prioritize your needs, following Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and focusing on basic necessities like shelter, water, and food. Being resourceful is key in a survival situation – using natural resources available to you can help ensure your survival.
Final Thoughts on the Importance of Being Prepared for Survival Situations
While it’s impossible to predict when a survival situation might occur, having knowledge and skills around the 3 golden rules can make all the difference.
Knowing how to stay calm and think clearly, prioritize your needs, and be resourceful can increase your chances of survival significantly. However, it’s important to note that preparation doesn’t end with just knowing these rules – having the proper equipment, training in first aid or self-defense techniques can also be extremely helpful.
We hope this article has given you valuable insights into what are the 3 golden rules of survival. While we never hope to find ourselves in a life-threatening situation where they are needed – it’s better safe than sorry when it comes to being prepared for any kind of emergency or disaster!