I read in an earlier forum how members create miniature notes to include in their PSKs. Some favor 'technical' notes on such things on fire-starting. I went a different route and, using books from various survival authors, created notes on such things as positive attiude and combating fear and panic. Thanks to this forum, within my kit, I have the components needed to start a fire and other miniature nice-to-haves. What I thought was more important was morale boosting advice. I wanted something so that, if things went seriously wrong, I could read these and then say to myself 'hey, I can do this. I can take it'. The following is this compilation. I wrote this using a personal computer program called Excel. I appears quite long, but it all fits on 4 pages, printed back and front, that are attached accordian style. When I fold this up and round out the corners with scissors, these take up almost no space. If you are wondering about the spelling, this was done to conserve space.<br><br>I have been quite leery of posting this, because I don't know if I am infringing on any sort of copyrights, but I am taking the chance that someone might find this interesting and/or helpful. Please tell me what you think.<br><br>-------------------------------------------------------<br><br> The single most important characteristic shared by survivors <br> of wilderness emergencies is a positive attitude. Almost invariably, <br> people who come through harrowing experiences unscathed are <br>those who believe they will. They are the people who see an emer- <br>gency as a problem to solve, a challenge to overcome, who never even <br>consider the possibility of failure. People survived and flourished for <br>about 2 million years before modern civilization & each of us still pos- <br>sesses that most effective & versatile of survival tools, a human brain. <br>In addition to the possession of a "can do" attitude, those most likely to <br>overcome dangers to life & limb are people with a strong sense of per- <br>sonal responsibility. By Suzanne Swedo Your first priority is to treat <br>any injuries as best u can. Stop bleeding, imobilize any broken bones, <br>treat shock & generally stabilize things so you can proceed to deal with <br> your situation. Do the best u can with what's at hand.Conserve energy. <br> Don't waste it 'doing' before 'thinking'. Improvise to survive. It's not <br> what things were that's important, it's what they can become. <br> Improvisation: determine what u really need;inventory your avail- <br> able materials, man made & natural; consider all alternatives; select <br> the best one that takes the least amount of time, energy & materials. <br>Never give up! Pilots have perished from exposure after crashing just <br>off the end of a runway. People have died just a few miles or less from <br>civilization because they panicked, didn't think or failed to even try and <br>signal search and rescue parties. No matter how bad your situation, u <br>can be sure others have survived far worse with much less. By Doug <br>Ritter It is truly said that the most important survival tool is the mind. <br>But to keep the mind functioning smoothly, u must establish & maintain <br>a positive attitude. Within hours or even minutes after the onset of sur- <br>vival stress, the attitude u take - &the decisions that result from it - may <br>mean the difference between life & death. No matter how long the sur- <br> vival situation may last, your outlook will affect the quality of your ex- <br> perience, just as it does in everyday life.The only difference is that <br> the wilderness offers no escape from your problems & much <br> less margin for error.The onset of a survival situation can cause <br> an overwhelming sense of fear. Suddently, u may feel cut off from <br> friends, family & everything familiar. The security of home may be re- <br>placed by darkness and discomfort. Strange sounds may conjure up <br>visions of predatory beasts and primeval dangers. Some of your life's <br>foundations may be shaken. To a certain extent, fear is a normal reac- <br>tion to such change &it can even be helpful if kept under control. It gets <br>the adrenalin pumping & prepares the mind to cope with the unfamiliar. <br>But, fear can become very dangerous if you let let it run away with you. <br>The uncontrolled urge to run blindly in search of a highway or to flee <br>from an imagined danger can destroy judment, cause debilitating acci- <br>dents, drain vital body energies & - in extreme cases - bring on shock <br>and death. The most important rule, then, for anyone who is suddenly <br> faced with a survival situation is to keep from panicking. When cala- <br> mity strikes, sit down & think things through before taking action. <br> Talk to yourself, if necessary, as u might to a frightened friend. <br> Try to relax &take stock of the situation. It may not be nearly as <br> serious as u think. Instead of giving in to panic, look upon the event <br> as a challenge. Whatever your situation, don't make matters worse <br>because u are afraid of looking foolish for getting yourself into a predi- <br>cament. Instead, accept your problems as calmly as possible, form a <br>definite plan of action to provide for your immediate needs & then take <br>action. When you are productively involved, there is no time to reflect <br>on how miserable you are. Another value of activity is that it wards off <br>loneliness and boredom. There is always something worthwhile to do. <br>Every positive thing u do will help to ingrain in your mind that you are a <br>survivor & this realization can leave u with a sense of mastery & pride <br>even in the most trying of circumstances. If you are in a particularly bad <br>situtation & can do nothing about it, your only alternative is to endure it. <br> Sometimes, u may be so uncomfortable that you will have to back off <br> every few minutes & ask, "Am I all right?" If u are all right in the <br> moment, that is all u need. The next moment will take care of <br> itself. By Tom Brown Survival studies have shown that those <br> who adapt successfully in a stress situation share some common <br> attributes which set them apart from those who don't. A survivor pos- <br>sesses determination, a positive degree of stubbornness, well-defined <br>values, self-direction, & a belief in the goodness of mankind. He does <br>not fear pain or discomfort. Even the most difficult existence is accept- <br>able to him if it is beyond his ability to change it.Otherwise, he will fight <br>for change. Because an aura of timelessness exists in a survival situa- <br>tion, a person cannot allow himself to be overcome by the duration or <br>the quality of his existence. A survivalist accepts it as it is & improves <br>it from that standpoint.A survivor also possesses a utopian attitude. He <br>makes even the most miserable existence seem like millenial splendor. <br>Life on a higher plane than comfort & ease may seem strange in our <br> culture, but it is an important quality of men who survive. Time is life & <br> where existence is reduced to a hand-to-mouth level, comfort must <br> take a second seat. By Larry Dean Olsen Men with chest <br> wounds - open, sucking wounds - have stuffed them with hand-<br> kerchiefs or torn shirts & kept going. Men have broken their backs <br> when they bailed out or hit the ground. After regaining consciousness, <br>they have rolled around for a stick or board, strapped it to them in a <br>fashion & moved on. Men with severe wounds have amputated a limb, <br>whittled a crutch & kept going. Many things are possible to those with<br>will & determination. Combat Survival - Dr Gene N Lam Fear is a<br>deadly stalker that u may face someday - when u least expect it. Fear<br>is a normal emotion in an unfamiliar situation. Fear that is uncontrolled<br>can turn into blind panic. When panic is unchecked and all available<br>energy has been spent, exhaustion & often death occur. Many deaths<br>have been attributed to panic, even in non-dangerous situations. Panic<br>can be recognized by the unsettled butterflies in the stomach, pound-<br> ing heart rate or the urge to run from something. Do not attempt to run <br> away from fear (panic). The best immediate solution is to keep your<br> hands busy, your mind busy & feet still. Like most problems in<br> living, fears are better handled by facing them squarely and<br> DOING something about them. Think out your problem. Use your<br> common sense & even if u have not prepared, at least start improvi-<br>sing. By DARES Panic is the mortal enemy of anyone in a survival <br>situation. It can & does cause people to do things that are counter-pro-<br>ductive to their survival, even to the point of being suicidal. The same <br>capacity for logic & ingenuity that allowed Homo Sapiens to become <br>master of his environment also gives him an unsurpassed aptitude for<br>survival, an ability to think abstractly, effectively utilize the materials at <br>hand, and adapt to almost any set of conditions. Since panic is a non-<br>cerebral function, it can be most effectively controlled by maintaining a<br>logical approach to the task of staying alive. Proper attitude is also a <br>vital part of the survival process. The way one perceives his situation is<br>at least as important as his knowledge &skill.A successful survivalist is<br> never lost, only momentarily perplexed. He may wonder when he'll <br> get home, but never if he'll get home. The woodsman who sees<br> a sudden snowstorm as beautiful and natural has a far greater <br> chance of staying alive, than one who regards it as cold & dismal. If <br>chickadees, squirrels & deer mice are able to sustain life through the <br>worst conditions nature can offer, how can the well-prepared survivalist<br>have any doubt in his own ability to do the same? All of us are born <br>with an inherently powerful survival instinct. Believe in yourself & never<br>doubt your own capabilities. By Len McDougall Pain and fever<br>are warning signals that call attention to an injury or physical condition. <br>They are not in themselves dangerous, however distressing & discom-<br>forting. Pain can be controlled & overcome. It's biological function is to <br>protect an injured part, to prevent u using it, but this warning may have <br>to be ignored to avoid the risk of further injury or death. By John <br>Wiseman What people say u cannot do, you try and find you can. By<br> Bradford Angier Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow <br> of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me Psalms 23:4<br> Improvise, adapt, overcome. from movie Heartbreak Ridge<br><br><br>