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>

the idea of technical survival notes are to remember you and to teach a fellow survivor how to use it wenn your not cappoble to using it. your survival note doesnt cover that part. i also think it kinda to long, so it add's bulk to your kit. besides will you read it ? i mean if you know how to survive, have overcome the initial fear. you usually make an plan and do the thing you planned, instead of reading this very long text....<br>atleast that what i would do ( i think ). a shorter text, with some technical info would be better ( i think ) in the most survival situations.

Each person responds to an emergency situation differently and a person can respond to emergency situation differently each time depending on the circumstance. I have know individuals in the rescue business for many years (including myself), who have performed some rescue or ems technique/procedure hundreds of times to the point it has become second nature, suddenly freeze and have to literally be talked through the event. No one knows for sure how they will react to a particular event. Training, knowledge and equipment will clearly be an advantage, but will not predict with absolute assurance how an individual will react. If, having words, photos or other comfort items will increase in a positive way, an individual’s response to an emergency go for it, we are all different and must find what will work for us. Pete

Xavier,<br><br>Thanks. The notes I have in my PSKs use the S.T.O.P. acronym as the basis for some "positive thinking" instructions, but mainly as an instruction set for someone else who may be using my kit, instead of me. I know that, when things get tough, I benefit from autosuggestion and repetition. I draw strength from certain written materials which inspire me and from reciting, aloud or silently, certain statements and phrases which calm and direct me. I think I will make a document like yours and add it to my kits.<br><br>You may wish to buy some Map Seal and waterproof your document with it.