Preparing for Stressors

Miguel De Cervantes said that to be prepared is half the victory. No matter
what the twists of fate may hurl in your direction, if you are prepared for the
worst, you can take control of unforeseen circumstances before they send you
into a tailspin. This article will offer ten ideas for ensuring that you
have a fighting chance against many of the common challenges that may
unexpectedly come your way.

The first thing you could do (should do) is take a first-aid course. You never
know when an accident or injury could strike either you or someone around you.
Having the skills to handle common emergency situations could mean the
difference between life and death. Virtually every local hospital can point you
in the direction for obtaining a certificate in first aid. If you are still not
convinced, consider that employers value first-aid skills quite highly.

The second thing you could do is take an advanced-driving course. If you have
never heard of an advanced-driving course, it is a program of behind-the-wheel
instruction for learning many emergency driving techniques that you may not
have picked up when first learning to drive.

The third thing you could do is take a course in basic automotive repair. You
never know when you could find yourself stranded along some desolate highway,
in a state of panic because you are unaware that there is a simple fix for your
car that can get you going again in an instant.

The fourth thing you could do is learn survival skills. There are people out
there who would be more than happy to teach you the tricks of survival,
bushcraft, tracking, and so forth. You may never find yourself in a jungle, but
the awareness you gain as a result of your study will help you throughout life
in more ways than you can possibly imagine.

The fifth thing you could do is sign up for an army boot camp. Many national
armies offer their fellow citizens a taste of army life by holding regular boot
camps. Who knows, you may even find yourself signing up to the defense forces
for a rewarding full-time career.

The sixth thing you could do is take a self-defense course. Krav Maga is a good
martial art that offers rapid gains in combat skills. After starting out with
Krav Maga or another self-defense program to get your feet wet, you could move
on to train in the mixed martial arts, including Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay
Thai. By studying the martial arts, you would know that you have a chance of
surviving an otherwise fatal street assault or mugging.

The seventh thing you could do is ensure that you have a quality
health-insurance policy. Life insurance may also be on the table if you have a
family to support. In fact, having as many kinds of insurance as your budget
allows — car insurance, home insurance, health insurance, life insurance — is
considered sound practice.

The eighth thing you could do is ensure that your home and property are
protected by locks, alarm systems, and other security measures. Some companies
will even install CCTV surveillance equipment throughout your home for
competitive prices. Although it is possible to go overboard into James Bond
land, nothing terrifies potential burglars more than signs of a vigilant
homeowner.

The ninth thing you could do is create a list of all the monthly, half-yearly,
and yearly medical visits you should make: dentist, optometrist, general
check-up with blood test, skin checks (particularly for those at high risk of
skin cancer), immunizations, and so on.

The tenth and final thing you could do is join an improv class or a stand-up
comedy class. Learning to laugh at your ups and downs is often the best form of
preparation for dealing with potential stressors!