Occasionally, things go terribly wrong. Someone is injured, you become disoriented, or you discover you've recently lost a large sum of money. Your natural instinct might be to panic. Why shouldn't you have a breakdown? What will you do with the money now that you've lost it? What will happen to your friend or relative who has just fainted and seems terribly ill?

Panic may be normal, but it is also completely counterproductive. When you react this way, you are more likely to make the situation worse than better, and you can end up creating more problems than you solve. The best course of action is to remain cool and robotic. You may seem passionless and cold, but this is the most efficient and effective way to respond to any such situation. You can panic, cry, or grieve later, but this way you will help everyone deal with the problem.

The challenge, however, is in how you can overcome this initial emotional reaction. How can you keep a cool head when everything around you is going wrong?

Calm down and take a deep breath.

The first step is to take a step back and take a few deep breaths before assessing the problem. A rush of adrenaline – your fight or flight hormone – causes an immediate primal response. This can be very useful for improving reaction time, muscle power, and other things. Unfortunately, it also reduces activity in the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for planning and thinking ahead.

Instead, you should focus on controlling your breathing and relaxing. Your parasympathetic nervous system will restore your „rest and digest“ state. So, take a deep breath in through your belly and let it fill your lungs. You're not in a great rush. You're only making the situation worse by acting prematurely.

Look for the answer.

Now, look for the most effective solution to the problem at hand. By viewing the event from the outside, you can attempt to emotionally distance yourself from it. Consider this an exercise where you must narrow down your alternatives to the most advantageous. In this situation, you might hesitate to act. Every option you consider will almost certainly have a negative consequence, and may even make the situation worse. However, once you have carefully analysed your options and efficiently thought through the optimal course of action, the next step is simply to act.

Act with positivity and decisiveness, even when you're uncertain. This includes accepting that things can go wrong and that you might be to blame. In other words, you have to take responsibility and be prepared to bear it if necessary. It means you are able and willing to face the storm that is brewing.

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