Learning to swim while you’re drowning?? Not the best idea…
That’s what it’s like when you only try to use coping skills in the middle of a crisis.
Here’s the thing:
When your adrenaline is spiked and your cortisol is pumping… your brain is in survival mode.
And survival mode is NOT learning mode.
So, if you’ve never practiced those deep breaths, grounding exercises, or reset routines when things are calm…
…good luck trying to pull them off when your heart’s racing at 150 beats per minute.
Why doesn’t this strategy work out for us?
Well, it’s like being thrown into the ocean, and you’ve never swam before…
…and someone yells out to you:
“Hey mate, just figure out how to swim while you’re going under.”
Probably not gonna happen.
Instead, you’ve got to treat coping skills like training at the gym.
You don’t wait until game day to do your first push-up.
You build the reps when the stakes are low.
So that, when the storm hits, your body already knows what to do.
This week, try practicing one coping skill while you’re calm.
Take 5 deep breaths while you’re making coffee.
Do a quick body scan while sitting in traffic.
Name 5 things you can see, 4 you can touch, 3 you can hear… while you’re in the shower.
Tiny reps. Daily.
So when the panic, stress, or crisis shows up… your brain says:
“Oh, I know this one. We’ve done the reps.”
A Final Note from the Author
Don’t wait to learn swimming while you’re drowning.
Train when the waters are calm.
Your future self will thank you.
