If you are planning a great trip in the outdoors there are several things that you should know. However some of the things you should have in your knowledge base are much simpler than you think. Now, a wilderness therapist is sharing the number one single most important thing that you should know about nature. Then, she also shares some key survival tips so buckle up!
The Most Important Thing You Should Know About Nature
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Jessie Krebs is a wilderness expert. She has spent decades as a wilderness therapist and military trainer. She has helped used the beauty of nature to allow people to heal from various struggles — all while also sharing his wisdom and survival tips. However, the one thing that she said everyone should know about nature surprised me a bit.
"I want people to understand that the wilderness is not out to get you," the wilderness therapist said. "She's not this creature that's hovering, just waiting for an opportunity to pounce." You may be wondering why that is the most important thing you should know about nature — I know I was. However, after giving it some thought it makes a lot of sense. Oftentimes, people bring their fear, trauma, or lack of experience with them into the wilderness.
Even the survival pieces I write here, which are for informative purposes, can seem quite daunting. Talks of if you don't do this you could get frostbite and die or if you don't do X you could get sick or seriously injured are definitely scary. It can make the wilderness seem like an absolutely terrifying place with endless boogie men waiting to jump out and attack you. Although Mother Nature can be perilous it is important not to have a negative view of her.
Mainly because if you go into the wilderness with the wrong mindset, you will have a harder time surviving. After all, no one makes their best choices with a panicked mindset.
The Pro Shares Some Key Survival Tips
After Krebs shared the most important thing to know about nature, she made sure to hit on a few key survival tips as well. First and foremost she warned that many accidents happen during the day, because people have their guard down and are unprepared. Outdoor Life shared the wilderness therapist's thoughts. They mentioned that "day hikes are the most perilous, because we're typically unprepared for a change in weather or a sprained ankle or a bad fall."
Additionally, Krebs mentions that another survival tip is to practice with all of your outdoor equipment before you get out into the wilderness. Makes sense right? That sleeping bag isn't going to do you a whole lot of good if you can't figure out how to get it open. Or that fire starter won't help you keep warm if you don't know how to use it. Additionally, Krebs points out how your mindset is your most useful survival tool.
While Krebs may not be the biggest individual, or have the most up-to-date gear, she out-survives people with larger muscle or better equipment. Why — because of her tenacity and calm demeanor. She shares, ""Wilderness is a great equalizer. It doesn't care who you are, or how much money you make, or what trauma you have in your background. It reduces everything to the moment, to a particular time and place and to the law of consequences."
Additionally, she mentions that if you get lost you should not move. It is easier to get found if you stay local near the area that you went missing. She even shared how certain rocks collect dew and how to start a fire with a magnifying glass. While some of these skills may seem difficult, the instructor simply points out that in order to stay sharp, survival skills must be continuously practiced.
