Putting this out there for your consideration:

In dangerous times when many events around you portend great calamity, the very worst thing you can do is respond emotionally to any of the stimuli made available to you.  This is the time that you should put your stoicism into practice, and be coldly and logically objective on what you might do to ensure you and your NPT members are prepared for the eventualities you evaluate as probable.  Put your emotions away when dealing with preparation or an emergency.  There’ll be time enough to let those out later.

Brackets added for clarity.

If you’re going to use anyone as your model, channel, “Captain Speirs,” from the HBO series, ‘Band of Brothers.’   Those familiar with the series can tell you this quote, or versions of it, “…the only hope you have is to accept the fact that you’re already dead, and the sooner you accept that, the sooner you’ll be able to function as a soldier’s supposed to function. Without mercy, without compassion, without remorse. All [successful] war depends on it.”  

In other words, without emotion.

Remember, as part of a NPT, whether as a leader or as a member, should SHTF, you are the only thing between an enemy and your ‘precious cargo.’  You can’t afford the luxury of being an emotionally driven man.

For example:

• Do not take too seriously any videos/pictures or story you see on mainstream or web news sources, unless you can prove they were not manipulated.  Remember, mainstream news personalities have been caught with a ‘slip of the lip’ — they see their job as telling the citizenry what to think.  Always try to determine what is the desired outcome of any ‘news’ article or ‘leak.’  Always ask, ‘who benefits.’  Always follow the money to see who profits from one ’emergency’ or another.

• Do not ‘panic buy’ supplies.  Keep on your plan for incremental increase for your larder and don’t use your cash reserves – you might need them later before you can refill your coffee can.

• Do not vent your frustrations in public or at private gatherings that have people attending that are not like minded.  Save that for your closest friends and keep it private.  You never know who is listening and/or taking what they hear out of context and what the ramifications of that may be.

• Do not stop your PT program.  Stick with it and up the intensity if you want; that’s what always helps me deal with stress, maybe it will for you, too.

• Do not fall prey to the, ‘paralysis of analysis.’  In other words, don’t let your thoughts on current events overwhelm you so that you are basically sitting somewhere trying to figure out what you need to do.  Prioritize and execute.

• Check and re-check your equipment.  It’s spring.  Take this opportunity to empty and clean your ruck, and re-waterproof it.  Same with your LBE.

• Do not allow others’ speech or actions to ‘punch your buttons.’  Typically, when someone does that, they’re hoping for an unreasoned emotional response.  It’s not easy, but you can do it with practice.

If you need an inspiration, look no further than this man:  Admiral James B. Stockdale

Read his book, “Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot.”  You can get it, here.  Here’s just one of the many facets of wisdom he imparts that will help see you through a crisis:

“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”

Or this one:

“It’s in disaster, not success, that the heroes and the bums really get sorted out.”

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U.S. Navy File Photo: Formal portrait of Rear Adm. James B. Stockdale in dress white uniform. He is one of the most highly decorated officers in the history of the Nay, wearing twenty six personal combat decorations, including two Distinguished Flying Crosses, three Distinguished Service Medals, two Purple Hearts, and four Silver Star medals in addition to the Medal of Honor. Later he obtained the rank of Vice Admiral, and is the only three star Admiral in the history of the Navy to wear both aviator wings and the Medal of Honor. U.S. Navy photo (RELEASED)