Resilience Training(Blue Phase)

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Terminal Learning Objective

ACTION: Identify techniques to “check and adjust” initial reactions and energy management to ensure optimal performance

CONDITIONS: In a classroom environment, given an overview of techniques of how to check and adjust initial reactions

STANDARDS: Identifying techniques to check and adjust initial reactions and energy management to ensure optimal performance utilizing the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) concepts and the principles

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Quick Refresher

What do you remember from last time?

What are the four kinds of initial reactions?

What are some of the signs of stress?

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ActivatingEvent

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

OptimalReaction andPerformance

Check

Adjust

Initial Reaction

Is this a situation you can control?

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Self-Talk

Sometimes we tell ourselves that we can't do things – this may stop us from even trying

What we say to ourselves (self-talk) can make the difference between success and failure

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Self-Talk

Focusing on the task at hand and relying on your training will help you to achieve optimal performance

Talk yourself through it; for example, you can say to yourself …– “Focus”

– “I’m trained to do this”

– “I can do this”

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Maintain Your Sense of Humor

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Restructure Your Thoughts

There can be many ways to think about a situation (activating event)

How you think can affect how you end up feeling and acting

You need to be realistic and look at the evidence both for and against what you're thinking about a situation

You may need to help your buddy do this too

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Thinking Traps

One thing that gets in the way of realistic thinking is getting caught in a “thinking trap”

Thinking traps are ways of viewing activating events that can cause problems

Restructuring thoughts begins with identifying whether you or your buddy are caught in a thinking trap

Here’s how they work…

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Thinking Traps

We are falling into thinking traps when:

– Jumping to Conclusions

– Mind Reading

– Me, Me, Me

– Them, Them, Them

– Always, Always, Always

– Everything, Everything, Everything

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Scenario One

You're late for formation and end up getting your squad smoked

What thoughts might you have?

– “I'm an idiot, I let my buddies down”

– “I always screw up”

– “They're all going to hate me”

– “I'm not going to make it through BCT”

How might you end up feeling and acting?

Are these reactions helpful?

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Scenario One

“I'm an idiot, I let my buddies down”

– Thinking Trap: Me, Me, Me

“I always screw up”

– Thinking Trap: Always, Always, Always

“They're all going to hate me”

– Thinking Trap: Mind Reading

“I'm not going to make it through BCT”

– Thinking Trap: Jumping to Conclusions

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Restructure Your Thoughts

Ask yourself the following questions to restructure your thoughts:

– “Are there other ways to think about this situation? Am I missing something?”

– “How might other people see and deal with this situation?”

– “What would I tell a buddy who was in the same situation?”

– “How can I grow from the situation?”

One time, One thing

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Scenario One

Restructure your unhelpful thoughts about the scenario "You got your squad smoked"

– “I won’t do that again; I've learned my lesson”

– “Now other Soldiers might not make that mistake”

– “If that's the worst thing I do, I'm doing pretty well”

– “Everyone messes up; it's not the end of the world”

Now how might you end up feeling and acting?

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“Adjust” Behavioral Reactions

Time management Writing letters; keeping

a diary or journal Distraction - “serial

7s” Seeking support

– Buddies– Cadre– Chaplain– Behavioral

Health

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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“Adjust” Physical Reactions

Exercise

Sufficient sleep

Proper nutrition

Energy Management

– Controlled breathing

– Grounding

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Energy Management: Controlled Breathing

Quick and easy Your breathing is within your control Controlled breathing slows breathing rate,

heart rate and blood pressure to induce a state of calm

Requires practice

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Energy Management: Controlled Breathing

Take a normal breath, hold, and count to 5

Breathe out and as you do focus on the feeling of relaxation

Breathe in and out slowly through your nose in 10-second cycles ….

“in -2-3-4-5, out -2-3-4-5”

Repeat until symptoms are gone

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Let’s Put it to the Test

Take your pulse

Hyperventilate

Check your pulse

Conduct controlled breathing exercise

Check your pulse

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Energy Management: Grounding

Brings your awareness back to the here and now

Arousal control: Grounding counteracts the negative effects of adrenalin and helps you to focus on the task at hand

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How to Ground:(3x3 Exercise)

Identify 3 things you can:

– See

– Hear

– Feel (physically)

You can modify the three categories to other things in your immediate environment (field examples)

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How to Ground

Grounding is best used before or after controlled breathing

If you see one of your buddies is anxious, you can use grounding to help bring them back to the present, calm down and focus on the task

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“Adjust” Emotional Reactions Emotions are influenced by

the other reactions

You don't have to act on your emotions

“Practice optimism”

Controlling emotions means showing the right emotion at the right time

This is a fundamental Soldier skill

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Scenario Two

You’re in line at the shoppette with your buddy, and someone from another platoon cuts in front of him

What reactions might your buddy have?

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Scenario Two

Check - how helpful are these reactions?

How can you help your buddy adjust these reactions?

– Help put it in perspective

– Help by using humor

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Scenario Three

You’re getting more and more anxious before one of the big training events (e.g., Gas Chamber, Confidence Course, Weapons Qualification)

What reactions might you have?

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Scenario Three

Check – How helpful are these reactions?

What can you do to help yourself?

Step 1. What’s controllable?

Step 2. Adjust your initial reaction

How might you end up feeling and acting?

Behavior Emotions

PhysicalReactions

Thoughts

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Resilience

Watch out for your buddies and help them wherever possible

“Check and adjust” initial reactions; if the initial reactions are not helpful in the situation - adjust them

You can train yourself in how to manage your reactions - that's part of being mentally prepared

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I am an American Soldier.

I am a Warrior and a member of a team. I servethe people of the United States and live the Army Values.

I will always place the mission first.

I will never accept defeat.

I will never quit.

I will never leave a fallen comrade.

I am disciplined, physically and mentally tough, trained and proficient in my warrior tasks and drills. I always maintain my arms, my equipment and myself.

I am an expert and I am a professional.

I stand ready to deploy, engage and destroy the enemies of the United States of America in close combat.

I am a guardian of freedom and the American way of life.

I am an American Soldier.

Soldier’s Creed

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Terminal Learning Objective

ACTION: Identify techniques to “check and adjust” initial reactions and energy management to ensure optimal performance

CONDITIONS: In a classroom environment, given an overview of techniques of how to check and adjust initial reactions

STANDARDS: Identifying techniques to check and adjust initial reactions and energy management to ensure optimal performance utilizing the Comprehensive Soldier Fitness (CSF) concepts and the principles