When bad things (emergencies, disasters, etc.) happen to good people, one of the first things that happens to many is panic, soon followed by “Why me?” cascade of emotions I do not blame them. His world has been turned upside down, shaken, and few of the rules that once governed his life now apply. They have built their lives within a set of comfortable boundaries that they understand and even accept. Now everything has changed and his negative emotions fight (with little resistance) for dominance. Their situation would be much better served if they had entered the crisis with a mindset that I call a relaxed conscience.

Relaxed awareness is a lot like meditation…it’s about being fully in the “Now.” You enjoy your life normally, but you operate at a higher level of consciousness than most people. Defensive driving is a good example of relaxed awareness. When you practice it, you are not “disconnected” and therefore can remember the entire epilogue of your urge. Instead of your mind wandering while driving, it stays with your body. What a concept!

Being in a state of relaxed awareness when entering an emergency situation will greatly increase your chances of survival. It allows you to quickly recognize and even avoid a threat and also prevents your emotions from short-circuiting your mind. You can then easily raise your awareness to a more focused level so you can analyze your new reality, define a new set of rules, and develop a plan of action.

Another important aspect of relaxed awareness practice is that it helps you stay in touch with your subconscious. Your subconscious picks up subtleties that your conscious mind misses and communicates them to you with “gut” feelings. In a state of relaxed awareness, it will be easier for you to trust your “intuition” and avoid a potentially threatening situation.

Everyone has the ability to develop a state of relaxed awareness in their daily lives. It is a mindset that can and should be constantly developed and exercised. Long-term practice of this skill is not very stressful (unlike other higher levels of situational awareness) and provides a layer of protection around you. It’s like a security blanket that you never take off. With it you will enjoy your life with a higher level of security because you never leave your brain at home.