SecretsOfNav.qxd
5/29/03
12:57 PM
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S T R E S S O L O G Y : T H E S T U DY
OF
L I F E S T O R M N AV I G AT I O N
are still being felt all across the country and, indeed, around the world. Every American was affected, particularly those who lived or worked in and around Ground Zero. The events of 9/11 changed America and Americans forever. No matter how well we weather the storm, we will never be the same again. On that day we as a nation were introduced to a new level of stress: the awareness that we too are vulnerable to global terrorists who could strike us again at any time and any place. Even as we rise to the challenge and emerge from the rubble of the World Trade Center, steadfast and resolute, the fear, stress, and uncertainty of the days immediately following 9/11 have given way to new ones. The ongoing struggle against global terrorism, such as America’s recent military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq, are stark reminders that life storms, even on a global scale, will never go away. One will pass only to be replaced by another. Our survival depends on our success in navigating these storms. Through Crisis Response Training, hundreds of people involved in 9/11 and its aftereffects have learned to process their stress and trauma and to perform under pressure upon demand. They have learned how to navigate the greatest storms ever to hit their lives. What worked for these hundreds of people at Ground Zero and later will also work for all of us in helping us learn to navigate life’s storms. STRESS EXCELLENCE Life storms come in many forms: trauma, tragedy, illness, injury, depression, anxiety, financial reversal, divorce, and even the pressures and stress of day-to-day living. With its affinity for “pop” psychology, our modern, sophisticated culture encourages us to deal with these storms by adopting a 21