Way Out!

I shared with you the story of 33 miners who were trapped underground for 69 days in the Copiapó mining accident. Please read here. Their amazing survival story shows you can survive any situation too. Let’s learn their way out:

1. Sacrifice: the 33 miners knew the food they had wouldn’t sustain them for too long. They could eat to satisfaction and die later of starvation or ration the food and live long enough to eat in future. The men opted to take a meal a day of two cookies and one spoon of tuna fish. Their condition was so delicate that when the government finally got food to them, the next dilemma was determining the kind of food that won’t kill them. You pay lip service to success if you cannot sacrifice your comfort for it.
2. Fellowship: to my mind, if only one miner had been trapped instead of 33, the chances of survival would have been slim. Footage of the miners while underground showed they assisted one another to stay strong. They weren’t all always strong but they took turn to encourage and motivate one another. A major error people make is to push everyone away when they go through tough times. While it is not advisable to share your issues with everyone, accept the support of trusted companions.
3. Responsibility: when you find yourself in helpless situations, there is the tendency to sit tight and wait for rescue. However, the miners ensured they were constantly engaged, leaving little time for hopelessness. They cooperated to maintain the mine, took turn to explore escape routes and kept up the morale of others. They were also actively involved in their rescue by providing useful information to the rescue team.
4. Humour: never take life too seriously. No matter the challenge you face, don’t forget to have a good laugh. No, you are not crazy! It just lightens your mood. The trapped miners displayed a commendable level of humour despite their precarious situation. The footage of them underground showed them making jokes and laughing. They never saw the sun for 69 days, yet they found reasons to laugh. Your gloom doesn’t only make your burden harder to bear but also makes it difficult for people to assist you. Could it have helped if the miners were in a foul mood and cursed the rescuers for not moving fast enough? Your positive attitude helps people to help you.