mental coping strategies on bushwalks

[perfectlydark]

Actually I like to overestimate how much further to go if having trouble too. Much better to be surprised to be back earlier than expected than groaning that you still have a few hours while your knees are burning. I apply this to all aspects of life actually, always over/under estimate something with a generous error margin

[north-north-west]

I apply this to all aspects of life actually, always over/under estimate something with a generous error margin

And it impresses the Hell out of your bosses when you tell them that job will take at least three hours and you complete it in two . . .

[perfectlydark]

Better than not meeting a deadline even if selfimposed!

[Onestepmore]

All of those Wayno but the favourite is ....just keep putting one foot in front of the other

It's just one step more
And then one step more
And then .....

[NathanaelB]

I'm usually pretty busy/active when walking … taking photos, stopping to set up the tripod, taking weather observations, position fixes, recording notes, identifying named terrain features, geocaching, studying flora. Also when it comes to pain or any kind of situation or even crisis, knowledge helps. When you twist you ankle and you know how best to treat it and what it means and having a plan for if you can't make it out.

"Deep Survival" is a great book that's rather different from typical survival skill books in that it talks about the psychology of dealing with survival situations and looks at the stories of people who have survived or didn't, and what it was about their thinking and approach that enabled them to survive (beyond just skills or equipment) or why those who perished may have survived if they had the right "attitude" or were empowered with skills to handle fear etc.