When Life Crashes
One of my favorite stories of resilience is that of the 1972 Uruguayan rugby team. The story is quite remarkable. On October 12, 1972, Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, carrying 45 athletes and family members, crashed in a remote part of the Andes mountains. Only 16 passengers survived, but they were trapped with no real hope of survival. They had no radio, food, supplies, or certainty of being found.
For 72 days, they struggled to survive, making heartrending decisions to help them stay alive. As the realization that no rescue was coming became evident, two of them made the harrowing choice to hike over the snow-capped mountains to hopefully find help for all of them.
Their choices, while difficult, helped to ensure their long-term survival. Some of those decisions would haunt them for years to come. There are two a books and a movie ("Miracle of the Andes" and “Alive”) that tell the story that portrays the path taken and how their decisions impacted that journey.
In interviews following their rescue, a couple of the survivors described their experience this way: "We had to change tragedy into a miracle, depression into hope. We had to make a plan. We had to save ourselves.”
It was the plan and their commitment to follow it that saved them. Their decisions and resilience saved their lives. And the same thing is true for you and me. We need to make a plan towards resiliency. Eventually, all of us will crash. All of us will experience the difficult moments of life. That’s why we need a plan.
Beginning on July 12, I will be offering an 8-week online Zoom workshop featuring concepts in my book, Choose Your Best. During the workshop, we will discuss steps designed to prepare you for resiliency. There will be two options for joining us: Sunday night or Tuesday night. Both options will meet for one hour starting at 7 PM CST.
The workshop is being offered for only $349 and includes a special Choose Your Best packet. The packet includes a signed copy of Choose Your Best, a workbook, a journal, and special swag. To help me better understand your path, I will chat one-on-one by phone with each participant before the first session and another call following the final session.
Space is limited, so sign up early! Registration will be available at https://www.drscottapeterson.com/workshops starting June 10. It’s going to be a fun 8 weeks! Please feel free to text me at 843-276-8079 if you have further questions. Choose your best and join us!