Fellow aviators, have you ever found yourselves frustrated when external events affect your plans? Maybe it was a delayed flight, bad weather, or a mechanical issue. It’s natural to feel this way, but as Marcus Aurelius once said, circumstances have no care for our feelings.
Marcus Aurelius, a Roman Emperor and philosopher, wrote a book called Meditations, where he shared his personal reflections and philosophical musings. In one of his passages, he quotes a line from a play by Euripides called Bellerophon. The hero, Bellerophon, starts to doubt the existence of the gods, and in this particular quote, he’s saying that we shouldn’t take external events personally when they don’t have the ability to respond to our emotions.
As pilots, we have a lot of responsibilities and are trained to handle high-stress situations. But sometimes, even the small things like a delayed flight, a rude passenger, or a malfunctioning instrument can affect our emotions. It’s essential to take a deep breath and remember that circumstances are not sentient beings. They can’t respond to our shouts and cries. So, there’s no point in getting worked up over something we can’t control.
Therefore, the key takeaway here is to accept that external events are just that, external. They don’t have the power to affect us unless we let them. It’s okay to feel disappointed or frustrated when things don’t go as planned, but we also need to learn to stay calm under pressure and assess risks to make quick decisions when needed.
One technique that pilots use to stay calm under pressure is to practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being present in the moment and focusing on our thoughts and feelings without judgment. It can help us regulate our emotions and make better decisions in stressful situations.
There are many ways to practice mindfulness, and it’s essential to find a method that works for you. Some pilots like to take a few deep breaths and focus on the sensations in their body. Others prefer to listen to calming music or repeat a mantra to themselves. Whatever technique you choose, the key is to stay present in the moment and avoid getting caught up in negative thoughts or emotions.
Another technique that can help us deal with external events is to reframe our mindset. Instead of viewing a delay or mechanical issue as a negative experience, we can choose to see it as an opportunity to practice our problem-solving skills or spend more time with our crew. By reframing our mindset, we can turn a negative experience into a positive one and reduce our stress levels in the process.
In addition to mindfulness and reframing our mindset, it’s also important to take care of ourselves physically. Pilots have to deal with a lot of stress, and it’s essential to take steps to reduce that stress as much as possible. This can include getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising regularly.
It’s also important to take breaks and recharge our batteries when we need to. This can mean taking a few minutes to stretch during a long flight or taking a day off to spend time with our family and friends. By taking care of ourselves physically, we can reduce our stress levels and be better equipped to handle external events when they arise.
So remember, external events are a part of life, and as pilots, we’re no strangers to them. However, it’s essential to remember that circumstances have no care for our feelings. They can’t respond to our shouts and cries. So, there’s no point in getting worked up over something we can’t control. By practicing mindfulness, reframing our mindset, and taking care of ourselves physically, we can reduce our stress levels and be better equipped to handle external events when they arise.
At Pilot Life Training, we believe that resilience is a critical skill for pilots to develop, and our online technical courses are designed to help pilots build this essential skill. By providing comprehensive course materials, interactive learning tools, and dedicated support from our course developers, our courses equip pilots with the knowledge and skills they need to handle any external event that may come their way.
With our flexible and convenient online courses, you can study at your own pace and fit your studies around your existing commitments, making it easier to become a more resilient pilot.
Enroll now at Pilot Life Training and take the first step towards building resilience in your aviation career.