Don’t Act Like Prey! Be Assertive! (1)

The picture is of Mr. Bear.  My husband, Rick, and I met Mr. Bear on a hiking trail in Alaska.  I’ll finish that story in the last installment of this series!

Rick and I frequently spend our vacations hiking in the national and state parks.  In the parks, there is an abundance of information on what to do if you meet wildlife, especially black bears and mountain lions.

If you meet wildlife, you do not have to give up your hike and leave!  If they have not noticed you, just give them space and go around them.  If they have noticed you, do not run away!  That can trigger the chase response.  Trust me; you do not want to be chased by a mountain lion or a bear!  They will probably win the race!

Instead, stand your ground.  If you are with someone, stand next to each other and put your arms out.  Look big.  The idea is that you want to look like enough of a threat that the animal does not want to mess with you.

You do not want to be too threatening, however.  For example, a park ranger in Glacier National Park told of a hiker who had a chunk of his shoulder bitten out by a black bear.  That sounds horrible until you hear the beginning of the story.  A hiker saw a bear on the trail, went up to the bear, and hit it on the nose!  Of course, the bear fought back!

After several years, I realized that the message was really “don’t act like prey.”  Don’t run away.  Stand up for yourself!

After a few more years, I realized this was a good metaphor for being assertive—don’t act like prey.  Don’t be passive and run and hide.  Don’t be aggressive either.  Don’t act like a predator and attack.

Future blogs will discuss how to find the balance of being assertive without being passive or aggressive.