4 Powerful Life Saving Lessons to Learn from the Thailand Cave Rescue

What was supposed to be a fun outing after a football practice for a group of 12 young boys, turned out to be an incident that kept the world in suspense for 18 days. All thanks to my research coaching intern, Gbemi Obadan, I became very informed about and interested in the key Lessons from this story.

On the 23rd of June, the Moo Pa academy team, consisting of 12 young boys between the ages of 11-16, alongside their 25 year old coach got trapped inside the Tham Luang cave. They were found 9 days after their entrapment and after which a highly technical and complex rescue operation began.

As a Life coach and Psychotherapist, I have been highly intrigued by the Emotional Stability, Resilience and Power displayed by these young boys. My intrigue lead to curiosity, as I wondered how such young boys managed to stay alive without food, light, water etc. for 9 whole days till they were found and rescued.

Based on this, I decided to highlight 4 very Powerful Life Saving Lessons we can learn from these young boys and what we need to inculcate into our children as parents and guardians.

These lessons are applicable to all areas of Life, and should be taken very seriously as it can be a matter of life and death for anyone of us at any time just as it was for these boys.

1. The Power of Positive Affirmations - The first video the world got to see of the young boys was recorded by a Thai Navy SEAL. This video showed the boys sending a traditional Thai greeting gesture to the camera. Each boy then proceeded to introduce himself by a nickname, and emphatically adds 'I am in good health', after the introduction. It is truly powerful to see such young boys, who at the time had been trapped for about 9 days, with no expectation of being found, take control of the situation by using positive affirmations.

This is an important reminder to us all to actively engage the power of our words, to take charge of situations in life. Only speak what you want to see happen, because your words have creative energy and your words create your world.

According to King Solomon the wisest King that ever lived “The Power of Life and Death is in the Tongue” - Proverbs 18:21

To help you get your words right and to create positive affirmation click this link and get my Affirmations Album immediately or get it on iTunes. Your Life or that of your friends and family members may depend on this skill someday. 

2. The Power of Positive Thinking

Everyone knows that the human body needs basic requirements such as food, water, shelter, clothing etc. to survive. Without these, after a while the body simply shuts down and dies. Many however do not know or understand the role the mind plays in keeping the body alive.

In emergency/crisis situations, a person’s mental and emotional state/nutrients is even more important than their physical state and nutrients.

 It is obvious that these young lads kept their hopes high and tried their best to maintain positive spirits. Experts have stated that the sense of hope must have played a huge role in keeping them alive with no food and little water. Maintaining a positive attitude, emotions and outlook towards life is very key. In crisis situations, people who remain positive, are more likely to come up with creative ways to survive, more than people who think negatively and stay pessimistic.

The fact that upon discovery, the boys appeared cognitively intact and were able to ask coherent questions, despite being weak and hungry shows that they did all they could to stay healthy mentally and emotionally. If you will stay alive, it's important to consciously pay attention to your mental and emotional state and wellbeing.

According to King Solomon “As a man Thinketh in his Heart so is he” Proverbs 23:7

(c) REUTERS - The 12 young footballers mourn heroic former Navy SEAL and volunteer diver, Saman Gunan who lost his life on the 6th of July while installing oxygen tanks in the flooded cave complex.

3. The Power of Humour

King Solomon also once said; “A happy disposition is good for your health...gloom and doom leave you bone tired”. Proverbs 17:22

Another very important lesson the world needs to learn from these young but courageous lads is the power of humour and a cheerful disposition. From the footage released by the Thai Navy SEAL, all through the ordeal the boys were seen making jokes and generally being cheerful. Even from the letters sent to their parents, they were jokingly asking for lots of their favourite food and assuring their parents not to worry about their safety.

According to John Leach, a senior research fellow at the University of Portsmouth who works extensively with hostage survivors, prisoners and kidnap victims; “Humour is a signature characteristic of survival”.

Humour releases an adequate dose of Dopamine which keeps you motivated, hopeful and driven to live.

4. The Power of Coaching - A good, professional and Integrative life coach is a very critical component to survival, success and living a significant life. Not to take the attention off the young boys, but It is important to highlight the role their 25 year old coach played in keeping the boys alive and safe. Prior to becoming a football coach, Ekapol Chantawong served as a Buddhist monk for a decade.

Reports state that he taught the boys how to meditate while they were trapped in the dark cave for days. According to the boys, positive meditation helped them preserve their energy and stay calm, while they waited for help. Their coach also gave his share of food to the boys, and was found to be the weakest of the group physically due to his lack of food. Ekapor also ensured he was the last to be rescued amongst the boys.

In Life, we all need some form of leverage, support, help and boost to perform at optimal levels, especially when trouble comes knocking. Engaging the help of a life coach before you are in trouble and connecting with him or her before a crisis happens, is key to how you survive that crisis.

Never wait until you’re in trouble to engage a life coach. A Life Coach is your progress partner helping you transition from where you currently are to where you desire to be, hand holding you as you overcome every barrier along your path to success.

Finally, according to King Solomon, “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety” - Proverbs 11:14

Do you have a Life Coach? How do you get a great Life Coach who is certified and experienced in Nigeria and Africa?

Call OLCA today on +234 8077077000

Email us also at info@olcang.com or go to www.olcang.com

You can also call the Life Coaches Association of Nigeria (LCAN) to vet your Life Coach before engaging them +234812 234 9233, +234 803 910 2987, +234 909 321 1702

Email LCAN at membership@lcan.ng

All 12 boys and their football coach were rescued last week to the delight of everyone. The Thai government did all they could humanly do, to ensure that the boys were brought to safety; reiterating the immeasurable value of the human life.

Theirs was a suspense filled story, with a happy ending. These young boys have taught the entire world powerful life lessons that money cannot buy and most business schools may not be able to teach.

Shalom ,

The Catalyst