Badlands
The Wasteland Guide
Ol’ Torbay can't teach you how to find water, light fire with steel and flint, nor can he tell you how to rig up a short wave radio from wire and diodes — but what's the use of you give it all away the first chance you get?
Your ability to both judge, and do without the company of people — now that's something you and I can talk about, pilgrim. They say don't go shopping on an empty stomach, likewise, don't go looking for a friend when you're desperate.
The best thing to do when you're dysregulated — and you'll certainly be dysregulated in the Wasteland — is to sit with it. Make yourself comfortable; overwhelming feelings are best experienced in a relaxed body. Make sure you're safe, warm, and have some time on your hands.
You might like to start by focusing on your feet, or other extremities.
Remember to breathe.
When you're ready, touch that excruciating feeling with your mind.
breathe
You don't need to think about it; your thoughts are an attempt to ward it off.
This is what it's like to be you, right now, alive.
breathe
The thoughts will warn you away; they'll tell you to stand up and rush around,
but you've already tried that, plenty of times.
breathe
You're not going to destroy this feeling; you're just meeting it and begining to process it;
what's to say?
Where is it, exactly? Where does it start? Where does it end? What do the edges feel like?
breathe
it hurts ba
breathe
won't kill you though
ignoring it will do that
breathe
it's been here all along
breathe
waiting
for you
to breathe