Overcoming Anxiety: Alex Coker of Remote Survival On Five Effective Strategies for Mental Well-Being
An Interview with Nancy Landrum
If you find that you can’t sleep, keep a pen and pad by your bed. If you will write down all the things on your mind, it will allow your mind to rest peacefully knowing that your thoughts are locked down on that piece of paper. You will not forget anything on your checklist and your strategy will remain fresh.
Anxiety seems to be the dis-ease of our times. More people than ever are taking medications to help them cope with stress. Nearly everyone I talk to is consumed with anxious feelings that hijack any pleasure they could be getting from their lives. The pressure to “produce” combined with a perception of “not enough time,” combines to create anxiety, self-doubt, frustration and resentment. Resentment, then, is often taken out on your closest, most important relationships. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Alex Coker.
Alex Coker was the Co-Host/Survival Guru for the global TV Show, “Remote Survival”, on the National Geographic Channel. He has appeared on History Channel2’s, “Stan Lee’s Super Humans”, as a SWAT Rappel Master. He has also been an actor in several other TV Shows, big budget films, and commercials.
Alex was born and raised near Memphis, TN. He grew up hunting, fishing, and camping. He is a survivalist at heart and is prepared for anything.
In 1992, he joined the U.S. Army Infantry. He served in the Presidential Honor Guard from 1995–1997 in Washington, DC. In 2002, Coker left the Army after ten years of service with an Honorable Discharge. He was a Staff Sergeant/E-6, MOS:11B3PB4. He completed Airborne School, Air Assault School, Special Forces Assessment and Selection-(S.F.A.S.), U.S. Marine Corps. Scout Sniper Instructor School-(Basic Course) at Quantico, VA, and earned his Expert Infantryman’s Badge.
In 2002, Alex joined the Horn Lake Police Department-(HLPD). He was the Honor Graduate-”#1 Top Cop” in his Class-”Class#199" at the Mississippi Law Enforcement Officer’s Training Academy-(M.L.E.O.T.A.) in Pearl, MS. He served as a K9 Patrol Officer, SWAT Sniper, Honor Guard, F.B.I. Certified Firearms Instructor, Field Training Officer, and Recruiter. He was named “Officer of the Year” for his Department in 2005.
In 2006, he was employed by the Central Intelligence Agency-(CIA) as a Special Protective Agent, with the Global Response Staff-(GRS). He conducted classified operations overseas. He later switched over to the Director’s Protective Staff-(DPS). He protected the Director of CIA, the Director of National Intelligence, and both of their Deputy Directors. Daily protection included runs to the White House and overseas.
In 2008, Coker went back to the Horn Lake Police Department as a K9 Patrol Officer. He served as the SWAT Team Assistant Team Leader, SWAT Rappel Master, Honor Guard, Active Shooter Instructor, and Firearms Instructor.
In 2010, Alex began working for the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Department. He served as a SWAT Team Explosive Breacher, SWAT Rappel Master, Firearms Instructor, Active Shooter Instructor, Executive Protection Instructor, Honor Guard Team Leader, Glock Pistol Armorer, and served warrants in the Fugitive Division.
In 2011, Alex was selected to serve full time for three years on the U.S. Marshals Task Force as a Special Deputy. He served high threat felony warrants over the Mid-South area. He had a direct hand in catching several high-profile murder suspects.
Coker is a USPA Skydive AFFI/Tandem Instructor at West Tennessee Skydiving and is still in law enforcement today.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” better. Can you tell us a bit about you and your backstory?
I retired from full-time law enforcement with a full pension at the age of 50 in 2023.
I continue to serve part-time as a Firearms Instructor, Active Shooter Instructor, Tactical Medical Instructor, and an Executive Protection Officer for VIPs.
On the weekends, I serve as an AFFI-Accelerated Freefall Instructor, TI-Tandem Skydive Instructor, Videographer, Extreme High-Altitude 41,000ft HALO O2 TI, and
FAA Senior Parachute Rigger at West Tennessee Skydiving in Whiteville, TN.
I have over 2,500 jumps to my name.
Additional Accomplishments:
- Former U.S. Army Infantry, Airborne, Air Assault, Sniper, Presidential Honor Guard, and Army Recruiter 10yrs. 1992–2002
- Former K9/SWAT Patrol Officer for Horn Lake Police Department
- Former CIA Special Protective Agent
- Global Response Staff-GRS
- Director’s Protective Staff-DPS
- Former U.S. Marshal Task Force Officer
- Special Deputy
- Former Public Relations Officer and SWAT Explosive Breacher for DeSoto Co Sheriffs Dept.
- SAG Co-Star for the National Geographic TV Show, “REMOTE SURVIVAL”
- Children’s Book Author, “SKYDIVING DUKE AND HIS PARACHUTE”
- Guinness World Record Holder for the “Highest Tandem Skydive”, 42,018ft/12,807m., on 05/25/24.
As a successful person in your field, have you or do you experience anxiety? And if so, how do you manage, reduce or eliminate anxiety so you can work efficiently and enjoy your non-work hours?
Sure, I get stressed and have dealt with very extreme and intense events in my life to include life or death situations. I’ve had friends die around me. You can’t dwell on those things. You have to keep moving forward or life will pass you by….
- Have a strong “Can-Do/Go-Getter” mindset, not a victim mindset.
- Think about what you CAN DO, not what you CAN’T DO.
- “Dare to Dream and Dream Big.”
- Find your willpower and determination to conquer your goals and dreams.
- Sacrifice- Be willing to give up on the fun things in order to climb your personal mountain top.
Have you gone through a period of time in your life where you felt as though you were drowning in anxiety? If so, please share your experience and what you perceive as the reasons.
I only fear one thing in life and that one thing is FAILURE. I do not want to fail. People’s lives are in my hands and if I fail, we both die, so I will say it can be a little stressful at times.
What or whom did you lean on to help you cope with anxiety?
I trust in God during those times of very high stress, whether it was hunting for an armed gunman or murder suspect in the woods at night with my Police K9, or doing an extreme high-altitude jump with a 225-pound person strapped to my chest, all while breathing on supplemental oxygen and freefalling for over 2 minutes, while traveling over 200mph straight towards the earth. I trust in God.
During my Tandem HALO O2 jumps, I have a person strapped to my chest and we have a personal communications system that only me and that one person can hear. On the way up, I say a prayer out loud to them connecting us both to God, just in case it is the last time that our souls are here on earth.
I believe that it gives us both peace of mind. We’ve placed everything in God’s hands.
No matter what your religion or beliefs are, we can all agree that there is a higher being up there that is much bigger than all of us. It is bigger than what we can ever imagine or know. Just look up at the stars and you will see….
I want to make sure my heart, mind, and soul is right when it is time for me to meet my Maker. I also want to make sure that the one cheating death with me is also ready to meet Him, because we are just moments away from our extreme high-altitude skydive.
President Abraham Lincoln once said, “I can see how it might be possible for a man to look down upon the earth and be an atheist, but I cannot conceive how a man could look up into the heavens and say there is no God.”
What lessons did you derive from that dark period of time, that serve you now?
Ask yourself, “Did you Die?!” The answer is, “No.” Now, keep moving forward.
The problems are always so much bigger in your head, than they are in real life.
You find out very quickly that YOU were the problem and the cause of your own stress.
Let it go, and move on.
Do you have days or circumstances that still cause excessive stress?
Only when I have a tandem student who is extremely stressed out because I do not know how they are going to react in freefall. Stress and anxiety can be contagious. It is important to be the strong anchor in their life during their time of chaos.
What are your dependable “go to” strategies that you use to restore balance to your emotions?
Oh, I’m so glad you asked!
Here’s the gold and the best part of this interview right here.
I’m going to share my “Go-To” Cokerized Stress Reliever that works within 5 MINUTES!!!
I use this technique even today, during my high-stress adventures.
Here’s how it works:
- Take in a super deep breath and continue to SUCK IN air into your lungs filling them beyond their capacity. Even if there is no more room for air, I want you to continue sucking in air for a total count of 10 seconds.
- Now, HOLD those over-filled lungs with air, for a total of 10 seconds. Don’t let any air escape!
- Now, PUSH all of that air out of your lungs, even after all of the air has been expelled, I want you to continue to push the air out, for a total count of 10 seconds.
- Now, begin the process all over again.BREATHE IN for 10 seconds, HOLD IN for 10 seconds, PUSH OUT for 10 seconds.
- Do this cycle FIVE TIMES, but no more than that, or it could cause you to pass out.
CONGRATULATIONS! You should now be CALM and RELAXED!!
Please name five tips, practices, beliefs or affirmations that you recommend to anyone going through a highly stressful time.
1 . Sleep- Get enough sleep! Your body needs it, preferably at least 8 hours.
“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man/woman healthy, wealthy, and wise.”
Whenever you find yourself in a bad situation, getting a good night’s rest. It will help relieve that dreadful event.
This also goes for arguments in relationships. Getting some rest will help give you new clarity. It also opens up your heart to forgiveness. Sometimes, it’s best to sleep on a situation, before making rash decisions during the heat of the moment.
If you find that you can’t sleep, keep a pen and pad by your bed. If you will write down all the things on your mind, it will allow your mind to rest peacefully knowing that your thoughts are locked down on that piece of paper. You will not forget anything on your checklist and your strategy will remain fresh.
2 . Diet- Stop eating crap. Drink lots of water and drop some weight. It’s good for your health, it’s good for better energy, and it helps with your self-esteem and confidence. I suggest starting your diet off with a water fast of either 24hrs, 48hrs, or 72hrs. This means drinking water, beef or chicken broth, and sugar-free drinks with electrolytes in them. Liquid Fasting has been used, since the beginning of time. It also helps to kill off the bad organisms in your body. Try intermittent fasting and carnivore diets after that. I’ve had great success with all of them.
3 . Exercise- Get your body moving! Do whatever exercise or sport that you enjoy and burn those calories. This also helps with letting go of your stress. If you still can’t figure out what to do, just get out there and WALK! Start out walking for a minimum of 30minutes and then build up your time from there. You can do this!
4 . Hobbies- Find a hobby that you enjoy doing and invest your time and money into it. It’s good to find happiness and purpose in that. It helps to keep your mind off of the daily stresses of life.
5 . Peace/Happiness- Find your peace and find your happiness. This goes for your job, your relationships, your environment, and your life.
Find a job that makes you happy.
Find a relationship that makes you happy.
Find a location that makes you happy.
If you are unhappy in those places, first find creative ways to improve your situation.
If after continued months or even years of trying and you are still miserable, then move!
You’re not a tree. You can uproot yourself and find new beginnings. Your life isn’t over!
Always find the good in bad situations. There is always something good to learn and take away from it.
On a scale of one-ten, if 8–10 was your former, chronic level of anxiety, how would you score your usual level of anxiety today?
Even as a Tandem Skydive Instructor and doing other extreme activities, I would say my normal anxiety level is a 4, out of a scale of 1–10.
Do you have daily practices that support you in maintaining peace, calmness or balance in your life?
“My Hobby is my Job, and My Job is My Hobby.” I found a hobby that I enjoy and learned to make money doing it. I take people up for skydives. They say, if you do a job that you love, you will never work a day in your life. I love what I do, I love the people who I work with, and I’ve got a great boss out at West Tennessee Skydiving in Whiteville, TN. I’ve been out there for over ten years now.
Was there any particular saying, person, or book that taught you the skills that enable you to escape or avoid the higher levels of anxiety that used to plague you?
LIFE……
Life gives you good experiences and bad experiences in life, which brings wisdom. Listen to those that have been there before you. Learn from them, so hopefully, you don’t make the same mistakes.
Seek out knowledge through the internet.
Seek out knowledge from those older than you.
Seek out knowledge from those more experienced than you.
Learn from your own mistakes.
Don’t hoard that knowledge. Eagerly share it with others.
“Knowledge is Power and Knowledge Weighs Nothing.”
Thank you for sharing your wisdom with those who are reading this article. Are there also other ways you are sharing your wisdom?
I teach many different programs sharing my knowledge with others.
“The NRA Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program”, teaching children not to play with guns, when they are young.
Police Explorer Training, teaching young cadets ages:14–20 how to become future police officers.
SWFF Survival Training, teaching how to procure Shelter, Water, Fire, and Food in survival situations.
CRASE-Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events
Active Shooter Response Training for Police Patrol
Tactical Medical Training for Police Patrol
Women’s Self-Defense Training
Firearms Instructor, teaching firearms training.
RappelMaster, teaching knot-tying and rappelling.
Skydive Tandem Instructor, getting new tandem students over the fear of jumping out of planes.
AFFI-Accelerated Freefall Instructor, teaching people how to skydive on their own.
Wonderful. We are nearly done. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them.
There are three people who come to mind.
They are Fox News Anchors, Bret Baier, Trace Gallagher, and Pete Hegseth. They have all expressed interest in jumping with me. I’ve spoken numerous times on Fox News as a guest and hope to one day become one of their future Fox News Contributors covering all topics dealing with law enforcement, military, intelligence, politics, international affairs, active shooters, guns, survival, skydiving, diet and fitness, public safety, and comedy.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
ELE- Everybody Love Everybody
Everyone has people who they don’t like, but that doesn’t mean that we still can’t love them.
Be nice, until it’s time not to be nice. Give respect to all people and hopefully, you will get that same respect back in return. If we all practiced these things, the world would be a better place.
No matter what happens in your life and no matter how bad things get, just say, “I’m okay with that”, and then use the breathing techniques that I taught you to get you through your day.
Remember, no matter how bad things get, the sun will rise tomorrow, so go sleep on it.
How can our readers follow your work online?
I have many different social media sites where you can follow me on.
Professional Page
https://www.instagram.com/alex.coker?igsh=d2N0OGVhMnJjNnJq
https://www.facebook.com/share/HEZLKPiXjzG7hq47/?mibextid=qi2Omg
YouTube Channel
https://youtube.com/@onelifetorisk?si=Xp9NZTxuWIne5jn9
X
https://x.com/onelifetorisk?t=ObQwEwHbB1OoYe7z_1tuSw&s=09
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
About the Interviewer: Nancy Landrum, MA, Relationship Coach, has authored eight books, including “How to Stay Married and Love it” and “Stepping Twogether: Building a Strong Stepfamily”. Nancy has been coaching couples and stepfamilies with transformative communication skills for over thirty years. Nancy is an engaging interviewer and powerful speaker. Nancy has contributed to The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Authority, Medium, Yahoo, MSN, Psych Central, Thrive, Woman’s Day magazine, and more. Nancy is the Founder of the only one of its kind online relationship solution, www.MillionaireMarriageClub.com. Nancy coaches couples across the globe in person and via Zoom. Nancy’s passion is to guide couples and families to happy lasting marriages where children thrive and lovers love for life.
