Some of the biggest steps you can take, begin with you and your home.
It can be very difficult to admit to our own flaws, quirks and lack of knowledge. The absolute best place to start for everything, is with you! You have to be healthy - both mentally and physically, you have to be whole, to be productive in every aspect of your life. Realizing that you are only entitled to whatever you have personally earned and worked for; in everything from relationships, to finances, to employment, everything! It ALL starts with YOU!
I have seen so much insecurity over the past decade that is difficult for me to comprehend. Especially knowing my own. I have said for decades that jealousy is not something I get. I don't find it necessary to check my husband's phone, or follow his every move. I am worth more than that. I learned many years ago, all that nonsense is not worth it. If he can't see the value of having me in his life, that's on him, not me. Sure, it would be heartbreaking, but not my problem. Jobs are the same way. I give all I have to give when I've had jobs...if what I bring to the table is not working for them, it's their loss...not mine. I am capable of moving on. I don't need others to make me happy, I am capable of that, on my own. I don't need a relationship or job to "complete me," I am whole alone. They can compliment who I am, but will never make or break me. I guess that either comes from being a strong person, or just too stubborn to ever truly "need" anyone.
In today's world, it brings to mind the society and way of life we are living. 80 years ago, the majority of households had 2 parents, 1 income, children were cared for by one parent, the majority of household food/goods were handled by home gardens, chickens, and local capitalism - other local farmers. Communities were pretty close knit, and everyone helped each other. Now, with a measely 45% of household with children having both parents under one roof, both parents are forced to work massive amounts of hours, the children are over scheduled and over stimulated, they are being fed all sorts of chemically laced crap from the processed foods at the box stores, and most people don't even know their neighbors anymore. It's really quite sad. Do you know, even 50 years ago, 80% of the food consumed by U.S. households was home grown, or local farm grown? We have reached a point now, where there are several generations that no longer know how to grow, let alone preserve their own foods. This whole "prepper movement" was a way of life until the last 40 or so years. It wasn't a trend...it's how nearly ALL our ancestors survived.
That is really the direction I want to go today. It has taken me a long time to get back to the roots of my own ancestors. Although, I am not even close to where I would like to be, I work hard to keep moving that direction. I have learned to cook from scratch, grow and raise my own food, preserve my own food, and continue to work towards keeping my home prepared for any type of emergency. As I look at this today, I am thinking of those that are just starting out or just starting to grasp the reality of keeping a stock pile for emergencies. The question being: Where do I begin? That is a pretty loaded question, as there are a number of steps that need taken almost simultaneously. So, let's start a running list:
*Keep an inventory of what you eat, how often and how much
*Sit down with a budget. Try to keep debts paid off, or work on paying them off, while also keeping any possible cash in hand. You may want to invest in a fireproof/waterproof safe...you do not actually own what you do not hold in your physical hands.
*Keep an inventory of what you have in your home - food, paper products, medications, pet supplies, etc.
*If you can't seem to have any extra cash, see where you can make cuts. Even if it's one meal out a week, one day without a brand name coffee, etc.
*Whatever you can save to have an extra $10-$20 per week to help you start building up an emergency supply. Also remember, that you will need to rotate this stock every 6-12 months, so building up some cash reserves is helpful in that.
*Make sure you have some sort of extra freezer. This is hugely important. There are many things you can freeze! Have extra onions, peppers, milk, eggs, bread, etc....you can learn how to freeze them to avoid waste! Remember our grandmother's theory: "waste not, want not!"
*Air tight containers in a multitude of sizes. These are such an invaluable asset to your food storage.
*Grow your skills!!! I can not emphasize this enough. Learn how to grow something, preserve something, cook something from scratch or on an open fire. Learn to sew, learn to repurpose items, learn to build things. There are a million videos online, many Farmer's Exchange offices offer trainings, and there are even many universities that offer online training - cheap or free.
*A little more extreme, take your home off grid for 24 hours. See what hiccups you find. Keep notes so you can be better prepared if that weren't a drill. I know we found holes in our preps when we were without power for 27 hours...and I have quite a battery of preparations. Just know you will never be 100% prepared BUT if you can give yourself enough to survive 3-6 months, you have a chance.
*Education! I can not stress this enough. I know everyone is busy. However, you need to KNOW what is happening not only in your immediate area, but in the areas that can seriously hurt you too. The financial markets, the banking industry, new laws, executive orders, etc. These areas can seriously impact not only your life, but your finances, your retirements, your pensions, and your banking.
So, this would be my initial starter list. Obviously, I could add hours of information to this, from my own trials and errors. However, I believe this will be a great starting point for my Back to Basics. Feel free to add your thoughts to the comments!
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