Harnessing Your ?Prepper? Strength When People Call You Crazy

[Lumi]

Harnessing Your ?Prepper? Strength When People Call You Crazy

The world likes to call free thinkers crazy. Dare to act on your thoughts by preparing yourself for a world where governments don?t function and societies break down, and you?re well and truly nuts. You must be one of those freaks who sees a conspiracy around every corner or a kook living in some alternative reality. Can?t you just act normal?

For many people, it?s you versus them. You have to be wrong ? or else they are, and that just can?t be right. Independent, off-the-grid lifestyles are threatening to the status quo, so they?ll try to make you feel like you?re the lunatic. With enough pressure, you?ll break down and conform. You?ll be one of the ?sheeple?? easily managed and controlled.

Fight conformity at every turn. Don?t let them crush your spirit. Refuse to go with the flow. Use these five strategies to keep yourself mentally strong and ready for whatever lies ahead.

1. Practice Self-Acceptance

When you accept yourself, you no longer seek validation from the outside world. Much of the angst of an independent lifestyle comes from the judgments of other people. Why do we care about their opinion anyway?

We?re socially conditioned to look for approval from the crowd or a jury of our peers. Yet that simply enforces going with the flow. To get out of that soul-crushing trap, look in the mirror and accept yourself for who you are and what you believe.

Prepare now for surging food costs and empty grocery store shelves? ^[1]

2. Find Your Tribe

The community where you live is probably full of people who think tomorrow is going to just take care of itself. Your neighbors and co-workers don?t want to hear that the economy is still going nowhere or that you can?t trust banksters, Big Pharma, or anyone from the government to take care of you. They?ll attack your thinking mercilessly. To stay strong in your thoughts, you need to find your tribe.

Your tribe is made up of people who think like you and support your goals. The community here at Off The Grid News is a great place to start. Blogs, forums, and online discussion groups are filled with sympathetic souls and gurus who?ve been there, done that, and have the advice you need to thrive as an independent human being.

3. Stop Giving Time to Fools

Answer honestly: Why do you spend your time reading mainstream ?news? or enduring lectures from ?friends? trying to show you just how nuts you are?

Chances are you come away from these situations feeling drained, frustrated, and upset. So why do you put yourself in those situations in the first place? Unplug your TV, cancel bad magazine subscriptions, and curtail conversations about politics, preparedness, or economics with people who are obviously uninformed. You?ll notice a positive difference in your mentality and your peace of mind, helping you save your energy for situations that really matter.

4. Feed Your Brain

Another way to feed your spirit and keep yourself strong is to feed your brain worthwhile material. Read good books, especially histories, instructional manuals, and inspirational texts for independent minds. Listen to experts? podcasts or radio broadcasts on vital preparedness topics. Seek out hard data on issues that matter to you.
Keep out junk data, rumors, gossip, and worthless speculation. Feed your brain, and you?ll find that your mental strength and mental resilience improve. While the rest of the world lives on sound bites and hearsay, you?ll have hard facts to back your case and keep you on the right path.

5. Cultivate Your Spiritual Relationships

Last but not least, cultivate your spiritual side. Living in relationship with God and being able to turn to Him when you feel persecuted or put down by the world is vital to keeping yourself sane and at peace over time. Seeing the world in God?s eyes also helps you put the authority of man and the rules of the current world leaders in their proper place.

Building up your spirituality also brings you closer to like-minded believers. This community can help you feel grounded and connected even when you feel like the secular mainstream has taken over everything around you. The ability to see beyond that and see through the endless blather of the mainstream will make the time you spend cultivating your godly relationships all the more meaningful.

There are undoubtedly more ways to stand up and fight back against the mental oppression of freethinking and independent living. These five methods are starting points ? what else has helped you stay strong in your beliefs and your habits even when the world tries to call you crazy?

 

[Lumi]

5. Cultivate Your Spiritual Relationships

Last but not least, cultivate your spiritual side. Living in relationship with God and being able to turn to Him when you feel persecuted or put down by the world is vital to keeping yourself sane and at peace over time. Seeing the world in God?s eyes also helps you put the authority of man and the rules of the current world leaders in their proper place.

Building up your spirituality also brings you closer to like-minded believers. This community can help you feel grounded and connected even when you feel like the secular mainstream has taken over everything around you. The ability to see beyond that and see through the endless blather of the mainstream will make the time you spend cultivating your godly relationships all the more meaningful.

There are undoubtedly more ways to stand up and fight back against the mental oppression of freethinking and independent living. These five methods are starting points ? what else has helped you stay strong in your beliefs and your habits even when the world tries to call you crazy?

__________________

Well......

That all really depends ?

Most preppers are into Religion,

however... my path is far different than theirs, which spooks them. :scared :142smilie

 

[Lumi]

The Single Most Overlooked Survival Technique

The Single Most Overlooked Survival Technique

The Single Most Overlooked Survival Technique

Separating fact from fiction in order to make an appropriate choice during a stressful situation is incredibly important. Situational awareness can be the key component in the decision-making process, and makes it (the stressful situation) infinitely easier to deal with.

Every demographic, area, and community on the planet has a different litmus test for what constitutes a catalyst for action. The specific risks for your area, combined with a number of other factors (including politics, resources, community, personal preparation, and others) are the only tests able to provide the results necessary to make the right decisions in your specific case. However, without accurate and experienced situational awareness, these tests cannot provide their best results.

?Situational awareness? is a concept that, while it has existed for many decades, never entered popular culture or mainstream thought processes until a series of events blurred the lines between mainstream society and military risk. Some say it was the media which ushered in a new era of understanding for the average citizen, as the age of televised conflict and the point-blank viewing capability of global strife set the stage for a more connected individual.

Armies around the world teach rote and ritual actions and reactions, and essentially ?brainwash? their soldiers into remembering specific protocols upon which to rely during certain situations. Combining techniques based on these standards, with acute situational awareness (meaning an accurate representation of one?s specific surroundings), gives the average citizen a one-two knockout punch combination for times of unrest, uncertainty, or stress ^[1].

One doesn?t have to have a view of the world that is negative, or even buy into the media hype that so often causes panic and confusion but, as is part of the off-the-grid lifestyle, self-sufficiency, reason and understanding can help to separate you from the crowd during intense situations. Knowing what you will do in the event that something compels reaction, and knowing how to identify such situations can only serve to further enhance your ability to make those reactions and exit those situations without excessively negative impacts.

Situational awareness is not simply a buzzword but more of an ongoing and ever changing, adaptive mindset. It is the ability to recognize risk, observe change, factor in prior experience, and exercise reason in identifying reactionary measures and when to implement them.

As stated above, and as is apparent to anyone having experienced high-stress situations for extended periods of time, risk is always relative and always based on individual ideas about threat levels. The difference between people in one region compared to another can be quite large: every person will have their own understanding and pre-programmed reactions to risks. Furthermore, they will quantify risk in vastly different ways.

As the human psyche becomes more exposed to risk without negative impact by that risk, the tolerance for that risk and substantially similar risks is broadened, and protocols put in place to avoid that risk become more lax. An example: people who have survived a fire ^[2] are perhaps less likely to evacuate early on than those to whom this is a new experience; soldiers used to being shot at but never having been hit are perhaps more likely to make exposed counter fire than those who have never experienced a gun fight. This desensitization can cause otherwise protective and prepared individuals to forget the important protocols they themselves put into place to avoid negative impacts in stressful situations.

The idea of situational awareness utilizes both mindset and resources to identify risk and then design solutions to mitigate it.

Avoiding conditioning or complacency for specific risks while knowing and understanding your surroundings, and having a plan of action is what defines situational awareness. Being able to react in stressful situations because of the way you have prepared, and the experiences that have shaped your awareness, allows a management of resources, reactions, and a situation that is far better than the alternatives.

Beginning to know what risks you face starts with assessing your personal tolerance for risk. Which items do you see as detrimental? What is the reality of those risks occurring? What backup plans do you have in case these situations occur? What is your breaking point? Are you prepared fully to outlive such a risk? Do you have availability of foreknowledge of specific risks? Are you or your family a specific target to such risks? What is the historical opportunity for such a risk to occur to a demographic or region such as you are within?

New Book Reveals? How To Turn Your Home Into A Fortress ^[3]
​

Exploring these ideas will help you understand how to quantify relevant risk, and using these answers, you can determine if your normal routine will put you in contact with these risks at any sizable level. Having the answers to these questions and combining them with your standard routine will give you a tangible model with which you can identify concerns and build a real plan to remove as much of that risk as possible. Having these tangible protocols and models will give you a reactionary measure that can be hardwired into your mind and routine. With these items you will have a ?checklist? with which you can prepare yourself and your family to act

and react in situations beyond your normal scope of tolerance. It is in the trying times that you will want to rely on ingrained philosophies, muscle memory, and trained behaviors so that you can weather the risks you face.

What is your action plan? When do you leave?

Under what conditions do you stay? Do you have adequate measures in place to continue your normal routine? Is your family prepared for such an action? Are you at greater risk by staying?

Going? What new risks do you face by staying?

Going? What can you do to improve your situation for leaving or for staying? Which risks do you face that affect you no matter what your decision is? What contingency plans do you have in place?

Having a physical checklist laid out in order of importance can help you in a time of need, but more importantly is having the mindset ^[4] and the means to accomplish your specific goals during a stressful time.

Be realistic with your situational awareness. It is incredibly important that you make sure that you have checks and balances in place to keep that situational awareness and those reaction plans from becoming overreactions or under-reactions.

There are situations where you will not know how to react, but if you prepare correctly there should never be a situation in which you are not aware of what is happening around you.

Remember?knowing is half the battle, regardless of how clich?d it is or where this statement originated. In a time of uncertainty like we live in, knowledge is power and power is safety. Your knowledge plays a pivotal role in your potential safety. Understand your surroundings.

These principles can be applied to any situation, whether it is a natural disaster, and outdoor expedition, a military conflict, or a social issue.

Knowing what you may face and how you will react before you actually have to face it can give you an incredible amount of poise, grace, and ability in a time that could otherwise turn into an unmitigated disaster.

 

[Lumi]

Passport to Survival:Four Foods and More to Use and Store

Passport to Survival:Four Foods and More to Use and Store

Passport to Survival:Four Foods and More to Use and Store

Reviewed by: Sondra Wollbrinck,
www.mom7x.blogspot.com

In my humble opinion, Passport to Survival ^[1] by Esther Dickey is one of the cornerstone books for your ?survival? library. We purchased it in 1999 (and unless you were living under a rock, you know why we did that). I know it will be the book we keep on hand as our times change. It is divided into four well-organized parts and 18 easy to read chapters.

Part 1: Foods for Healthy Survival

With a little background from the author and some references to George Orwell?s 1984, Mrs. Dickey accurately portrays the times we see in front of us now. The four survival foods, wheat, milk, honey and salt were chosen based on their usability and storability.

• Wheat; beef protein may be superior to wheat protein but in the storability category, there is no contest, wheat will last many years and is also more versatile.
• Powdered Milk; now I now just the thought of powdered milk makes many cringe but times of crisis call for some intestinal fortitude (sometimes we have to put on our grown-up pants and just do what we have to do, most of us won?t have a cow or dairy goat at hand).
• Honey; it is a universal sweetener and really do I need to say more? YUMMY! And if you can find local honey it is useful for treating allergies.
• Salt; in reality it is a mineral, it is involved in almost all cellular processes.

These 4 foods are time proven; wheat is referred to in history as ?the staff of life?, then you have the land ?flowing in milk and honey? and salt with good ?flavor? was a dream of the ancients.

Forty more: she suggests 40 more foods to put in your long term storage and explains why you need them. ?An Emergency Diet in Action? is a chapter than will help you use you stored foods effectively. You will not want to wait for the crisis to try them; she suggests a 10-day trial run using the basic four. What about the little ones in your family? Esther even touches on that and, with a few suggestions from a doctor, she?s put together a basic diet for them too using wheat, milk and honey.

Part 2: Recipes and Menus

I do want to preface this part with saying this is not convenient or easy. It does take preparation and care, but she states that ?anyone using this book will not rate convenience on the same level as nutritional value and preparation for emergency.? This section gives 110 recipes for your stored food, helpful suggestions and measurement charts. There is also a 7-day menu plan. I found this most helpful since I don?t usually cook with these ingredients. I?m inspired by her creativity.

Part 3: Other Survival Techniques

This part lists five ways to preserve and the appliances/equipment you will need. I found this section to be very well done and easy to understand. The food storage section is very important to read and follow. She thought out each scenario and gives great advice. Water will be a one of the most important resources you will need to know about so DO NOT forget to research this! Esther gives several detailed lists for: keeping clean, first aid, home nursing, comfort and health, waste disposal, clothing, bedding, sewing supplies, fuel, lights, seeds and more. She does touch on outdoor survival, and how to use what you have on hand to cook and store food. There is also a nice list of edible nature items. (I would suggest that you get a field guide from your local extension service or conservation area so you don?t confuse plants, which could be hazardous). The last section of Part 3 speaks to how the body works and how to care for it physically and emotionally. Caring for your body is an important aspect not to be ignored, and as the mother of five teenagers, I?m suggesting this be a priority!

Part 4: A Future of Hope

This section references a time when community was key, where a town worked together, but includes a little bit of a futuristic twist. Life in a community like this would be idealistic. Mrs. Dickey gives ideas on how to live to be 100, diet, exercise, keeping your insides clean, peace of mind and emotional control.
A brighter day will prevail. Esther says ?I am one who believes that that day will come, but there may first be worse times for this world that we have yet seen. While the advice given in this book is good for other circumstances too, it is written principally with this premise in mind and with the idea of encouraging preparation for survival in the event of such trying times?.

?Health and happiness require an optimistic, positive view of life. How can one maintain this attitude in the discouraging modern context?? She gives good reasons for optimism. ?We must take our opportunities seriously and make our contributions meaningful. It is God who gives meaning to life. It is His Spirit which helps me and many others to face each new day with courage and optimism.? Faith in God is the key ? need I really say more?

Passport to Survival ^[1]was written in 1969, which was a time of unrest in many parts of the world. Does this sound familiar in 2011? God calls us to prepare and care for our families. We cannot depend on the government. We cannot depend on others to take our needs into consideration. Esther Dickey has done a wonderful job putting all of this together. This can certainly be a cornerstone book for your survival library. Happy preparation!

 

[Duff Miver]

3. Stop Giving Time to Fools


Huh?


So what are you doing on this MB?

Shouldn't you be learning how to set broken bones, skin a buffalo, read weather signs, send smoke signals or some other survival skills?

 

[Lumi]

3. Stop Giving Time to Fools


Huh?


So what are you doing on this MB?

Shouldn't you be learning how to set broken bones, skin a buffalo, read weather signs, send smoke signals or some other survival skills?

7. Tactics

"Tactics are those conscious deliberate acts by which human beings live with each other and deal with the world around them. ... Here our concern is with the tactic of taking; how the Have-Nots can take power away from the Haves." p.126

Always remember the first rule of power tactics (pps.127-134):

1. "Power is not only what you have, but what the enemy thinks you have."

2. "Never go outside the expertise of your people. When an action or tactic is outside the experience of the people, the result is confusion, fear and retreat.... [and] the collapse of communication.

3. "Whenever possible, go outside the expertise of the enemy. Look for ways to increase insecurity, anxiety and uncertainty. (This happens all the time. Watch how many organizations under attack are blind-sided by seemingly irrelevant arguments that they are then forced to address.)

4. "Make the enemy live up to its own book of rules. You can kill them with this, for they can no more obey their own rules than the Christian church can live up to Christianity."

5. "Ridicule is man's most potent weapon. It is almost impossible to counteract ridicule. Also it infuriates the opposition, which then reacts to your advantage."

6. "A good tactic is one your people enjoy."

7. "A tactic that drags on too long becomes a drag. Man can sustain militant interest in any issue for only a limited time...."

8. "Keep the pressure on, with different tactics and actions, and utilize all events of the period for your purpose."

9. "The threat is usually more terrifying than the thing itself."

10. "The major premise for tactics is the development of operations that will maintain a constant pressure upon the opposition. It is this unceasing pressure that results in the reactions from the opposition that are essential for the success of the campaign."

11. "If you push a negative hard and deep enough, it will break through into its counterside... every positive has its negative."

12. "The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative."

13. Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it. In conflict tactics there are certain rules that [should be regarded] as universalities. One is that the opposition must be singled out as the target and 'frozen.'...

"...any target can always say, 'Why do you center on me when there are others to blame as well?' When your 'freeze the target,' you disregard these [rational but distracting] arguments.... Then, as you zero in and freeze your target and carry out your attack, all the 'others' come out of the woodwork very soon. They become visible by their support of the target...'

"One acts decisively only in the conviction that all the angels are on one side and all the devils on the other." (pps.127-134)

WOW ! I see many similarities in your tactics here.

Duff, you are like a fart in a phone booth, you can't hide it, you cannot deny it.

Come out of the closet Comrade

 

[Duff Miver]

7. Tactics................


WOW ! I see many similarities in your tactics here.

Duff, you are like a fart in a phone booth, you can't hide it, you cannot deny it.

Come out of the closet Comrade

Nice treatise on tactics.:0074

You will admit that a fart in a phone booth is a good diversion tactic. No one is going to continue to fight while inhaling a good sixpack/extra spicy curry fart.:facepalm:

 

[Lumi]

Prepping the Space Between Your Ears, by Tona

Prepping the Space Between Your Ears, by Tona

Prepping the Space Between Your Ears, by Tona

I don?t recall a time in my life when I wasn?t doing at least some planning for ?worst case? situations. That may have come from growing up in an earthquake prone part of the country, and during the cold war when we drilled for nuclear attacks during the school day. My mother, who was a single parent through much of my life, also modeled planning for ?hard times? by storing food, following world and local trends closely, and being careful with money. I became serious and more intentional in prepping following Katrina, when it confirmed my suspicion that we had better be prepared to take care of ourselves in a disaster, and after reading James Howard Kunstler?s The Long Emergency, and watching his predictions come true. My spouse and children have endured my lectures, emails, nagging and copies of relevant articles with patience, and are also on board with their own preparations.

By training and background I am a clinical psychologist, with specialty training in health psychology, helping people manage the emotional impact associated with illness, injury and death. In addition, I am active in disaster preparedness and disaster mental health, serving locally and internationally as a disaster responder. I have truly seen situations in which it is TEOTWAWKI for those involved, where home, family, job, government services have all been lost. And through my years in practice, as well as my work in disaster planning, it is clear that the most important preparation is not ?beans, band-aids, and bullets? (although those are important) but mental preparedness and psychological flexibility. I want to share some of the factors which come into play in big abnormal events such as natural disasters or terrorist events, because I believe we can take lessons learned from these into situations where it all comes apart, and we are left to stand and survive if we can. In this essay, I?d also like to help you develop some simple skills to manage your own emotional responses and to help your family and friends.

It may surprise some to know that research shows that the most common long-term response to the trauma of a major disaster is not Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but resiliency and growth. People are pretty good at overcoming bad things without any help from professional counselors or other mental health types. That?s not to say that people aren?t affected by losing their homes, family members and security. They are. Most people show a range of symptoms in the immediate aftermath of a disaster, but tend to recover in about three months. Some of the responses we should be prepared for are discussed in the next section. Some people will have some significant longer terms psychological issues following a disaster, but hopefully, those people will be in the minority.

Article continues at www.survivalblog.com
http://survivalblog.com/2012/04/prepping-the-space-between-your-ears-by-tona.html