No matter what your ‘disaster’ is, we are all truly just getting ready for the same basic thing. Some would say survival, others would say catastrophe or crisis. At the end of the day, we are all just preparing for an interruption in the day-to-day life we’re used to.
The media always seems to show that all ‘preppers’ are getting ready for some huge event. Some end-of-times, biblical, end-of-the-world chaos. While there are those out there who focus on one type of disaster, this is far from the norm. Very far.
Most preppers are people who don’t even realize they are preppers! It’s not prepping, it’s life! They’re just people who live in areas where things can get a little crazy – usually from Mother Nature. Those who label themselves as preppers tend to plan for general chaos instead of assuming that, out of all the possibilities for disasters out there, theirs is the one that is most likely to happen. Now, I’m not judging these people but I do feel it’s a bit short sighted to focus on only one type of scenario. Part of preparedness is flexibility and the ability to adapt. Focusing on only one situation doesn’t make much sense unless you are mastering something and then moving on.
So, if we are all preparing for is a disruption to our normal day-to-day, what can we do to help smooth it out? What are we really getting ready for? We are preparing to make sure that if the water stops working, we have back up. If a wildfire or bug infestation wipes out our entire garden, we have backup food stored and ready to be eaten. If the main breadwinner loses their income, we have supplies and food stored up so we don’t have to spend money on it – letting the limited funds go to other things instead. If we lose heat, we have alternative ways to stay warm. The list goes on and on. It’s also not the same list for everyone. In fact, there really is only one “One Size Fits All” prepping plan. All humans need the same basic things to survive. The difference comes in how those needs are prepared for and that is, again, different for everyone.
We are prepping for an interruption of the norm so that we can get through it with less stress and worry.
For us, we fish, hunt, and forage to help supplement our food. I also garden as much as I am able and will be expanding to a larger garden so we can provide more for ourselves. I take comfort and pride in having more control over my food – where it comes from, how it was grown/hunted, how it was handled, and how it was preserved. I have retaken control over my food from Big Agra and the USDA. I don’t need a sticker telling me it’s organic, I know it is because I grew it!
The Bottom Line
No matter whether you consider yourself a “prepper” or not, you do prepare for things on a daily basis. Paying your insurance, for example, is a way to be prepared for the unforeseen. Making sure your smoke alarm batteries are charged is another example. Buying food staples in bulk, when on sale, and storing it would definitely fall into the category of ‘prepping’ because the majority of the population doesn’t do that anymore. The average American household only has about a week’s worth of food, especially in the city.
Toss the media hype out the window. Honestly. Just do it and start thinking for yourself again. What is so wrong or “over the top” about having some supplies set back in case you need them? You don’t need a huge pantry, underground bunker, or arsenal of firearms to survive. What you do need though, is a plan. Starting with enough food and water for a week for everyone in your home (don’t forget Fido and Whiskers!) is a fantastic and achievable goal. There’s some great comfort in knowing that you have an “ace in the hole” that you put there for your family. It doesn’t have to break the bank and it doesn’t have to be extreme. We are prepping for an interruption of the norm so that we can get through it with less stress and worry.
Wouldn’t it be better to rely on yourself instead of waiting for the government or other authority to come and give you what you need?
