Global disaster does not have to strike for the proverbial “stuff” to hit the fan and for you to have to call upon your prepping skills. The death of an income-earning loved one, job loss, divorce, medical emergencies and other unexpected life events can turn your life upside down and cause financial turmoil. While it may be difficult to see the light at the end of the tunnel when a personal crisis does strike, you, as a prepper, are better equipped to deal with the aftermath than just about anyone else. If you’re not yet a prepper, you can develop the skills and resources you will need to not just survive an emergency but prevail despite one. Below are a list of skills to either call upon or develop to make it through whatever curveballs life throws your way.
EMOTIONAL AWARENESS AND MENTAL CONTROL
The ability to identify and control your emotions is one of the first skills you need to master if you hope to remain strong and healthy throughout your personal crisis. Though an often-overlooked trait, a can-do attitude can help you stay motivated when you would otherwise want to curl into a ball and cry. It can inspire you to think outside of the box to come up with creative and workable solutions. It will equip you with the talent to accept and adapt to changes, and the determination to remain strong and help others despite the difficulty of the times. Finally, a can-do attitude can help you remain calm and stay in control throughout even the most stressful of events.
FOOD ACQUISITION, MANAGEMENT AND STORAGE
Most personal crises result in financial strain, the latter of which often results in food shortage and hunger. The problem is, you will need sustenance to keep your strength up and your health strong.
Most preppers have what is known in the prepping community as a “Family Food Store.” Building up this food store and managing it is an actual skill that requires time, patience and knowledge of how to best store perishables so that they become non-perishable. Though there are countless resources that can give you an in-depth overview of what to include in your store and how to manage it, a few basic items you should not miss include the following:
- Peanut butter
- Nuts and trail mixes
- Power bars and granola bars
- Canned vegetables
- Dried fruits
- Dried pastas and jarred pasta sauces
- Twinkies (just kidding)
- Powdered milk
- Bottled waters
- Gatorade and/or other electrolyte-containing beverages
- Multi-vitamins
You also need to learn what to buy right before an emergency and how to allocate foods after disaster strikes. If you have any tips or advice on food storage and management, please share them with us in the comments section.
FOOD PRODUCTION
Food acquisition and management only touches on what you will need to do to stave off hunger during an emergency. Ideally, you will learn how to produce and store your own food, including everything from fruits and veggies to meat. You should also have a system in place that allows you to collect and purify water, and for sanitizing utensils, food, your clothes, hunting gear, etc.
HOMEMAKING SKILLS
Homemaking skills, which were once a basic necessity, have gone by the wayside. Yet, skills such as sewing, candle making, shoe repair, weaving, soap making, creating natural cleaning products and the like will all prove highly valuable during financially-strapped times. Try to develop as many as you can so that, when the need arises, you can take care of your home and loved ones without having to pay to do so.
Personal crises often feel like disasters for those who live through them. Set yourself up to prevail regardless of what life throws your way by developing these crucial survival skills.