(Or are you still rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic?)
It is easy- and necessary to shut the world out and enjoy time doing the things you love. Reading a good novel, losing yourself in your favorite craft, spending time with friends and family, going to the lake, etc. Even a good cup of coffee or tea shared at a local favorite hangout with a good friend is healthy and necessary.
However, there are storm clouds forming, and they are almost overhead. Those clouds are promising a deluge of life altering events that we must take heed to if we are to survive the coming storm. We have been warned that the food shortages, diesel, and gas prices skyrocketing (and prices going even high, some predict into the double digits) medication and medical supply shortages are not a short-term problem. We are being promised that these changes are permanent.
Open your umbrella of safety to shield you and your loved one’s storm of changes to our way of life.
We have become complacent. Everything we need or want magically appears on the grocers or department store shelves where all we do is grab a shopping cart and fill. Or in larger cities Instacart and other delivery services bring the merchandise directly to your doorstep.
This way of life is dramatically changing. And this isn’t temporary. Take for instance the neighborhood supermarket. Grocery stores weren’t an everyday convenience until the first Piggly Wiggly opened its doors on September 11, 1916, as the first self-service grocery store. Before that the customer would hand their list to the store clerk and they would fill the order. Many times, home gardens, livestock, barter, and work in exchange for food was the normal way of life. The grocer was used for bulk items such as sugar, flour, fabric, and other items not found locally.
Hopefully by now you have acquired your first aid knowledge, bandages medical supplies and Jase case for the inevitable emergency. Between repeated warnings from our government citing the power grid going down, supply chain shortages medication and medical supply shortages, food shortages, food recalls and more we are warned daily that one or more life threatening crisis is likely., or inevitable.
What if the designated or assumed primary healthcare provider in your family or community person is the one sick or injured? Do you have a plan?
Do you have a plan for limited or nonexistent medical supplies?
Given the press releases and statements from the powers that be these are very real possibilities. We are being told a second pandemic, worse than the Covid 19 pandemic is not just probable, but inevitable.
Are you physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually prepared for this? Have you tried to put in place a plan but feel overwhelmed? You are not alone. Fear and feelings of being overwhelmed are perfectly normal. Taking back control of parts of your life that you are able to will put you back in the driver’s seat of your s and your loved one’s destiny.
5 Steps to weather the coming storm of events
The past 2 years and events that have followed- baby formula shortage, medical supplies and pharmaceutical supplies, overall supply chain shortages have taught us one thing- it is necessary to act NOW. According to many sources our supply chain disruption is closing in rapidly and not going away anytime soon.
- Take control of your finances
Take a long, hard look at your monthly expenditures. Which are necessary? Which are wants? Free up some of your finances by taking a hard look at your financial situation. Do you do a daily drive through to your local coffee shop? If so, try setting up and making your favorite drink at home and bring to work. This alone will save hundreds of dollars in some instances. Do you have cable tv? If so, how much does that run a month? Netflix? Sports channels? Do you plan your meals or make trips through the drive through several times a week? How about clubs you no longer attend- the dues, etc. Do you live in an area where you could use your bicycle to run to the grocers?
- Take that extra money and get prepared
With the money you have freed up from streamlining your bills and expenditures look at your food, water, and medical budgets and supplies.
Food and water
Water
There is sufficient water in city water supplies to provide for the promised and already happening rolling blackouts. However, if these blackouts are extended the water will quickly run out and there will be a water shortage crisis. Take time to store water and learn how to safely filter water. I have written about this important topic in the past. One of the most common downfalls of civilizations wasn’t food shortages. It was waterborne illnesses and hygienic practices. There are so many good water filtration devices on the market. Do your research.
Food security
It is important to purchase the highest quality food you are able, however in many instances even with a streamlined budget this isn’t always feasible. Nutrition is the key to a healthy immune system and the ability to bounce back after an illness or injury. Supplementing your diet with fresh greens and sprouts is one of the easiest and healthiest ways to maintain health. The Greenstalk Vertical Planter is a wonderful way to supplement your diet and helps offset the grocery bill. I have a tower garden on our balcony. The number of leafy greens I can produce is astounding. We have been enjoying lettuce, chard, basil, mint and many other herbs and vegies from this garden. It can be grown inside or on a porch, saving space and water. The initial set up was an investment, however it is producing so many greens and other vegies that is quickly paying for itself. There are many types of towers and even tabletop hydroponic systems out there, this is just an example of one.
Microgreens are an amazing and inexpensive way to supplement the diet. These powerhouses Truleaf Market, an online supplier of microgreens and more, carries an amazing array of sprouting seeds. Their quality is unparalleled.
Medical supplies and medications
The medication shortage intensifies: Beyond prescription medications survey your medicine cabinet and first aid supplies. Do you have creams for burns, pain, antiseptics? Eye washes? Medicines or herbal preparations for the flu and common cold? Allergy medication? How about an inexpensive dental repair kit?
Make a list of what you and your family use on a regular or emergent basis and stock up now on low inventory.
- Practice, practice, practice
As we enter this new era where life as we know it is changing, our ability to adapt and change will determine our survival.
Practicing scenarios, such as medical emergencies, cooking with stored food, getting a small garden together and using it will help make this transition easier. It will enable you to see where your and your loved one’s weaknesses are now, while we are able to mitigate these challenges. Get the entire family/community involved. Is there a designated leader or natural leader that can coordinate responsibilities? Are there adequate medically trained personnel? Medical supplies? Do people know how and when to use them?
How about age-appropriate jobs and responsibilities for the young and the disabled?
If you don’t know your neighbors, now is a good time to start. Don’t wait for someone to organize a community potluck. Take that first step. Get to know your neighbors and those closest to you geographically. Assess their integrity and skills without being obvious. As you get to know your neighbors engage in topics around preparedness and gage their response. Hopefully you will be able to find like minded people within your neighborhood.
- Assess and form a plan. Then form another one, and another
As you rehearse your scenarios- from supply chain disruptions to medical emergencies to lack of clean water- have more than one action plan in place. Write down steps and post on the refrigerator or somewhere easily accessible in an envelope. Pull out these plans and make it a point to practice an area you and your loved ones and community are weak in. Make this a monthly commitment.
- Keep your mental and spiritual health in shape
Without mental and spiritual health and practices that keep one centered and grounded, all the above 4 other points are useless. Make sure if you or your loved one is taking medication for a mental health condition that they have enough stored for several months.
Check in daily with your own mental health and spiritual practice. This is by far the most important aspect to assure survival. Chek in with your loved ones and make sure they are not struggling. If they are, seek help now. Take time to enjoy life, turn off the news, media and people that promote fear and not action. We can and will come out of this stronger and more resilient if we get prepared for the storm that is already upon us.