reasons for prepping other than fear

Prepping For Reasons Other Than Fear

Is fear a motivator for your prepping and preparedness? For many, the answer is yes. And that’s entirely logical. Especially given today’s uncertain times.

Fear can certainly be a powerful motivator. Over the many years of my own blog – I have written my share of article topics which have included varying elements of fear to instill some motivation to take preparedness action. However I don’t constantly do it that way like so many other sites.

While fear is a motivator, it is a negative emotion. Although using fear to instigate action does have it’s time and place, using it constantly will “get old” after awhile.

Yes there are some pretty serious risks out there which ought to motivate us to become better prepared. But you know what? There are some other pretty amazing reasons why you should not be prepping from fear alone…

PREPPING BRINGS INDEPENDENCE!

Oh my goodness I must tell you how great it feels to travel down the road of independence. Metaphorically speaking, when you begin to remove the shackles bound to your feet, and remove the handcuffs on your wrists, a whole new world opens up before you. You CAN overcome the system which is designed to hold you down.

The strict definition of independence is “self-governing”, “not subject to control by others”, and “not being affiliated with a larger controlling unit”. However, the thing is that although we are still governed – we can certainly reduce being subject to control by others, or dependent and beholden by so many external systems.

More of the definition fits though: “not requiring or relying on something else”, “becoming of independent means”, and “showing a desire for freedom”.

The point I’m making is this: The more able that you are to govern yourself, to take care of yourself, to do for yourself — the more independent that you will be and feel. And it is a good feeling!

By taking steps down the path of prepping and preparedness, you will be lessening your dependence on others and other systems that may actually be controlling you, your actions, and your behavior (because of your ‘need’ for them).

PREPPING FOR SELF-RELIANCE!

Reliance on one’s own efforts and abilities. It brings with it, satisfaction. A sense of independence. And an inner strength that will make you a stronger and more powerful human being.

The more that you can do for yourself, the more self-reliant that you become. The more self-reliant that you become, the less that you need from others and other systems.

For example the more food that you grow or raise for yourself, the less food that you need from the grocery store.

The more you acquire and store for later, the less you will need during a time of shortage.

There are all sorts of examples, but you get the idea…

While there is plenty to fear out there, I’m suggesting that once you start your own prepping and preparedness, you will discover the tremendous motivation that naturally comes along with it.

The spirit of self-reliance, independence, individualism, personal responsibility.

Just living the lifestyle, regardless of how far you want to take it, is a rewarding experience for many of those who do it.

Be aware that the system is set up to trap you into dependence. Look for those traps everywhere you go, and in everything that you do. Once you begin to see them, it will become easier to spot those traps and step around them.

There are plenty of positive and rewarding reasons to live the more independent lifestyle of a “prepper”.

[ Read: Food Storage For 1 Year ]

37 Comments

  1. Hurricane Katrina was my wake up call,we did not have water for a week, and no lights for a month.
    DW and we got by just fine. we would talk about going camping in the house in a soft bed even though we had no shingles one one side of the house, we caught rain water in the kitchen in buckets to flush the toilet. honestly, we enjoyed it. we have a good deep curb well and have always had a garden and we can everything, so we had food and water. LOT’S OF BBQ
    it was something different from the everyday stuff, and we were younger then : ) that makes a big difference.
    it’s not fear but common sense to prepare, ya never know.
    when something like that is coming at you and you are not already prepped, then it’s to late.
    but then i’m preaching to the choir.

  2. Good job Ken, as usual. Many here understand the satisfaction of do-it-yourself. Things are gonna get tough. If you’re willing to put in the effort, there are ways to become ALMOST self sufficient (advanced medical care).
    Water: several ways to get it.
    Shelter: home or build something in the woods.
    Warmth: Firewood, stoves, fireplaces, rocket stoves, penny stoves, ………
    Food: Garden, hunt, fish, forage, food storage, canning, dehydrating, etc.
    Those are the BIG ones, but as ya know, there are others which are very important.
    Comms: I like ham, but there are other ways. Your cell phone can become a paper weight in an instant.
    Electricity: Solar, wind, hydro-electric, woodgas. Makes a lot of chores easier.
    Security: If you have something, at some point, others will try to take it from you. Protect yourself.

    There is a LOT to each of those things. There is a level of satisfaction with being, at least somewhat, prepared. No desperate need to rush to wally world. There’s the potential for danger there, once shtf. Am I ready? Of course not, but I’m trying. I know many on this site are trying too. Thanks for your efforts Ken. Time is short.

  3. The Summer of 2020 and subsequent disasters since COVID lockdown brought many to this site. The lurkers may be reading this site at current time. I would be curious how many have stopped reading this site or moved on. (there is no real way to keep track of that). To those on the fence about this site, I would like to invite you to stick around. Check the content about 1x per week. You may come across a new recipe or some good gardening hints.

  4. Same reason I carry a spare tire, keep fire extinguishers at home and have homeowners and medical insurance. Not afraid of having a flat tire, hope I don’t have to use my fire extinguishers or homeowners insurance and there’s a good chance (which has happened on several occasions) that my medical insurance saved me huge medical expenses. To me prepping is just common sense….but then, common sense has become uncommon nowadays.

    1. RC, “….but then, common sense has become uncommon nowadays.”

      But Uncommon Sense might becoming common. You mentioned insurance. And I’m noticing I am getting close to being “paid up” on my whole life policy. Is it uncommn for people to cash out of their Whole Life policy close to retirement? I’m getting real close to just cashing out of that. If I’ve “paid up” the face amount on the policy, then what do I need the policy for? The chance of that policy paying out after SHTF is very near to zero. However if I cash the “paid up” amount now I can turn it into something I’ll always have. ;-) Anyone see problems with that?

  5. Due to a variety of reasons, I couldn’t get to a grocery store this week. Didn’t bother me at all; I just had to be more mindful of defrosting meat for meals.

    Being able to use my preps was much more pleasant than rushing out to the grocery store on top of everything else I was already dealing with.

  6. Living with a ‘starving artist’ on the farm made learning new ways necessary. Canning was one, gardening, artist had a green thumb, bees, freezing food and little bit of plant medicine. Artist hunted. No internet then. I liked it. I was LOTS younger then too.

  7. I think it’s interesting that the people who are most ruled by fear get the most upset when they perceive (unofficial) fear being directed at them. The people who got most upset over COVID were also those who were sneering at those who were prepared for shortages, and blaming that preparedness on fear. The people who freaked out at 9/11 (or any of the other events between) always seem to be the first to scream “Fear-porn!” when faced with a threat that TPTB has not directed them to see.

    It seems to be an aspect of dependence–since they depend so strongly on “the system,” any perceived threat to their feed chute starts an out of control fear response. Literally ANYTHING that does not promote dependence creates fear in these people because it suggests a vulnerability in themselves that they do not want to see.

    1. very well put Lauren was going to post a comment along similar lines but it would not have been as articulate :)

  8. I was raised on the farm and trips to town were rare. The grocery store was visited every other week and even repairs/supplies were held off until those trips. (I remember my dad cutting a piece off the leg of a de-funk swing set to “fill” the break in my muffler when it broke in half from rust.) When I moved away and started my own family, I followed the herd and found it very uncomfortable. This was especially true during times of job loss or drops in hours. When my DH and I decided to revert to our roots and return to a prepared, frugal lifestyle, everyone was happier and the stress level of all – adults and kids – dropped substantially. When we faced weather troubles, covid troubles, or job troubles, having the ability to weather through was very helpful. Like many things we do to prepare, it’s better to be prepared and not need it than to not be prepared and need it.

  9. For DW and myself, and probably for many of us here, “prepping” if you will is a way of life that was instilled in us by our parents, and others.
    For many of us, our parents lived thru the Great Depression. For myself, I learned by watching, and was taught to do things “differently.” Such as, Dad taught me how to eat a raw egg, and told me to always carry a pocket knife. He told me this many years before I was actually old enough to carry one… Dad hunted and fished. Mom was a forager. A big garden and canning was standard.
    Many here could write of a similar childhood. Maybe that is, in part, why we gravitated here?

    1. FN
      So true about parents as an example. My grandkids just got miniature leathermans of their own to go along with their fire starting kits. Learned a lot from my folks and passed it on to my kids. I actually feel sorry for some of the younger generations who didn’t have good examples to follow or chose not to!

      1. jack Frost
        Didn’t know there is a mini Leatherman. Will be getting one for my Granddaughter.

        1. Far North
          They’re only a few inches long but are quite versatile with a blade, screw drivers and a measuring scale on the back. They originally belonged to my daughters so they have be gifted on so hopefully they still make them. I put lanyards on them as the boys don’t wear pants with belts lol! The first mini tools that I gave them were from Cabelas as it was possible to take off the knife blade but leave the saw etc available. My daughter got a real laugh when I gave them to the boys a year ago and said I should have just left the knife blades in.

        2. FN
          Strangely enough I just found the manual for the Leatherman Micra. It seems to be available through Ken’s link to Amazon. It is not cheap but it is stainless steel and made in the US. It has 10 features on it, amazing for the size of it.

        3. Jack Frost
          Went to town today, only went to one place, Sportsman’s Warehouse. Didn’t have a Leatherman, but picked up a small multi tool by Gerber. Something for her to start with.
          I’ll check out the one on Amazon. Thanks

    2. Far North, disagree from my standpoint. My parents taught me none of that. Learned it all from my grandparents and Great grandparents who lived through the great depression. Growing up and seeing the difference between my grandparents and great grandparents attitudes compared to my parents…… lets just say my parents didn’t teach me much about being prepared. I like to think I’m the black sheep, different from my family, but really when I look back, its my parents who were different. They lost the independent life, and I could see it. Still do. I Remember riding on my grandpa’s old Ford tractors plowing fields or hauling hay for the cows. My parents never had a tractor, or a farm, or a pantry. I have all of that now and its not because of what my parents taught me. Or maybe… it is. Don’t be without those things folks. Carry a pocket knife, carry a gun, put some food away, put some money or things of value away. Learn how to be independent from the “system”. The thing that is coming isn’t going to want to let you have any of that.

      1. Interesting perspective. I too learned all my specialty lost arts from my grandparents, NOT my parents. A few from my Dad. But for the most part, they were busy with their careers. I have always felt I had such a luxury in having all my grandparents…they were frugally generous and very loving.
        I created a prepping lifestyle when very young. Hand me downs started the adventure. Learned to sew as early as six, and started saving the family cast-offs for a myriad of uses…old jeans for instance made great nail aprons!
        We had a HUGE family of which no matter how or when the others were added (adoption mostly) I was always in the middle…old enough to take care of the youngers, never old enough to go with the olders. LOL SOOO, I became the family administrator. Kept track of all the doctor, dentist, sizes, rehearsals, science fairs, recitals, school supplies, munch needs etc. Dad and I would start our morning making 24 sandwiches. and then packing juice, a piece of fruit, celery or carrot sticks, and a Hostess treat in the brown bags. each kid got one “meat and cheese” sandwich and the second was pbj. THAT taught me a lot. Ahhh to reminisce.

      2. Prepared
        Maybe I’m unique in that both my parents lived thru WW1 and the following influenza, as well as the Great Depression?
        Back in school. most of my classmates’ fathers fought in WW2, while my father fought in WW1… but then, anyone old enough to have fought in WW2 were youngsters during the Depression…
        Most of my Boy Scout leaders were WW2 veterans.
        Yes, it is important to be as independent as possible.
        Can’t remember the name of the Country singer who sang, “If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for anything.”

  10. SoulSurvival, False Prophets,
    -2 Tim 4:3-4 – For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths
    -Matt 24:10-11, “At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another. “Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
    -2 Tim 3:1-7 – But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good,treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power.
    these things have already come to pass, they are among us now. and people wonder why i have become a hermit.
    i’m ready and i know you are. there is more to prepping than just food and supplies.
    i have tried to get people ready for His coming but it mostly falls on deaf ears, honestly i don’t even try much anymore, got tired of wasting my breath. gonna be an eye opener for most in the near future.
    take care

      1. Stay Awake!

        “35 Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning— 36 lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. 37 And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.””

  11. With the price of gas being what it is today, I like not having to make that 140 mile round trip to a grocery store. I do run out of chocolate sometimes though. We eat 2 squares of the large bars for lunch and dinner. It is part of our diet. The cashiers do give us sideways glances when we buy 6-8 large bars on trips to the store.

  12. 16 years ago I converted a small pickup to electric. Its on its 4th set of batteries now. Not because they died, but because I was always trying to put better ones in. Probably could have gotten twice the miles off the ones I’ve used. Way back when I did this I had just moved from a bush location where diesel was over $5 /gal (this was back in 2002 time period). Maybe it was a Prep perpetuated from fear, but it was a fun project for me and I enjoyed the journey. After the effort and considering the cost I figured out that gas had to be over $3.50/gal for driving the electric to be worth it. To my dismay fuel went really cheap for a long time. Now diesel in my big town I live in is over $5/gal. But my youngest will be driving the electric to school for the first time tomorrow. I don’t drive much because I work from home. But my youngest isn’t working while going to school and so $2.65/day to drive to school really adds up. For the price of electricity now it will only cost him $0.32/day which I’m happy to pay for him if he takes care of it.

    1. Nice project. I’m curious on how you did it….what motor is used and batteries, etc.

      1. Kula,
        A cool vehicle. My dad had one, helped him rebuild the old flat-head 4 engine. He sold it a few years later. A little small for me, I’m 6’5″, but still very cool. My cj5 is smallish, but I can drive it comfortably.

        1. I learned how to drive a standard transmission on one of the old Willys. Great rig.

  13. There is more chatter about the “New World Order”. This should instill much more fear into everyone to prepare for this–if we can.

    1. Their arrogance blinds them to reality,

      They have a solid slap coming to them

  14. Prepared,
    You have acquired knowledge and applied said knowledge. Excellent work. It may well benefit you in the future. You do know, I hope, if everyone did this, our grid couldn’t handle it?? I’m sure you understand the grid is MAXed out when AC units are running all over the country. Those with e-vehicles will be SOL when the grid goes down. If you have ways of charging your e-truck; solar, wind, etc. You’ll be in great shape. Good luck.

    1. You don’t really need a lot of power to charge an EV. Its a fact that my coffee pot pulls more power than my truck charger. Also, at least in the winter, I use more energy in the block heater on my diesel (just so it will start and burn diesel) than I would putting it into the electric for driving. So right now my son has to drive 6 mile RT school and back. He does it twice a day. It takes about 4 hours of charging at 1100 watts to re-fill. My coffee pot runs longer than that a day. I’m not breaking any grid by charging. I will say though that one of my chargers can do 12KW. BUt its not necessary for re-filling 20 mile runs. If I drove a solid 80 miles one way, had to charge during the work day and then 80 miles home. I would certainly need to use the big charger, and a 240V 50A range outlet or commercial charge station. But for short runs, the 110V 10A unit does just fine. However, one day when the truck moves to the cabin for its rural life, it will be able to charge from the solar panels. I know not so good in the winter where I’m at. But life is what it is.

  15. Here’s one thing about prepping that may get your more asleep parties open to consideration. I suspect the prepping lifestyle has a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Fewer trips to shop. Homegrown food eliminates transportation from afar. Alternative energy sources and so on. We do it for frugality and/or resiliency but most of it is also better environmentally.

  16. During my stages of learning to prep over 50 years now….my understanding and learning process has led me to another facet or level of provisioning to include supplies for whoever in the form of large tents, food, meds, firearms, and basic hygiene needs. This is to compliment my bug in scenario and since I have acreage am able to provide a camp like setup to be used for friends, or relatives who might have had to bugout to my location without being able to move their own supplies. I can also use these extra items as barter for things or services (e.g. security position to help guarding my property) that I would require. I believe in ‘paying it forward’ if need be and warranted. And if I have a motto it is….three is two, two is one, and one is none.

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