Have you ever thought about the daily habits that make someone “prepared”?
Every day you supply your basic needs: eating meals, drinking liquids, staying warm with a roof over your head, and getting adequate sleep. During a crisis, it’s important to supply those basic needs so you can continue to survive. That’s what getting prepared is all about.
Layoffs, home invasions, car accidents, power outages, natural disasters, and long-term economic decline… be prepared to survive in an unknown, changing world.
So let’s look at some of the qualities prepared people share.
Thinking Beyond Plans
It is important to have several ideas in your head so you can move on to the next plan if needed. It’s also best to eliminate any readiness shortcomings.
For example, you should never let your supplies run so low that in the event of an emergency, you need to go to the store. Consider stocking some emergency food containers for a backup.
Another suggestion is to keep your house relatively clean which includes the dishes and the laundry. That way, if the electricity goes out or you run out of clean water, you will be one step ahead.
Also have your supplies organized. Then you are more apt to find them should an emergency strike. This includes such things as a flashlight and extra batteries, a first aid kit, and a phone charger.
Related: Do You Have An Escape Plan For Your House?
Living a Skill Based Lifestyle
You can focus on productive hobbies and live a skills-based lifestyle so you will be able to execute your plan.
So if you plan to be a self-sufficient homestead farmer, you need to stock seeds, prepare a compost pile, and have the necessary equipment. If providing meat for your family is part of your plan, you need to practice hunting. And if you want food that is acquired or raised to last through the winter, you need to practice preserving food.
There are so many opportunities to learn something exciting and new.
How about learning to can your own food or dehydrate and make your own meals? What about owning some backyard chickens, brushing up on first aid skills, or baking your own bread?
Being Physically Active
Typically, prepared people work some type of fitness into their daily lives whether that is going to the gym, working a physical job, gardening, doing DIY projects or household chores.
They are not couch potatoes or people who sit at a desk for the majority of the day. Moving more throughout the day can make a world of difference to your health, which, in turn, keeps you on your toes to be prepared!
Purchasing Multi-Purpose Items
Since many of you don’t have unlimited space for storage and you, undoubtedly, have many things to store, a suggestion would be to purchase high-quality supplies that serve more than one purpose.
For example: pantry basics that can be used for cleaning.
Related: 5 Solar-Powered Items That Actually Make Sense To Keep Handy
Not Wasting: Saving Money and the Environment
It’s important to be able to make your supplies last as long as possible which would include such things as stretching leftovers, reusing items, going to rummage sales, etc.
This not only saves money, but also the environment. Just think, there might be a situation someday where your supplies are limited. With a little practice, you will be far better suited to make things last longer.
Keeping Documents and Local & Emergency Info Updated
Keep a folder of important documents so you can take it with you if needed. This would include such things as a copy of deeds, titles of property, insurance policies, birth certificates, passports, maps, pictures of family members, bank account numbers, passwords, etc.
Write down important contact numbers and addresses of the nearest hospital and clinic, etc. Have some cash stored so you can take that with you, too.
Preparing Kits, Tools, and Mental Health Items
Have an extensive emergency kit in your car that includes food and water, hygiene products, items to keep you warm, and items that supply light.
Consider such things as sleeping bags or blankets, a lighter and waterproof matches, candles, flashlight and batteries, crackers, granola bars, pet food and a collapsible pet dish, bandages, gauze, pain relief pills, alcohol wipes, rubbing alcohol, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, booster cables, tow straps, rope, duct tape, a change of seasonally appropriate clothing, and walking boots.
If you have access to a one-way NOAA radio or a two-way ham radio, that would help with communication. Have a box of tools to use as needed to include work gloves, a shovel, ax, wrench, zip ties, etc. You could also put together a fun box to include board games, favorite books, headphones, movies downloaded to a tablet, paper, notebooks and pencils, pens, etc.
Related: How To Prepare Your House In Case Of An Emergency
Reacting Calmly
It’s impossible to know how you would react in emergency situations, but you can think through possibilities ahead of time and, along with this, consider a positive course of action.
What would you do if a fire broke out in your house, the area you live in is flooded, or a tornado is spotted in the sky near your home?
Think through the various scenarios and plans, and discuss the action necessary with your family while acting calmly.
Play a game with your family and act out different scenarios: what do they take, where do they go, who do they contact, etc. Think about “what ifs.” Whenever you are out and about, think about “what if” situations. Get creative and have fun. These exercises will help you better prepare for any scenario.
Critical Thinking
Are you able to assess the information provided to you and separate fact from fiction? It’s important to stay abreast of current events and, at the same time, separate the true happenings from opinions. This will reaffirm your ability to better handle a true crisis should one come and keep you more stress-free in the long run.
Preparedness is something that can be part of your daily life. If and when there is an emergency, you will be better equipped to handle it.
Living your life each day is the real key to survival. Everyone can be prepared… just take one step at a time.
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