You have heard the saying peace through strength. What does it mean however, and how does it apply to you as a Prepper. The saying implies that strength through arms is a necessary component of peace. Some of course do not believe in this concept, and thus, we as a country find ourselves at a crossroads where there are no good choices and each path is fraught with danger. Previous actions have caused the dilemma we find ourselves in as a country.
Preppers there are lessons to be learned from all this. What you do today will have an impact on tomorrow, and you have to decide if your actions today will have a positive or negative impact on your future.
If you look around you can see how not having strength as a country or the perception of not having it can wreak havoc in the world. Essentially, we get pushed around we are bullied, and that is dangerous.
Words are ignored, because there is nothing to back them up, there are no consequences to anyone’s actions it seems. We as a country cannot create order in the world anymore because we are bargaining from a position of weakness or perceived weakness.
People, organizations and countries will test us. When they realize we do not have the strength or the willingness to push back, they push harder and test boundaries and then things get chaotic and deadly.
There is a difference between having strength and not knowing how to use it to achieve peace.
Strength today comes in many forms and as an individual or family it is not always about how well armed, you are. To survive today as an individual, or as a family, you need strength of character, financial stability and the ability to adapt.
It means you need to be responsible and this means doing the right thing even when it is the hardest choice. You cannot seek the path of least resistance in all cases, because the hardest decisions you have to make are usually the right decisions. Tough as they might be, decisions have to be made to protect the future, your future.
There are of course other things that you need but some cannot be gained without first recognizing some things need to change.
If someone cannot fathom the fact that spending more money than what comes in every month is a mistake then the problem will continue and grow. You can start by realizing that some things in your life today need to change today, for you to survive the future, an uncertain and possibly dangerous future.
Set Goals
Simply knowing you should protect your family against a crisis is a start but you need to take the next step. The next step is learning what you need to do and start doing it. If you are not prepared, you will be operating from a position of weakness when disaster does strike, meaning your chances of survival are dramatically reduced.
Denial is costly and financial denial is common. Some people seem to operate in a mode called “next week” or “next month”. They believe that somehow, more money will mysteriously appear in their paycheck next week, or money will just appear in the checking account next month, so this or that bill can wait. This is denial, and it is living day to day, until the next paycheck. It does not matter how much money you make, you always have to live within the confines of how much, you do make, do not deny the obvious.
Cable television, streaming videos and music, gadgets and gizmos all cost money. What have they done for you today? Have they enriched your life, can they help you survive, and if the answer is no on both counts then consider cutting back. Take a hard look at what they are costing you. You can start today by deciding you are going to cut a specific amount of money going out the door every month for entertainment, it is a goal that can be obtained.
Prepping is insurance, it is a hedge against the future. Money spent today on it will not go to waste. Money spent on dinner out is money spent with no return on your investment. Everything you do should have a purpose. Look to the future when doing things today. Will spending money on certain things help you survive an uncertain future?
Peace of Mind
In years past people worked to pay off their homes and to set money aside for their children’s college. They saved for that new car, and color television sets. They sacrificed today to provide a better tomorrow, they had peace of mind, because they had goals and they worked toward them so they could retire in comfort.
Today is different of course, and some if not many things are not in any one person’s control. However, throwing up your hands and saying well it is not my fault, so I am simply going to live for today is not the answer either. Instant gratification that “must have it now” mindset is dangerous, thinking tomorrow is another day, and I will worry about things then is the wrong approach. This is what gets people and countries into trouble. They get weaker by the day when operating this way.
Someone Else’s Problem
No one seems to want to deal with problems head on. “Kicking the can down the road” you have all heard the expression. Deal with the problems tomorrow, and in government this means kicking the problem down the road until it is someone else’s problem, some other politician’s hot potato, and so the cycle begins anew every election.
The Country Is Going To Hell in a Hand Basket So Why Should I Do the Right Thing
Some people will use any excuse to be irresponsible. Doomsday scenarios offer the perfect excuse for some. They are convinced the country will collapse, so all of their hard work today is for naught, so why bother. People used the same excuse during the great depression and during other crises in the country as well.
Tomorrow will come and your behavior today will dictate how well you survive tomorrow. Excuses do not get the job done. Some people have a unique way of dealing with things. For example, if their paycheck is short a few dollars and it means they only have 600 dollars to put toward the mortgage or rent what do they do, when the rent or mortgage is 800 dollars. Some get a fatalistic attitude, and say well I do not have enough to pay rent so I might as well splurge and spend the 600 dollars on nonsense. You all know what should have been done.
Some people look around and see others behaving irresponsibly and sometimes get frustrated because they are trying to do the right thing but to no avail it seems. Soon they decide “what the heck” I might as well give up too, because it appears to be working for others.
There will be disasters. There will be catastrophes that test everyone one of us, but it is unlikely you will encounter one where the entire country collapses, where anarchy rules and you would never be called to task for your actions before during or after the crisis.
You cannot act irresponsible just because you think the country is on the verge of collapse. The country may falter, it may struggle but it is not likely to collapse in the manner some are predicting. You still have to do the right thing regardless. That is how you become strong and by gaining this strength, you will survive.