18) Global Oil, Food and Sanity Crisis? Part 1. Get organised!

How Planning and Doing Can Solve The Global Crisis...

At Least, in your own life.

By Sindy Wakeham

 It's easy to be carried away in the fear, speculation, uncertainty and obvious consequences of corruption, greed and wars on a globally connected world. What happens in one place can affect a country on the opposite side of the planet. 

People in 'The West' generally aren't personally involved in the current wars and we only see updates via news and other media which nobody really trusts anymore. So it can feel like it's a world away and not affecting us directly. 

The first place we begin to notice it is in the fuel prices. This very quickly translates to food prices and then every other product and service we use even if it has nothing to do with 'the war'. Or so it seems.

We know all this and it's beginning to bite closer to home and feel more real. We can't avoid it but WHAT CAN WE DO to prepare for and minimise the effects on us at home in our own lives?

Well instead of saying "I told you so", I am still going to say the best time to start a garden is 5years ago. I know someone else offered a different time but in my personal experience, it can take 5 years to get a garden to a developed stage where it merely needs maintenance. 

Let's get serious now. 

I'm going to suggest what I have in previous blogs but not as in depth because in those there was no immediate threat. We could all see it coming but it seemed far off and there was time to do things organically and simply for 'in case SHTF ever happened'. Well it has and we need to pick up the pace. 

 Areas to concentrate on NOW:

• Still not stock piling but prioritise your food storage cupboard so that if you cannot get out or money is suddenly not available, you have enough to see you through at least one week but preferably, 3 months.  I have written an e-book (right here) for you with comprehensive lists to help you think about what is most important for you.
• Equally important is growing your own as far as possible if you have a garden and if you don't, I have also created other resources to help you figure out how to make that happen even if you live in a flat (apartment).
• Keep a little cash for emergencies if you can't use your card or ATM. 
• Assemble a 72 hour emergency kit (bug out bag) so that should you need to leave your home in an emergency, there's no mad rush or even worse stress. 
• If the idiots who runt he show decide to 'enforce' another lockdown (I'm sure we will all be less compliant this time around and be wiser to the manipulation and lies), even so, a BUG IN plan can make all the difference to your sanity.
• Protect your mental health and build your spirituality. This is perhaps even more important than all the above. Get journal/diary books ready to write in and crafting supplies in the activities that interest you. People, this is vital...I'm biased here. You simply cannot have enough!  For those so inclined...a shed for tinkering with engines (or other really useful solutions to problems).
• Stay close to family and friends. Stay in contact and encourage them to all do what they can for resilience.
• Build strong community. You can do all of the above and still not be completely "prepared" to respond instead of react to any situation, but community is the most powerful and secure plan for resilience. You can weather a lot more with a good community around you. In communities where disaster has struck, those with good neighbour connections were able to recover and cope much better than those having to do so on their own. 

This is simply a general list but as I said in all the resources I have created, I can only suggest things and might not even cover everything and you may find things I have not included. Your individual household and situation is unique to you. 

Take a weekend or a night in the week to sit wth your family or household and discuss what is important to you for your security and resilience. Make it a fun activity for children. If they are involved in a fun way, they are less likely to be unsettled or resistent and should the need arise, they will have direction and confidence, knowing what to do. That's more than half the trauma managed. 

Take a look at your food storage area and thiink about putting it in order to know what gaps need to be filled. Look at your  home and decide how creative you can get to make more space. You will be surprised. You  have then made a start and even if shelves seem to be emptying or variety getting limited with steeper prices, you CAN still build a food storage and any is better than none.

Most of all, be sensible and intentional, not paniced or overwhelmed. Start where you are and do one thing at a time. We may be in a more urgent situation but the motto has always been, 'Carry on carrying on'. In Part 2 of this title, I'll be addressing how Geoff Lawton is right when he said "You can solve the problems of the world in a garde". 

Remember, you can see more of what I do here and visit my Shopify Site for more ideas.

Until Part 2 then.