Since I was a preteen I’ve enjoyed playing role-playing games. These games are where you take on the role of a fictional character and control that character’s actions in a fictional environment. It really is group storytelling where everyone (hopefully) participates to make an interesting group event. There is also one person who directs the story and plays the parts of everyone not directly controlled by one of the other players.
Some days go better than others and there are occasions where the players just kind of bog down with and stop doing anything interesting. Everyone just kind of takes a pause and the game enters a lull. When I’m playing as the ‘director’ (Dungeon Master, Guide, etc.) and things hit that lull, I remind the other players, “It’s not a movie, folks”. They are responsible for taking the actions that drive the narrative forward.
This is About You
Let me now say it to you: This is not a movie. You are responsible to take action for your own planning and preparedness.
No one is as familiar with your needs and resources as you are. While others can come in and provide guidance, you must be the driving force for yourself and your family or group.
- Who else knows better your dietary restrictions?
- Who else knows better your risk tolerance?
- Who knows the skills you have at your disposal?
- Who knows your attachment to certain items or locations?
- Who knows the resources at your disposal and what trade-offs you’re willing to make?
- Truly no one else is as dedicated to your health and well being than you should be.
This is where most ‘preparedness’ or even ‘survival’ guides lose their way. They can only speak in generalities, but each person’s situation is unique and it needs a plan that is just as unique.
Taking Your First Step
While that general approach is a good place to start, to be something truly effective, you need to blaze your own trail.
Even before that, however, the first step must be to make the decision that planning and preparedness are necessary. If you can take an unbiased look at the world around us right now you’ll probably see that humanity is at the highest, most prosperous state that it has ever been in. You’ll also see that in many ways, we are on the edge and a fall from this height is dangerous. The thoughts of, ‘we’re doing better than ever in history’ and ‘we’re in danger of collapse’ can be held at the same time without one diminishing the other.
Since you have gotten to this site and made it this far through this post, I’m going to assume that you have made the decision to at least start thinking about taking positive steps toward your own personal preparedness.
Taking the Next Steps
With that being the case, please check back here. Better yet, subscribe to the posts and get a notification when the posts are updated. My effort will be focused on having two posts per week. The Monday post will pertain mostly to Personal Readiness – the operational side of things where preparedness tactics are discussed. The Thursday post will be more focused on Emergency Planning – the strategic, long-range side.
In the meantime, your homework is to begin (or if you have already begun, then use a more critical eye) to evaluate your situation. Identify those things which you rely on the most (your job, your car, your garden, whatever). That’s it. Just identify those things. With the next Thursday post we’ll begin with the planning.
Remember, it’s not a movie. No one is going to play this out for you. Your results will depend on your actions.