Invest in Yourself

The cheapest investment in your survival or preparedness plan is you. Work on improving your health, your knowledge base, and networking. None of these things cost you money, and they can all be done with an investment of time. No amount of gear or supplies will benefit you if you can't carry it, use it, or trade it. Times are getting tough, prices are rising, and the dollar is losing value. You are where the value will be found. Set goals for your development and have deadlines set to keep you on track. When you miss them, assess the cause and reestablish a new timeline. Make a plan and stick to it, drive toward that better self.

Invest in Your Health

Your health is the one thing you have complete control over and will have the biggest impact with the simplest changes. Eat healthy, and make the change gradual if it is too hard to cut out all your bad habits at once. Start with drinking more water every day. Replace your high sugar or artificial everything drink with a glass of water. Drop the high-sugar snacks or treats and replace them with fruit. Make the change part of a plan to work towards a healthy diet, with timelines and goals. Move more, just get out and walk. Add miles to your week, gradually working towards running and carrying weight on your longer walks. Walk the stairs over taking the elevator. Walk or bike for your shorter trips. Set goals and plan to have someone go with you for accountability. Imagine the miles you would be able to put on if you didn't watch TV or surf social media. Get good sleep. Try to schedule 6-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Watch your sugar intake prior to going to bed. Create a break from TV or phone screens before going to bed. Let your body heal.

Invest in Knowledge

Learning and practicing new skills can be done without finding specialized classes. You can learn a lot these days by searching the internet or watching how-to videos. Read all the books and manuals you have collected to understand the life sustainment skills before you need to put them into practice. Put those skills into practice to test yourself or become a little less dependent on our current and highly susceptible supply and demand system. Take notes and learn from your mistakes or how you performed in various conditions, like harvesting your own food, whether growing food or harvesting mushrooms and meat. Track your successes and failures so you can have the best luck when you are dependent on it. Experience is the best teacher. Take the notes and trials and be more successful, get faster or more efficient at the skills. Ensure you are not the only one in your family or group with the knowledge. Teach others the skills you know in trade for the skills they know. This will also be part of your network building.

Build Your Network

Build your network. Increase your group's collective skills or knowledge by meeting and supporting other like-minded people with a different or a higher level of knowledge. Support each other right now, help them reach their goals, learn new skills, improve their health, or build their business. Show your value by being an asset, demonstrating what you will bring to the group if they have to enact the P.A.C.E. or emergency plan. Develop a community watch program where you all support each other and deter would-be criminals from targeting your homes or neighbors. Help each other with the yard work or extra work. I have helped many neighbors shovel snow off their driveways or move dirt or gravel from piles in their driveways to the intended location. This has come back to help when I am out of town, grabbing packages off my porch before they get wet or stolen. Imagine how prepared your group would be when something bad happens if you had already identified the experts and roles that everyone could fulfill.

Final Thoughts

You can use your time effectively, combining activities to improve your well-being while learning or teaching your friends or neighbors a new skill. Or, if the weather keeps you from going outside to exercise, you could watch a video about a new skill or area of expertise while riding on a stationary bike or putting in miles on a treadmill. Being physically active and socially engaged in person will also help with your mental health, building towards a more resilient person. Now, grab a bottle of water and walk down to your neighbors for a training session on a skill you need to develop.

Additional Resources:

• Prepping for Aging: How to Maintain Your Health
• The P.A.C.E. Plan
• Fitness As A Survival Skill
• 10 Skills Female Preppers Should Have That Aren't About Food