{"id":1460,"date":"2016-09-09T23:01:25","date_gmt":"2016-09-09T23:01:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/192.241.231.59\/?p=1460"},"modified":"2016-09-09T23:01:25","modified_gmt":"2016-09-09T23:01:25","slug":"using-everyday-life-to-hone-your-emergency-preparedness-skills","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vosvado.com\/using-everyday-life-to-hone-your-emergency-preparedness-skills","title":{"rendered":"Using Everyday Life to Hone your Emergency Preparedness Skills"},"content":{"rendered":"

When I meet someone for the first time and tell them that I teach emergency preparedness<\/strong> skills, their responses usually fall into two camps:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. They\u2019re totally onboard already, and would I like to visit their retreat bunker in the woods to dine on some delectable vintage canned rations?<\/li>\n
  2. They know they should do something to prepare for emergencies, but it\u2019s too overwhelming, and they don\u2019t even know how to start.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    To address the latter issue, I wrote a blog about how it\u2019s very likely you are already working your way toward becoming a preparedness goddess<\/a>, without even thinking about it.<\/p>\n

    But today, I\u2019d like to take it to the next step.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019d like us to consider things we can fit into our daily lives that make us just a wee bit more prepared for life\u2019s emergencies\u2026without going full Doomsday Prepper!<\/p>\n

    Make do with what\u2019s on hand<\/span><\/h4>\n

    \"emergency<\/p>\n

    There\u2019s a hashtag that I occasionally bust out on Instagram<\/a> called #PantryPrep<\/strong>. Entries tagged with this moniker focus on how one can use foods that have a long shelf life to prepare complete, nutritionally balanced meals.<\/p>\n

    As you can imagine, I deliberately stock my pantry with items amenable to this sort of exercise, but it\u2019s also kind of fun to open up a friend\u2019s cupboard and challenge myself to come up with a meal using only items currently in-house. (I have very tolerant friends. 😄 ) Next time you feel like you need to head to the grocery store, pause a minute and try to come up with just one more meal using stuff from your shelves. You might surprise yourself.<\/p>\n

    As you might imagine, you can extend this \u201cmaking do\u201d activity outside of the kitchen. For example, try putting yourself on a non-perishables shopping diet for a month. No new clothes, no birthday presents, no nuthin\u2019. Whenever you \u201cneed\u201d something, figure out a way to make do without whipping out Ye Olde Credit Card. I gotta confess: some of my best outfits have come about during these exercises!<\/p>\n

    Find your comfort zone\u2026and then push the boundaries<\/span><\/h4>\n

    \"emergency<\/p>\n

    Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Seriously.<\/p>\n

    EVERY time we are at the precipice of some larger gain in our lives, there is the price of pain to be paid. And that pain doesn\u2019t have to be physical. It can be mental. Like when we\u2019re learning a new language and feel like a complete moron when we forget the word for \u201cnapkin\u201d at a restaurant in our foreign destination. It can be social. Like when we\u2019re at a cocktail party and don\u2019t know a soul and have to endure the awkward minutes standing alone before finally connecting with someone over the chips and salsa. It can even be spiritual\u2026which we experience anytime something new enters our life and rocks our existing belief system.<\/p>\n

    As my climbing partner and amiga Anna likes to say, \u201cIf it hurts, it must be therapeutic.\u201d<\/strong> She\u2019s talking about physical pain in the context of sports, but if you think about it, that little nugget applies to life. All of it.<\/p>\n

    Try new shit<\/span><\/h4>\n

    \"emergency<\/p>\n

    This is a corollary to the discomfort directive above. New activities, exotic foods, foreign destinations. Try them all.<\/p>\n

    Say yes! <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

    Keep that brain limber in the face of the novel. If you learn to go with the flow by choice<\/em>, it\u2019s really not that big of a deal when life shoves you into an extraordinary circumstance against your will (well, hello, Category 5 hurricane).<\/p>\n

    Set up a new social group\u2026and lead it! <\/span><\/h4>\n

    \"emergency<\/p>\n

    Okay, I admit, this is a bit of an advanced move\u2026but it is SO, SO WORTH IT! In times of crisis, we need leaders. Strong, confident, capable leaders. Some folks are naturals at this\u2026but most of us benefit from a bit of deliberate practice.<\/p>\n

    And guess what? The internet makes this assignment easier than ever! All you need is an interest in a topic and a desire to hone your leadership capabilities.<\/p>\n

    Sign up for something like MeetUp.com<\/a>, register your group, and you\u2019re off and running! Plan your first meeting within four weeks of establishing your meet-up, and don\u2019t let yourself off the hook! Nothing like working with a bunch of strangers to hone your ability to benevolently coerce.<\/p>\n

    Note that you can also offer to take the reins in more traditional groups of which you may already be a part. I\u2019m thinking church groups, PTAs, office committees, and the like. It doesn\u2019t really matter what sort of group you lead; it just matters that you start molding yourself into someone who is comfortable taking elegant charge of situations and personalities when it\u2019s merited.<\/p>\n

    <\/h4>\n

    * * * * *<\/h4>\n

    Deliberately shaping\u00a0yourself into a woman who is prepared for emergencies really doesn\u2019t have to take over your life, your house, or your wallet. All it really takes is a mindful effort and a wee bit of planning. Let me know how it goes in the comments below!<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

    Want to see more articles on day-to-day readiness? Or maybe you’d rather have me focus on how to cope with major disasters? If you want to be part of the crew\u00a0that is helping steer the future direction of this blog, sign up at \u00a0<\/em><\/strong>http:\/\/bit.ly\/readybetty<\/em><\/strong><\/a>. I\u2019ll even throw in a free Emergency Guide JUST FOR THE LADIES!\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    When I meet someone for the first time and tell them that I teach emergency preparedness skills, their responses usually fall into two camps: They\u2019re totally onboard already, and would I like to visit their retreat bunker in the woods to dine on some delectable vintage canned rations? They know they should do something to prepare for emergencies, but it\u2019s … <\/p>\n

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