Crisis can come upon us at any time. Sometimes we might have time to prepare, and at other times, it can be so sudden that you’re caught off guard. A tsunami is an example of a sudden natural disaster that leaves destruction and panic in its wake, and you barely have time to flee.
The Covid pandemic is a crisis that slowly creeped up on us. Yet, people scrambled to the stores to hoard toilet paper and other essentials. Panic buying is common during a survival scenario where it’s every man for himself.
In this article, you’ll discover 5 common survival problems that can be avoided, if you’re prepared. Don’t follow the herd. You have to be one step ahead if you want to survive a crisis in relative comfort without losing your mind.
Problem #1 – Lack of planning
There’s an old Chinese proverb, “It is better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in war.”
To be a warrior, you’ll need to spend time training and getting ready for war. In the same vein, to survive effectively, you MUST have a plan.
- How much food will you store?
- How much water will you store?
- If you need to evacuate, where will you go?
- What supplies do you need?
- Do you have pets? What will happen to them if you need to evacuate?
- Do you have sufficient funds to move to another place and stay there temporarily until the crisis is over?
All of these are just some of the questions you’ll need to ask yourself when preparing for different possible crises. It’s best to get a few survival books from Amazon and understand the basics of being a prepper.
Your takeaway: Plan well ahead of time.
Problem #2 – A lack of supplies
Have you ever wondered why toilet paper was always the first item to fly off the shelves during the Covid pandemic or even when there is a supply chain disruption?
The answer is simple. People fear being stuck at home and running out of toilet paper. While bidets are installed in most of Europe and other countries, the U.S. is still lagging behind in this area… which leaves the citizens dependent on toilet paper.
But this is just a symptom of a far larger problem.
The man who is running to buy toilet paper is usually short on food, water, and many other supplies essential to survival.
What if the lights go out? Does he even have a flashlight or a camping lantern? Candles? Matches?
And does he have spare batteries if his flashlight’s batteries are depleted?
All these are crucial supplies that MUST be stored and ready to go. You do NOT want to be one of the masses running to Walmart in your pajamas (the Walmart ‘dress code’) and rushing to grab what you can find.
You should have all the supplies you need at home. In a crisis, you’ll not panic.
Your takeaway: Make a list of supplies to get (to last you a week at minimum) and buy the items you need.
Problem #3 – A lack of skills
You can’t become a survivalist overnight. Most of us are not MacGyver. It’ll take time to master the different survival skills. So start learning and practicing early.
First aid skills, starting a fire, building shelter, self-defense, etc. are all skills you’ll need at your disposal. Having the equipment is not enough. You must practice.
It’s easy to buy a fire-starter kit from Amazon. But can you start a fire with it?
Do you know what to do with the paracord that you’ve bought? Or how to tie knots that don’t fall apart when you sneeze?
To master these skills, you must practice with the equipment you have. Learn to start the fire with your kit. Learn to use your tactical flashlight, camping lanterns, stoves, etc.
In a crisis, you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re trying to figure things out.
Your takeaway: Get familiar with your survival tools and build your skills.
Problem #4: A lack of stamina
Unlike quarantines and lockdowns during the Covid pandemic where most of us became fatter from leading a more sedentary lifestyle, most other crises are not as ‘forgiving’.
If there’s a bushfire about to raze your home to the ground, you’ll need to grab your bug out bag and rush off. Guess what?
A bug out bag with 72-hours’ worth of food supplies and water (not to mention the other items) will not be light. If you lack stamina, you’ll be struggling to carry the backpack and walk around.
You’ll be so out of breath that your lack of fitness might be more dangerous to your well-being than the actual crisis.
The best way to prepare for this will be to increase your stamina. The best way to do that will be to practice doing what you need to. Forget the CrossFit and yoga. They’re great on their own, but not suitable for survival training.
Instead, you should strap on your bug out bag and walk every other day so that you get used to moving with such a load. Doing lunges, squats, and pull-ups with your bug out bag.
The added weight will not only increase your stamina and strengthen your muscles, but will also train your body to endure heavy loads.
Similarly, if you’re learning self-defense (and you should be), it’s best to focus on Krav Maga, Escrima, Muay Thai or other close combat arts that involve high impact movements and real-life self-defense techniques.
Your takeaway: Train for the situation you’re preparing for.
Problem #5 – A lack of money
Money will not buy you happiness… but it’ll sure buy you a plane ticket to a place that’s safe when you’re forced to move. It’ll buy you the supplies you need and much more.
Even during times of war or political instability, having money is useful for bribing guards, buying your way to freedom, and gaining an advantage that others don’t have because they lack money.
As a survivalist, you’ll want to start an emergency fund where you save up 6-12 months’ worth of income. These funds will help to tide you over during a crisis.
Do note: You might want to have a wall safe installed in your home to keep your cash safe.
During the Covid pandemic, when people were locked down, many of the ATMs were empty. You couldn’t make withdrawals because no one was servicing the machines. So, it’s better to have easy access to your cash during an emergency.
Your takeaway: Start saving up and build an emergency cash stash.
The 5 problems mentioned in this article are some of the most common ones people face. The good news is that since you now know what they are, you can take steps to avoid them.
Time is your ally here. If you start early, you’ll be much better prepared in the long run. Don’t wait. Start today.
“The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr