Inspire Those Around you to Start Prepping

Do you know the one question that always comes up? Do you know the biggest struggle that preppers face outside of money in our little niche?

It’s the struggle of getting those around us to take preparedness and survival as passionately as we do!

Getting Family Inspired

We are inspired people and our passion manifests itself in some weird ways. Unfortunately, that passion doesn’t always translate to those we are closest to. I will come right out and say it, that’s a big problem. Emergency preparedness is a serious part of any American’s life. What’s most terrifying is how easily we ignore the signs.

• ·         Civil Unrest
• ·         War
• ·         School Shootings
• ·         Financial Disasters
• ·         Backwoods Emergencies
• ·         Natural Disasters

These are all things that make headlines. I know we like to bash the mainstream media, but these are all stories that are likely being reported on right now. We get plenty of warning about the potential of these situations and yet many Americans take no action.

So, the question that comes up, invariably, is something along these lines, “How do I get my (wife, kids, husband, Mom, Sister) to start paying attention and taking action?”

Over the last several years we have generated a number of responses to this question. You know, the answer is always going to be unique to the situation but one of these 4 answers almost always helps the situation.

Get Outside

A quarter of Americans spend almost an entire 24 hours without going outside and downplay the negative health effects of only breathing indoor air, according to a new survey claiming a new “indoor generation.”

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/15/quarter-americans-spend-all-day-inside/

It is a sad but very true realization that we all must face. As a whole America is getting fatter, slower and less active. Its gotten so bad that I just heard Tim Kennedy, Army Special Forces Green Beret, talking about how the army special forces are struggling to find recruits.

The people aren’t smart enough, they are on drugs and they are obese. Those were the basics of his message.

While you do not need to push people into the adventure class where they are hiking the Rockies, just getting away from technology and getting outside more often is a great way to start. Outside you can learn about the natural world. The power of trees as a four-season resource, how the wildlife can feed you and what you can create from the natural world around you.

Take a Class

The issue with just getting outside and hoping for the best is that it takes time. If you have time, then take it. There is no better way to spend a life than walking alongside the people you love.

That said, if you are looking for a fast track to inspiring those around you, you need to sign them up for a class. All over this nation there are survival schools and wilderness schools that are teaching people all sorts skills. Imagine bringing the family, or that person you are looking to inspire to prepare, to any number of classes like these:

• Urban Escape and Evasion
• Bushcraft 101
• Land Navigation
• Foraging Wild Foods
• Medicinal Herbs in the Wild
• Primitive Blacksmithing
• Wilderness Shelter Building
• Wilderness Tool Making
• Urban Survival Skills

These are just examples of courses that are laid out all over the nation. While I have been writing and studying preparedness for nearly a decade I am never more inspired than after taking one of these classes. It’s a serious departure from the monotony of life and the hands-on opportunity can really get people into what they are doing.

Buy Them a Kit

Sometimes the right purchase can change everything. You have to be very careful about buying preps for the people you love. You have to be thoughtful. If you offer them something too terrifying and garish, like a gas mask or an urban tactical survival kit, they are going to be put off immediately. That’s just the reality.

I have spent a long time looking over survival kits and I have found the perfect gift that is just the right amount of survival and the right amount of practicality. Its called the MHA Bushkrafter by WB BushKraft. The kit contains over 15 essential survival items and has you covered 

• First Aid
• Shelter
• Fire
• Water
• Foraging

It comes with a great custom 1000D nylon cordura carrier that can be worn around your waist. This kit wasn’t built for the apocalypse, though it would be a great kit to address the issues therein. The MHA Bushkrafter was designed with inspiration from a man who actually blazed the Appalachian Trail. Myron H. Avery was an Appalachian Trail pioneer and from his journal the MHA Buskrafter was born.

Find a New Hobby

• GeoCaching
• Drone Flight
• Rock Climbing
• Kayaking

If the people around you are terrified of traditional outdoors i.e. hunting, fishing, camping than you can look for a hobby that is outside the realm of that tradition. Today, we have so many options, but we are always looking for the quick and easy fix.

While the activities above may even be foreign to you, that could be a good thing! Maybe you’re a bit of a know-it-all and the family doesn’t want to hear your preparedness talk for that reason.

What if you started a new hobby together. What if it was something that you and your loved ones could learn about? Flying drones and searching for geocaches has a direct links to things like urban survival intelligence and burying emergency caches. If you start rock climbing or kayaking, you are merely adding a new skill to your list while drilling in the importance of dominating and appreciating the natural world.

Prepping is a Journey

Prepping has nothing to do with a tv show or a lofty assumption. Prepping is a journey. It’s a river and it has many tributaries. If you enjoy the journey of preparedness you will likely find yourself in a situation where you have a tremendous amount of opportunity. Just from the springboard of prepping you could find yourself

• And many, many more things
• Using Essential Oils
• Training
• Homesteading
• Relocating
• Planning Permaculture
• Gardening
• Training in Firearms
• Using Herbal Medicines
• Preserving
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Hunting

If you are just attempting to hoard things, you are doing this prepping thing all wrong. Enjoy the community and enjoy the ride. More importantly, use the methods I have outlined above to bring someone on for the ride.

Techy Survival: 4 Technologies Every Prepper Should Invest in

Preppers believe in planning for the worst scenarios. No challenge is too much with the right supplies and some ingenuity. Preppers are family-oriented but wise enough to understand that leisure and luxury mean nothing compared to preserving their loved ones and a certain quality of life. They intend to persevere, no matter the circumstance. Here are some essential technologies that can make that much easier:

1. Get Portable GPS

A stand-alone device is much better than a mobile phone that can be monitored and tracked to locate you wherever you are. If you’re willing to invest in quality, you can get a model that provides stunning 3-D maps of areas all across North America. Many of them allow you zoom in, search for various landmarks, and mark and plot your own locations. You can also take photos, making it easier to find and navigate to what matters for your family.

2. Carry a Satellite Phone

For the reasons mentioned above, you’re probably better off without the cell phone. A satellite phone can allow you to stay in touch from almost anywhere on the planet. The military uses the same satellite technology so the service isn’t going anywhere. The ability to reach out to compatriots for assistance or advice could make all the difference.

3. Buy a Solar Charger

Carrying a big supply of batteries is out of the question, so you need a way to power these devices for the foreseeable future. You never know where or when the electricity will fail, so your best options is a solar charger that’s compatible with your other devices. On a sunny day, you may be able to recharge your electronics in a single hour. Many are waterproof, dustproof, and light enough to carry in a backpack with no trouble.

4. Use Infrared Cameras

These devices can detect a wide spectrum of heat signatures in even perfect darkness. Moving bodies, whether vehicles, human, or animal, can be detected instantly to give advanced warning or spot food sources. Varying heat indications can also give you a good idea of when equipment was last used. A company, like Infrared Cameras Inc, who specializes in infrared technology can provide you with just the right imaging device for your needs.

The right technology can give you advantages that increase your odds of overcoming challenges and staying safe and healthy for the long term. From a pocket knife to an infrared camera, it’s about having the right tool for the right job.

What To Use When There’s No Toothpaste

Dental Hygiene should be a part of our daily lives and even more important in a survival situation for many reasons. Having access to a Dentist may be a serious challenge in a survival or prepper scenario. How will you maintain oral hygiene when your toothpaste has been exhausted? What will be your alternative methods for brushing your teeth? Do you even know that alternative methods exist and has been existing for 1000’s of years? How’s that for a track record?

What if I told you there was a tree that you could use to take care of your dental hygiene, would that not be something you would be interested in?  There is a tree called the Toothbrush tree and people have been using it for 1000’s of years. The scientific name for this tree is “Salvadora Persica, but you can call it the “Toothbrush tree”. The Salvadora Persica is a small, evergreen shrub or tree that grows in hot, dry conditions in parts of Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.

The Toothbrush Tree is valued as a medicinal plant since it contains a number of active compounds that promote good dental hygiene and have been shown to reduce tooth decay, plaque and gum disease.

Here are a few noted benefits of this wonderful natural toothbrush:

* Kills bacteria that causes gum disease
* Fights plaque effectively.
* Useful and effectiveness for teeth whitening
* Helps reduce tooth decay
* Removes Bad breath and odor from mouth.
* Creates a fragrance in the mouth.
* Massages the gums for healthier teeth.
* Effectively cleans between teeth due to its parallel bristles.
* Increases salivation and hence inhibits dry mouth (Xerostomia)

How To Use It ?

To use the natural toothbrush: Remove the stick from the package and trim or chew the bark off one end of the stick; about a 1/2 inch. Chew on the exposed end until the twig forms bristles. Brush as usual. No toothpaste required. The natural toothbrush will freshen the mouth. Every few days (when bristles look like an old broom) cut off the exposed bristles, peel bark and start anew. The natural toothbrush should be kept in a clean place.

Enjoy and keep smiling 

How To Test Your Bug Out Bag

Being an avid prepper, it looks so easy to add tons of survival items in your bug out bag! But, have you ever physically practiced bugging out with that much weight? A very important piece of equipment for any survival situation is having your bug out bag with you. Your bug out bag and the survival items in it are the most important part of your evacuation plan. However, your escape plan would not entirely be complete if it is not tested properly. There is a lot of literature, websites and YouTube videos that will guide and get you prepared to your very best, however nothing compares to actually getting out and testing your bug out gear to ensure yours and its’ capabilities can cope with reality.

The fact is there is no substitute for reality! However, you can test your physical endurance and practice bugging out by doing anything. It could be a hiking trail with a 20-30-pound back pack or canoeing into the park river. Through this, you would be able to plan your trip considering any emergency situation and even ready to handle a difficult situation. So, you should first test your bug out bag on your own.

Testing Your Bug Out Bag Plan

Here are our suggestions that would turn your survival experience into a piece of cake.

Weigh Your Bug Out Gear

A heavy bug out bag is a challenge to carry. You cannot blindly put plenty of survival items in your survival pack, without knowing that is it possible to even carry it for few blocks or few miles.  And, it’s quite possible that you’ll end up discarding some of the stuff or even the whole pack in a survival situation.

So, you need to plan things. It’ll make any difficult or easy situation that much simpler if you are familiar with using your bug out gear and moving around with it. List down necessary essentials and arrange a bug out bag list for your trip. Ensure whether the suitability and reliability of your equipment is appropriate for the wilderness or not. Also, share your trip plans with your team mates and family in order to avoid any mishap and any situation in which they need to find you. Here’s a great Urban Survival Bag For 2 to get you started. 

Check the weight of your bug out bag as to whether it will be too heavy or bulky in weight to carry on your back. Avoid duplicating things in your backpack. You can alter the items according to your needs. You can replace the non-essentials with essentials such as if it is summer then you need to add more bottles of water or ways to purify water on the go.

Method Of Navigation

Being prepared for a disaster is a necessity. Every phone has GPS and some kind of built in map tool. Being a prepper, you have to be ready for a worst-case scenario, where your phone might run out of battery and your cell service will no longer be available. Or, in case the weather turns bad and your GPS goes on the fritz. Thus, you should consider making a back-up plan for this purpose.

There are some basic navigation tools, which you can put together to help you to find your way in the wilderness. So, apart from GPS, you need to have a portable navigation kit to find your way in the woods. This includes an accurate and durable baseplate compass, topographical map for the area you are traversing, SE navigation cards, and a fine point pen (to make notes). You should use a lanyard to keep your kit around your neck for quick access. You also need to store and protect your map by placing it in a zip-lock bag until you need it. For better protection, use a water-proof document holder.

Escape And Evasion Routes

Next thing that comes after navigation is to plan your escape and evasion routes. Have your routes down and plan your way out already. You should know the alternative bug out routes. If you are in city, and highways are clogged due to some nuclear strike or snowstorm, then you’ll have to walk out of the urban areas.  You need to know the alternative routes if you want to stay off the highways. So, avoid the refugee routes as these are the main highways. Take your route to smaller roads as these will more than likely provide more options. Since people are creatures of habit, they are going to use these main roads that they are used to travelling on a daily basis. Therefore, you must know some of the different roads and routes that you can take and practice them.

Weather

Plan your trip to test your endurance and your bug out bag by increasing the difficulty level. It is better to be prepared for the worst weather condition. A sensible prepper will know what items to pack according to the weather of that particular bug out location. They say that there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. In winter, the main goal is to stay warm, so locate an area where you’re surrounded by dry, seasoned wood or a natural outcropping of coal.

In case of rain, you still need your bug out bag gear dry. For this purpose, you should have appropriate water-repellent clothing and durable raingear to go in your pack that will keep you warm and dry. Wool is one of the natural materials you’ll want to have for this occasion and definitely on your bug out bag list. You can expect to remain warm even if you get wet due to its insulation property. More so, there are many waterproof technologies that not only keep the water away, but also allow your body to breathe and avoid the water buildup. These Special Ops Soft Shell Jackets from Rothco are perfect and come in a range of styles to suite, so be sure to have a look. 

Survival Camp Security

Make sure that your location is well-hidden and off any of the main paths. You should hike into the woods a descent distance to somewhere that is secure and secluded. You should also make sure to limit the number of infiltration points into your camp. You can also try to create a natural security barrier around your survival camp, such as rock facing to the north and using some densely vegetative areas to remain invisible. Therefore, you want to try to create that natural barrier to reduce the likeliness to be easily approached upon.

You should have a clear exfil plan. Let’s say, if you are compromised by somebody with a weapon. You need to get your loved ones out of that area quickly and safely. Make sure that you have a well-defined and practiced plan to handle such panic situation.

Discipline

If you are relatively close to populated areas, then you need to be mindful of how much noise you are making. Especially, if you plan on building a fireregularly, its smoke is going to be seen at some point by people. You need to learn which types of trees in your bug out location that don’t produce a lot of thick, heavy and black smoke. The lighter ones are going to help you with that whole discipline.

Resources

Water is one of your primary resources for obvious reasons. While bugging out, make sure that your camp is going to be near water but not too close to it. You want to be at reasonable distance because of having to transport that water back to your survival camp. So, don’t make it too far, otherwise it will become a pain for you, since it’s something that you are probably going to do everyday. For every ten miles of walking, you should have at least two quarts of water to keep yourself going. Keep yourself hydrated regardless of which season you are bugging out in. Alternatively for on the go hydration, you can’t go wrong with the Lifestraw. Small, compact, cheap and super easy to use. Just add water. 

Bodily Effects

One of the important factors to sustain in a crisis is your physical fitness. You’ll more than likely be carrying your bug out bag every day and will therefore need the stamina to do so. The stamina to sustain the bug out bag and walking the long miles will vary from person to person. If your destination takes more than few miles with a heavy bug out bag, people with less stamina are probably going to get fatigued really quick. Therefore, ask yourself a few questions about your personal decisions before such a disruptive event occurs, such as how far do you reckon you would be able to travel and then how far do I need to travel to get to my secure place.

Don’t risk your life though over testing your bug out bag. Start with a low pace and short miles and then follow an average stride. Pre-decide your mile coverage and never assess distance by the time you took for a walk. By doing this, your legs will not feel much pain. And, you would be able to cover your distance without getting fatigued.

Testing Your Bug Out Bag Conclusion

It is thoroughly recommended to test your bug out bag in the wilderness for at least three days. This way, you would be able to determine which supplies you might need. You’ll also get a chance to upgrade and further build up your endurance ability, so you can go miles ahead in the future. You’ll get to know which items you need to ditch from your bug out bag list and which ones you need to have more of. In any case it will surely be great workout and spiritually rejuvenating experience for you. You should try it at least once in a year.

Non-electric, fuel based lamps

There are a variety of different styles of lamps and lanterns that allow one to not use electricity.  This post will be concentrating on those that require some sort of fuel, oil lamps and lanterns.   It will also diagram the basic pieces of a lamp for clarity.

Lamps evolved from a very basic concept.  Get a pot of grease or oil and stick some sort of wick in it. Like this one: 

It’ll burn and provide light.  More modern lamps have some pieces in common that are a little more specific.

They are:

• The font:  The part of the lamp in which fuel is stored.
• The collar or filling cap:  This is where fuel is added.
• The burner:  The metal piece which holds the wick and is able to pull it up as it burns.  The burner adjusts the wick.
• The wick: A piece of cloth which draws up fuel from the font.
• The mantle:  A slightly radioactive shell which incandesces when lit.
• The chimney:  A glass pipe which allows for better draw on the wick, allowing it to incandesce at it’s optimal height and brightness.

The diagram:

In modern terms, however, the idea evolved into some fairly distinct lamp types.  This post will detail the differences in each.

Lanterns were designed for outdoor use.  They have a more rugged casing than their indoor counterpart and usually, a swinging handle on the top.  They are better protected against wind and gusts.  Lamps, however, have none of these things.  They tend to be meant to sit on a surface, either a table top or in a bracket which is attached to the wall.  Just remember, when folks are talking about this, lanterns can be lamps, but lamps cannot be lanterns.   (Confusing enough?   )

Lamps come in a variety of shapes and sizes.  Most commonly, they come in a few basic variations.

• The hall or bedroom lamp, with an pixie burner, which gives off a single candle’s worth of light. Other small burners are called acorn or nutmeg.

The lamp on the left is a hall or bedroom lamp.  The one on the right, a banquet or pedestal lamp. 

• The table lamp, with a number 2 burner, which gives off approximately 3-5 candle’s worth of light.

• The banquet, pedestal lamp, or student lamp typically with a number 3 burner, which gives off approximately 5-7 candles worth of light.  These lamps come in a variety of styles.

  

• The center draft lamp, with it’s flame spreader, which gives off approximately 25 candles worth of light.

• A mantle lamp, with a hybrid burner/mantle combination, which gives off a light bulb’s worth of light.

 

• A mantle lantern, which gives off several light bulb’s worth of light.

Now, besides the amount of light each gives off, what are the differences?

• The hallway lamp is itty.  It’s meant to be a “don’t stumble as you make your way down the hall” lamp.  It is the smallest of any of this type of lamp, both in size and the amount of illumination it provides.   It typically has a round wick that is about ¼ of an inch in diameter.
• The table lamp is the most common lamp that is found.  It’s the one that you can go to the hardware store or Walmart and still purchase for around $10.00. It provides decent lighting, if you don’t need to see a lot.  For better vision, you’d need several of these.  This type of lamp has a flat wick that is about ½ inch in width.  Typically, this type of set up is also that found in most outdoor oil lanterns.
• A banquet lamp is a pedestal lamp, and provides the most light of the simple burner type.  (flat or round wick)  This type of lamp is findable at garage & estate sales and is made new, but more difficult to find.  It has a flat wick that is about ¾ of an inch in width.
  • There is some crossover between the preceding lamp and the next lamp.  You may find a pedestal lamp with a large draft – this is a crossover between clear lamp types.  Manufacturers experimented with styles until they found those that were the most stable and provided the most light.  They also tended to use the next burner as it came off the production line, before the designed font for the lamp may have been ready in its production run.
• A center draft lamp is where we get off the beaten path.  This type of lamp was the height of burner only technology.  These lamps most commonly went under the names Rayo and B&H (Bradley and Hubbard).  They have vents around the base of the font, a large burner with vents on the bottom, a flame spreader and a round wick.  They are a little more mechanical than the other oil lamps.  They’re also reminiscent of a donut.  They have a hole for the draft directly thru the font, but it’s engineered into the design.   They also provide the most light.  These frequently came with a glass shade over the chimney to provide some glare protection and diffusion.
• A hybrid lamp.  Hybrid lamps get the best of both worlds.  The burner, which wicks up oil to burn efficiently, and a mantle, which provides a LOT of light.  These lamps are the top of the line oil lamps, both in the past and now.  The bottom of the line hybrid currently runs for around $130.
• A propane camping lantern.  This lantern changes both fuel and how it burns.  In all previous lamps and lanterns, there was a burner.  This brought the fuel up from the font and allowed the lamp to burn it.  With a propane lantern, the fuel is pressurized so that it feeds thru the piping under its own power.  This type of lantern is the brightest of any of the different types.

A word of warning:

Mantles allow for fewer moving parts, but also have their own problems.  They are a small silk and ceramic bag impregnated with metal salts.  This bag may well have radioactive isotopes.  The standard impregnation technique involves thorium oxide. It is what allows the light to be very bright.  Standard use poses no problems to health. The mantle is attached with a string to the fuel source and lit.  The silk then burns off, leaving behind a ceramic mesh.  Mantles can be very delicate and fussy to use.  If you have not previously used one, you may wish to do so with a ready supply of new mantles on hand, as they tend to break easily.

Preparing for an Emergency When You Have a Chronic Illness

Credit:Adobe Stock

Even those with a disability or chronic illness should be prepared for an emergency situation should one arise. Prepping isn’t just for the able-bodied.  The task may just be a bit trickier, as there would be more equipment and necessities to have on standby than usual. A different exit strategy could also be required, depending on the severity of the disease.

Prepping When You Have Lupus

Credit: GETTY IMAGES

Those who have received positive lupus test results need to be careful when prepping. Certain foods can cause flare-ups, so there are some things that need to be avoided while packing. Processed meat products are one issue, meaning no Spam or store-bought beef jerky should be included.  It is also best to fill the diet with dairy as much as possible since certain medications can cause damage to the bones. This may mean having cows to get milk from and planting leafy green vegetables to eat should the situation become dire. If a person has lupus, it is also imperative that they keep their medication supply stocked and take it along with them when they need to leave in an emergency.

Prepping When You Can’t Walk

It’s easy for most people to get up and run when a terrible situation arises that they need to get away from quickly. Those who have a disability or illness causing problems with mobility may have a more difficult time. Keeping extra crutches or a walker in a vehicle may help.  They’ll have the needed mobility if they can’t take a battery-operated device. If people can’t walk entirely and need to get away fast, they should be certain they have a manual wheelchair handy since power wheelchairs won’t last long when the world is ending. Anything that works by hand is the best to have in a dire situation. A person always knows they can get away when needed, and not stuck without a charge.

Prepping When You Have Diabetes

Watching the sugar content of foods being packed is important when you have diabetes.

Credit: ISTOCK

The proper medication needs to be taken along if people leave in an emergency. It is imperative to have insulin pumps and other required supplies to manage the disease. Having extras packed and ready to go, so getting away fast without need to stop to think and grab supplies in the heat of the moment is best.

Prepping When You Have a Seizure Disorder

Stress can trigger seizures. So anyone with a seizure disorder needs to learn some proper stress management techniques to utilize while on the road. An unexpected emergency situation is one of the most stressful things to go through. Knowing how to cope while going through it is highly important. Those who regularly have seizures should also make a prep plan with someone they know who lives nearby. That person may need to know the right way to handle a seizure if one occurs, such as placing something soft underneath the head.

The survival guide for handling a pandemic stresses the importance of being prepared. Food, water, and a first aid kit should be the starting point for everyone, regardless if they live with a chronic illness or are perfectly healthy. After this basic list of supplies is compiled, it is then necessary to think about and pack any additional necessities needed depending on the situation. Anyone can be a prepper, it just takes some careful thought and planning to make sure you’ll survive.

Inspire Those Around you to Start Prepping

Do you know the one question that always comes up? Do you know the biggest struggle that preppers face outside of money in our little niche? 

It’s the struggle of getting those around us to take preparedness and survival as passionately as we do! 

Getting Family Inspired

We are inspired people and our passion manifests itself in some weird ways. Unfortunately, that passion doesn’t always translate to those we are closest to. I will come right out and say it, that’s a big problem. Emergency preparedness is a serious part of any American’s life. What’s most terrifying is how easily we ignore the signs. 

• ·         Civil Unrest
• ·         War 
• ·         School Shootings
• ·         Financial Disasters 
• ·         Backwoods Emergencies
• ·         Natural Disasters

These are all things that make headlines. I know we like to bash the mainstream media, but these are all stories that are likely being reported on right now. We get plenty of warning about the potential of these situations and yet many Americans take no action. 

So, the question that comes up, invariably, is something along these lines, “How do I get my (wife, kids, husband, Mom, Sister) to start paying attention and taking action?”

Over the last several years we have generated a number of responses to this question. You know, the answer is always going to be unique to the situation but one of these 4 answers almost always helps the situation. 

Get Outside 

A quarter of Americans spend almost an entire 24 hours without going outside and downplay the negative health effects of only breathing indoor air, according to a new surveyclaiming a new “indoor generation.”

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/15/quarter-americans-spend-all-day-inside/

It is a sad but very true realization that we all must face. As a whole America is getting fatter, slower and less active. Its gotten so bad that I just heard Tim Kennedy, Army Special Forces Green Beret, talking about how the army special forces are struggling to find recruits. 

The people aren’t smart enough, they are on drugs and they are obese. Those were the basics of his message. 

While you do not need to push people into the adventure class where they are hiking the Rockies, just getting away from technology and getting outside more often is a great way to start. Outside you can learn about the natural world. The power of trees as a four-season resource, how the wildlife can feed you and what you can create from the natural world around you. 

Take a Class

The issue with just getting outside and hoping for the best is that it takes time. If you have time, then take it. There is no better way to spend a life than walking alongside the people you love. 

That said, if you are looking for a fast track to inspiring those around you, you need to sign them up for a class. All over this nation there are survival schools and wilderness schools that are teaching people all sorts skills. Imagine bringing the family, or that person you are looking to inspire to prepare, to any number of classes like these:

• Urban Escape and Evasion
• Bushcraft 101
• Land Navigation
• Foraging Wild Foods
• Medicinal Herbs in the Wild
• Primitive Blacksmithing
• Wilderness Shelter Building
• Wilderness Tool Making
• Urban Survival Skills

These are just examples of courses that are laid out all over the nation. While I have been writing and studying preparedness for nearly a decade I am never more inspired than after taking one of these classes. It’s a serious departure from the monotony of life and the hands-on opportunity can really get people into what they are doing. 

Buy Them a Kit 

Sometimes the right purchase can change everything. You have to be very careful about buying preps for the people you love. You have to be thoughtful. If you offer them something too terrifying and garish, like a gas mask or an urban tactical survival kit, they are going to be put off immediately. That’s just the reality. 

I have spent a long time looking over survival kits and I have found the perfect gift that is just the right amount of survival and the right amount of practicality. Its called the MHA Bushkrafter by WB BushKraft. The kit contains over 15 essential survival items and has you covered 

• First Aid
• Shelter
• Fire
• Water
• Foraging

It comes with a great custom 1000D nylon cordura carrier that can be worn around your waist. This kit wasn’t built for the apocalypse, though it would be a great kit to address the issues therein. The MHA Bushkrafter was designed with inspiration from a man who actually blazed the Appalachian Trail. Myron H. Avery was an Appalachian Trail pioneer and from his journal the MHA Buskrafter was born. 

Find a New Hobby

• GeoCaching
• Drone Flight
• Rock Climbing
• Kayaking

If the people around you are terrified of traditional outdoors i.e. hunting, fishing, camping than you can look for a hobby that is outside the realm of that tradition. Today, we have so many options, but we are always looking for the quick and easy fix. 

While the activities above may even be foreign to you, that could be a good thing! Maybe you’re a bit of a know-it-all and the family doesn’t want to hear your preparedness talk for that reason. 

What if you started a new hobby together. What if it was something that you and your loved ones could learn about? Flying drones and searching for geocaches has a direct links to things like urban survival intelligence and burying emergency caches. If you start rock climbing or kayaking, you are merely adding a new skill to your list while drilling in the importance of dominating and appreciating the natural world.

Prepping is a Journey

Prepping has nothing to do with a tv show or a lofty assumption. Prepping is a journey. It’s a river and it has many tributaries. If you enjoy the journey of preparedness you will likely find yourself in a situation where you have a tremendous amount of opportunity. Just from the springboard of prepping you could find yourself 

• And many, many more things
• Using Essential Oils
• Training
• Homesteading
• Relocating
• Planning Permaculture
• Gardening
• Training in Firearms
• Using Herbal Medicines
• Preserving
• Fishing
• Trapping
• Hunting