There are cycles to everything in life, ebbing and flowing. Deciding that you want to change your lifestyle to a more prepared state can be exciting, fun, scary, thrilling, and drive you crazy from time to time. I’m not a ‘new’ prepper anymore but I’m also not an old hat.
In my short time (4 years now) working toward being more self-reliant and prepared for unforeseen circumstances, talking with other newbies and veterans alike, I have noticed a trend of stages that most people go through when making the lifestyle switch. These are purely my opinions based on observations, my own experiences, and talking with long time homesteaders and preppers. I’ll give examples from my own journey thus far along with some information I’ve garnered from various sources. Grab a cuppa joe or tea and settle in, this will be a long one!
1. Eyes opened – The first stage is having your eyes opened to the chaos that is our world today. Anything can trigger it: a storm, an earthquake, riots in your area, or in my case – the local Walmart running out of toilet paper. Yes you read that correctly, our local Walmart (there is only one on the island) ran out of toilet paper because the container with their stock didn’t make the barge. Even with three other grocery stores, this caused a panic and people bought up everything from the most expensive to the cheapest brands, and the body/baby wipe shelves were stripped bare. This wasn’t even a disaster of any kind and yet, people freaked out. It was a reality check.
There are certain things in this world that most people never consider. Our “just-in-time’ delivery system of food and household goods, for example. On the island I live on, at any given time there’s about a week’s worth of supplies. The same can be said for other places though in highly populated areas, the number of day’s worth of supplies is usually less (3-4 days). How about illnesses? We have Zika virus (and still buts of Ebola) in the news now. Most people have no idea that our sun could wipe out electricity on our planet with a solar flare. How about nuclear threats? War? Looking backward we have Katrina, Sandy, and the Boston Marathon bombers. The change in our personal freedoms!
Once a newbie prepper starts to really pay attention, they tend to go on a reading frenzy about various threats that our country and planet face everyday and it can get very, very overwhelming which bring us to the second stage.
2. Overwhelmed – The second stage is after the veil has been lifted. The smoke clears and the mirrors have been removed. You’re researching like a demon, gobbling up anything you can on the internet. Your imagination begins to take over during the day and you notice things in your everyday life you never did before. That person who uses a walker and has an oxygen tank in tow would not be able to last long if a disaster hit and if they had to run? Ouch. You watch a person buy a meal in a restaurant, eat a third of it and then toss the rest without thinking twice. You look at the amount thrown out and are disgusted at the waste. The street you live on is filled will people who shop for their food weekly or daily. They have nothing beyond what they need right now. There’s no looking toward the future for much other than a retirement income.
You notice a definite shift in the way you think and view the world around you. It’s almost bursting inside of you to help others wake up, too but having read so much at this point; You know they’ll think you’re weird or an extremist. You may talk to your closest family and friends about some realizations you’ve had (such as the government will NOT be there in a large scale disaster) and are met with eye rolling, pats on the head or outright laughter. Maybe you’re one of the lucky ones whose family is on board and sees the wisdom in at least having something tucked back.
This is where many newbies start to get freaked out and want to just run into a hole and hide from it all. The overwhelming, sinking feeling in your stomach can be too much to handle. It’s possible that you can whip yourself into a serious frenzy and have a moment or two of real panic. When/if this happens: BREATHE. Get yourself under control and come back down to Earth. It’s OK and personally, I think it’s 100% normal to freak out a little and I also think it is healthy. Congratulations! You just panicked and calmed yourself down, which is extremely important should a serious disaster occur anyway. The majority of people will be panicking and running. Some may not know what they are running from or where they are running to, they are just panicked. Learning how to calm yourself down and think about what steps to take next puts you ahead of the game. This brings us to the next stage: back to reality and serious information gathering.
3. Information gathering – Now that you have come back to reality and realize that although it is possible for a nuclear strike to happen and it is possible for a solar flare to occur, the likelihood is pretty small. You have a clearer picture in your mind of what other preppers do and have done to meet their unique situational needs based on climate, possible threats, etc. Now it’s your turn and your plan begins to really take form. You’ve gone from just storing some food and water to researching what kind of threats are in your area and are most likely to occur. Yes, some foreign threat could come and invade or detonate a nuke over the country and kill the electrical grid. The odds of that happening versus Mother Nature tossing a doozie of a storm at you is pretty small. I’m not trying to minimize that possibility; merely helping you see that it’s more beneficial to start preparing for things that are likely; like a tornado or hurricane if your area is prone to those. Here in the rural islands of Southeast Alaska, we worry about floods, tsunamis, and earthquakes. Wildfire is a possibility but not very probable with an average rainfall of 13 feet a year. 😉
You may also notice recurring themes and information being given on certain things such as “a gallon of water a day, per person” should be stored, or the importance of practicing survival skills like fire building, shelter building, and cooking with alternative methods. You read over and over how important it is to actually use the gear you may buy (I cannot stress that enough. USE IT so you don’t have to try and learn how to after the disaster strikes. Timing is everything!).
You’re beginning to see through the fear mongering sites and the sites that only want to sell you something. You’ve become a research junkie and that is a very, very good thing. They can take away your gear but they can’t take your skills (generally speaking). Now that you’re armed with a plethora of knowledge and have considered what to prepare for you enter into the stage 4. By now, most people who are not very serious about preparing have dropped off the wagon. It takes a considerable investment in time and energy. It takes work!
New preppers can easily be taken in by fear mongers to buy items they really don’t need. Be wary!
4. Planning and Implementation – Preparing will challenge you in more ways than you can imagine. You will need to be able to make lists, organize, find deals on supplies, and learn how to use said supplies. It will take months of time for this part and truthfully, it never really ends. This stage is where the money side of things comes into play. Again, the feelings of being overwhelmed can creep up and the amount of items you may want or need can feel like an impossible thing to achieve. I really do not know anyone who has the means to simply go out and buy absolutely everything they need in one fell swoop (without going into serious debt). Just remember that when you started however many months ago, you knew far less than you do now. It is something that is built a little at a time. You may realize that some of the stuff you bought in the beginning was a bad investment. Guess what? Pretty much everyone does that, at least once. The great thing about that is learning from it and utilizing the ‘mistake’ in the best way possible to promote your journey.
For those who have gotten to this stage of prepping, the lifestyle change can consume you and caution is given! Don’t let yourself burn out or put yourself into a situation that would compromise your ability to meet a disaster head on. If I could give any advice to people in this stage, it would be to enjoy the experience! Some of this stuff is really fun, like testing and practicing with your skills and gear. Learning how to do something new or improving the methods of something you already know about is like a little discovery, a treasure to be added to your horde of knowledge.
5. Comfortable spot of maintenance – The last stage a newbie prepper gets to is a place of confidence, contentment, and control. You have changed so much in your lifestyle that when you look back at how you were before, you shake your head and maybe chuckle at how blind or ignorant or wasteful you were. You understand and are grateful to yourself for the changes you (and hopefully your family) have made. There is a peace that (I hope) you feel, knowing that you can handle pretty much anything that gets tossed at you, at least natural disaster-wise. Gone are the days when you obsessed over the news and gear and details. You still pay attention, no doubt about that! The difference is now there is a balance. Now you have remembered to LIVE your life while still being prepared. Your regularly rotate your stocks and water stores, go to the range and fire off a few rounds to stay sharp. Everything has fallen into a rhythm, a cycle that is more on par with the seasons since your needs change with them in a survival situation.
With the basics in place, you are able to focus on other projects and hobbies. While you still wish for that special rifle, or that particular gadget, you know you can get by without it. Your skill set now has both modern and primitive methods alike. You are as ready as you can realistically be while still moving ever forward – just at a more comfortable pace.
A few final musings… The journey to preparedness is different for everyone. Most people have their own definition of what it is to be prepared and that is more than OK. Diversity is important. The steps I have listed will take different amounts of time for everyone. Some people may skip right over a stage, others may add one of their own. It is important as a community that we work to help each other along the journey!
If you would like to read more articles written specifically for new preppers and homesteaders, click here for a whole list!
Great article,made me smile!
Thank you!
Thank you for putting this in perspective! I’ve already gone through the first couple of steps and you are spot on! Yes…it certainly can be overwhelming, and what I’ve discovered is, that when I have asked close friends or even family about their thoughts of even SOME preparations, I get this sense that the thought of a collapse of any kind makes their head hurt. It is easier for them to discount me as, crazy, a loose cannon, or “out of it” than it is for them to sit down and actually plan or determine what a good plan would be in various scenarios.
I would encourage anyone that has run into these same type of “obstacles” to just hope for the best for them and wash your hands of them. We don’t really have time to waste on people that won’t help themselves.
Agreed, Gearhopper. The trouble with it is should it ever really hit the fan? Those same people will remember YOU and be on your doorstep with hands out and angry demands that since you have so much, you should share. It always amazes me how people quickly go to a socialist attitude when they have nothing but if the tables turned and they had more than others and had to share, they would be furious and resentful. A messy situation! Thank you for the comment and visiting the site! You are welcome anytime. 🙂
right. I had a neighbor tell me yesterday that she would come to me in a crisis. I just smiled at her and shook my head..no. sorry, if you know about prepping then do it – don’t depend on taking from someone else.
Great observations Homestead and well thought out. I’ve been prepping for 12 years or more and I had to smile reading your post because of mistakes and errors I’ve made over the years. Ah, well, live and learn!
For myself, prepping is about independence. Living in the fast paced tech world with information coming at you a gazzilion times a minute is tiring and hard on the soul. I like the idea of canning veggies from my garden or tinkering. Using my hands in a productive fashion takes me a long way from the hustle bustle of the modern world. I’m dependent on my skill set and not technology. It’s just a simpler and rewarding way of life. And, I’m always learning something new! I canned veggies from my garden for the first time ever and am delighted how well the project turned out.
The added benefit is that if SHTF event occurs, I should be OK for a long period of time. Probably 12 to 18 months. Hopefully that is enough time for whatever to pass and some normalcy to return.
Maggi touched on something I’d like to comment on. I live in small town and there are no secrets. I’m also a outgoing and friendly person who will invite a person ( if I know and like them ) in for a cup of coffee or a beer and catch up on things. I’ve lost the OPSEC value in people not knowing I’m a prepper. Nothing I can do about it now. Once a person see’s my food pantry It’s a giveaway that I have a lot of food on hand. This is a good/bad thing. Good because i’ve taken the initiative to be prepared and bad because every once in while I’ll have a friend tell me they are coming here to wait out the situation . It’s agonizing to me to tell that person ” No, you can’t come here UNLESS I need an extra gun hand to help defend the home.” Of course these folks go all big and assure me that they aren’t afraid. I ask them ” when was the last time you shot a weapon? When have you been shot at?” This usually discourages them and then I try to encourage that person. I plead with them to store more water and food. It doesn’t take much I tell them. A few extra gallons of water, an extra bottle of aspirin and a couple of cans of food. ” There ” I tell them ” you are now officially a ” Prepper” and I pretend to stamp them on their forehead with a rubber stamp ( that eases the tension ). 🙂
My stance on assisting the Un preppers has hardened over the years. I used to think I was practicing my Christian beliefs by helping any stray person who landed on my doorstep. Now it’s a flat out NO to people who haven’t paid attention to events or even taken the most basic steps to help themselves and family, no matter how much I care for them. I’ve even gone to the extent to paraphrase the Old Testament about when Joseph was brought from prison to Pharoh to interpret Pharoh’s dreams. Pharoh put Joseph in charge of the harvested grain and was able to feed the entire population during a 7 year drought because of his preparations. I get people rolling their eyes but there are a small percentage who actually ” get it.”
Our great American culture has given us all we want due to the hard labor and brilliant people with a can do attitude of our forebears. We are spoiled rotten. Do I personally want the lights to go out or the tap water quit running? No, I would take no pleasure in that at all. In fact, I fear that those things could occur. The toll on our country would be horrific. Economically and tactically.
Sorry to be such a downer but reality can take a chunk out of your rear end. I just try to smile and be prepared as best i can.
Best to all,
Snake Plisken
What an amazing comment, also well written. I agree with your viewpoint of Non-Preppers. I, too, tell them that there is nothing for them here. I tell them straight out, “I am not prepping for you and you will be turned away.” Which can cause some seriously awkward moments. I then tell them that I am not the government and will not be handing out items I worked my arse off to buy and store and then I asked them why they think it would be ok to expect me to have something for them. By then, most people are usually offended at the least and ticked off at the most. But I have their attention and ask them “How hard is it to get an extra bag of rice or oats? Why don’t you just get a little extra yourself. Wait until a good sale comes and save money!” Essentially, I strip them down and make them realize that yes, I WILL turn them and their crying child away. It is their fault that they did not prepare and now their kid is hungry. Then I make them see how easy it really is. They feel the panic and then I give them the solution. It may be harsh (I tell them that, too) but that is the reality.
I ask them how they would feel if I came to them and said that since they had extra firewood or blankets or fuel in the propane tank they should share with me because I don’t have as much as they do. Almost instantly there is a scowl and a grumble about it being theirs. If they do not get it by then, I will ask them what the difference is between that and then assuming I would take them in and feed them my food and use up supplies that I paid for and they contributed nothing to. It is a harsh conversation but I find it does have the most impact on waking people up. I too live in a small community and OPSEC is rather unrealistic. Too many people locally know I am Homestead Dreamer. I do worry there may be a mob or something because likely people think I have some warehouse of huge storage area full of food which kind of cracks me up – I live in an apartment (hence why I am a homestead dreamer versus a homesteader) and have enough food for two people for about 3-6 months tops. We simply don’t have the storage space for more, which serves to make me want to fight harder to keep what little we have.
I really hope that I end up an old lady in my bed without ever having to need the preps I set back just in case. I hope that I can look back and chuckle about the journey I took and the lessons learned and fun I had living it. People ask me if I ever worry that I am wasting my time and money and I reply, “If it’s something you love, is it really a waste?”
Thanks again for the thoughtful comment and your take on the article. Glad to have you with us!
I’m sure glad you understand my position Homestead. It eases my soul to know people have similar concerns to mine.
My concern is that I do not have enough ‘ good and trust worthy ‘ people around me. However, I do think I’ve gotten through to a couple of people lately. Three of us had a conversation today and one person who ( get’s it ) said, ” I need you to put together a list of cheap and easy products to buy so me and my daughter can survive a short term event.” I put a very short but detailed list that he could achieve that would last himself, mom and daughter for a couple of months even though he earns 24K a year. He then looked at me and wanted to know what it would take to join my ‘ tribe ‘ should things go bad.
I didn’t say anything for a long time Homestead. I do have a ‘ Tribe ‘ of like minded people but they don’t prep. In the back of my mind I wonder what they really think. Hmmmm…. let me walk that back. Rhetorical question: I’m sure of what they think.
He then said ” I can be very handy and work hard. ” This I already knew. The man has a 5 YRO daughter he adores and will do anything to protect, feed and clothe his child. He’s been working hard for me and his company and has been very steady. I’m still a bit skeptical though.
I also told this fellow the same thing you have told others in your circle: do NOT come here! That was a two weeks ago and now this fellow has had a ‘ come to Jesus ‘ moment. I’m glad to help this guy and his daughter because if they come here, they will HAVE to contribute. Either in food, defense, tending the garden or cleaning. I’m on the fence here. There is complete clarity on this between us.
The decisions we have to make in our lives are tough enough……..But, a agonizing call on what will save your family is a must. Closing the door ( or scaring off ) people in need sucks but this IS about survival. I will turn people away who I’ve coached and warned about securing just the basics and come begging to my door because they have’t heeded my advice. And it could get rough.
Here’s a dandy example: I live in NW Ohio and we had a drinking water crisis during late summer. An algae infested the western end of Lake Erie where we draw our drinking water from. We couldn’t drink or boil the tap water because it made the water MORE TOXIC!!!! My neighbors across the street borrowed 5 gallons of fresh water from me and I traded for a quarter bushel of apples and 6 eggplant squash. Worked out for us all. THAT’s what it’s about, don’t you think?
BTW, my fresh water storage in the house and outside the house ( usually for the gardens ) provided plenty of water and proved that being a prepper is common sense.
Some other neighbors showed up and wanted some fresh water ( because they know i have the H2O ) and wanted it to flush their toilets. Don’t like them, and told them to go drain their hot water heater to flush their potties. By the look of them you would have thought I had peed on their Nike sneakers!
🙂
Appreciate your posts. Always a good read!
Snake Plisken
Wow! This is, hands down, the longest comment I have ever had! LOVE IT! A few thoughts, if I may:
The guy you helped with the list of items. Sounds like he is new, make sure he reads this article. I hope I do not come off conceited in saying that but when I wrote it, I had the absolute newbie in mind and put things in there that I wish someone had told me when I first started. Especially the “It is normal to have a panic moment!” part. It is scary to suddenly see the world as the dangerous place that it can be and newbies need to be reminded that there are good people out there. I would wager he is likely hanging on tightly because you have knowledge he does not. I would recommend sending him to some sites that have valuable content without the fear mongering. You have good reason to be skeptical, in my opinion. There is a lot of trust involved but that does not mean you cannot gently steer him in the right direction. 🙂
The water thing: Yikes. I am reading the “Going Home” series by A. American and let me tell you, it is a fantastic read and gets the blood going and kicks your mind into overdrive. I only just started book two and it has cost me some needed sleep. Anyway, there are scenes in there that are a lot like what you describe. I can easily picture the scene you described (well written, I might add), and imagine the thoughts going through their head. Our society, or maybe just humanity, seems to think everyone should share when they are out of something they need. Flip the table around and they would have said they don’t have water to spare for your toilets, though it is unlikely they would have had the knowledge to drain the hot water heater. That was good form on your part but next time, tell them all the water you have came from your own. 😉 Well, unless they already know better.
~HD
this is right on track. I have been a hurricane prepper all my life but am getting much more serious about the other dangers we face today. I have been going through a few of these phases again as I have changed my focus. being retired now and on a limited income makes it harder but I will continue as best I can.
Hi Maggi! I never thought about how you might revisit some of the early stages when prepping for a new scenario, good insight and food for thought! I just wrote an article about a week ago on the very topic of prepping on a fixed or low income. I hope it helps you! Thank you for the comment and following the blog. 🙂
The best thing to do when prepping ,is not to let anyone but those of you involved in your plans know it. You”ll be the first one people will come to for help & it”ll be very hard to turn some away. Just Keep Quiet !
Ecellent article. I can “relate” to the contents and stages of prepardness. I have several co workers who “get it now” thanks to forwarding them articles to think about and have them over to learn new skills. While Op Sec is important, my Christian belief is that we teach those who need teaching. We listen to those who are oveerwhelmed and we learn from our mistakes (having made many) and pass those on too. God bless.
Thank you for the wonderful comment Mrs. B! Bless YOU for teaching other people and not giving up! I am going to be putting on a class to teach people how to pickle food. Specifically, the teachers in the school district. I did it last year and it was well received! I love seeing their faces light up with delight when they realize that they can do it, too!
One way to look at prepping in spite of the possibility that it might never be needed, is to regard it as insurance. Do we wait until our house burns down to buy insurance? Do we wait until we have an auto accident before covering it with insurance? Do we regret having insurance even though we never need it? No, we’re delighted if we don’t need that insurance. So it can be for being ready in case of other emergencies. As for prepping, much of what we learn or purchase can be useful in any case, so is not wasted.
I really don’t think I could have put it any better myself! Thank you for the comment Pauline. I 100% agree!
Snake Plisken or Homestead Dreamer, can you please post the list you have your neighbor? I’ve been trying to gather basic supplies but it’s a little overwhelming. I try to think about food and H2O, then my mind switched to medical and hygiene. I’d like to have a good list of basic items to start out with that I can add to and retrofit for my location and family. My family and I grow a decent sized garden and we can our veggies and fruits. We are discussing a smokehouse to smoke meats and during the Easter holiday a good friend is going to teach me how to can meats so we can buy meats on sale then can them. Also where can I go to find you article on prepping in a budget? I’m disabled and haven’t been approved for My benefits yet so I’m defiantly on a low income budget for a while. Any info would be greatly appreciated!
Hello Scarlett!
I am happy to help as best as I can. It can really be overwhelming when first starting out. Then your imagination takes hold and it is easy to get yourself all worked up. The fact that you know how to garden and preserve your harvest already puts you far ahead of the pack with regard to skill and self-sufficiency! You know how to handle things you haven’t even considered yet because of what you already do! As you continue down your preparedness journey, you will see it more often and realize that you knew more than you thought! 😉
As to your questions: Here is the link for the article on Prepping with Low and Fixed Incomes. Another one that may be of value to you is 5 Things to Consider When Buying Preps. For general advice, I would say to ensure that you have enough food and water for everyone in your home (including pets!) for 3 days. Then work up to a couple weeks, a month, etc. That is one level of focus. (I find taking things in levels or layers really helps to ease the overwhelmed feelings). The next level is to ensure that you have at least two ways to cook said food and purify water. The third level would be your hygiene and medical preps. Start small and work up! You have internet access which means you have more information at your fingertips than you could ever read about all of this. There are amazing people with brilliant ideas on how to recycle, upcycle, and reuse the things they already have. Prepping is a mindset more than anything. You start looking at things in a different light such as NOT tossing out juice or milk jugs. Those are good for water storage, cut and used to sprout seeds in, cut to use as a scoop….the possibilities are limited to your imagination!
Most importantly, learn to have FUN with it! Your mental state is your best tool to surviving disasters and emergencies! I hope this helps some. Feel free to email me any questions (akhomestead.dreamer@gmail.com), reply here, or hit me up on the Facebook page! Thank you for the comment and questions!
Stage One for me was when I got married and started to be truly concerned about the future. This was in the early 80s, while the Cold War was in full swing. My research (pre-internet) and prepping started slowly. There wasn’t a lot of groups or sites that didn’t pander to the paramilitary mindset. Much of our preps at that point were trial and error. With Y2K, and our connection to the ‘net things started picking up with more information and products becoming available. As more threats came to light, we continued to learn, to the point that in the early 2000s I wrote a report bringing together all that I’d learned at that point.
I didn’t go through Stage Two, but went right to Three and Four in tandem…and as we are still making preps – we have yet to move out of the city – I can’t honestly say we are at Stage Five, even though we have been prepping and continuing to learn even after 35 years.
This is an excellent article, though, and intend to share it on Facebook. I look forward to browsing your site.
So true, this is great! I’m in planning.