Survival Mentality for Beginners

Some say that one day the world will end, the economy will crash, oil reserves may run out or super volcanoes will erupt, forever altering the way of life as we know it. Others just want to be prepared for major snow storms, hurricanes or other things that could and do interrupt the flow the food supply. Perhaps you're wanting to get on the survival band wagon but have no idea where to start.

The first thing you've already done is to accept, understand or believe that one day life as you know it, whether it be for a short period of time or in a more permanent situation, will be changed and you may be forced to rely only on yourself and the members of your household to survive. Facing realistic possibilities is the first step.

The second thing you need to do is to determine what is the most pressing issue is for you. Do you just want to have the bare the minimum in case you're stuck in your house for a week? Or do you want to know how to survive if you're dropped out of the sky and wake up in a completely unknown environment? Deciding what's important to you will help you narrow the scope so you start solving the "what if" problem upfront.

If you haven't started stocking up but don't have a large budget, start buying one or two extra cans of food each time you go to the store. Start being more aware of your surroundings when you leave your home. Purposely notice the people around you, the vehicles driving by, whether or not curtains are open, what people have in their yards, etc... what is stashed in the windows of the businesses. You're not spying and you're not stopping to stare. You're just walking and being observant. Take a mental note of things that interest you or hit your gut feeling in an awkward way. Don't be afraid of it, just move on.

Pay attention to current economic conditions. Do you have any savings saved up? If not, start putting money aside for a rainy day. Do you carry extra batteries for your flashlights? If not, get some more batteries. Pay attention to what else is happening in the rest of the world and try to learn about others mistakes. Think about hypothetical situations and try to put yourself in others shoes in a survival situation. What would you do? How would you handle finding water, food, medical supplies and securing your safety? Simply asking questions, being observant and thinking things through can help you start your survival mentality off on the right foot.