The Mind4Survival Podcast

Trent of the Vision Preparedness YouTube channel is here to discuss his video “You can only control what you can control.” Seems obvious, right? Yes, and it’s something I know I’m not always good at—and as a prepper, should be. Trent learned that lesson watching people struggle during Hurricane Katrina. And those struggles, combined with the lack of a timely or coherent response from the government and aid organizations, prompted Trent to become a prepper. He wanted to control what he could, which was his own safety and well-being.  His “You can only control what you can control” video came about when he began switching off the “doom and gloom,” and instead controlling the influx of vitriol, anger, fear, etc. Some things that Trent can control are:  His ability to provide for his family if the grocery stores shut down. (He can’t control the grocery stores themselves) He can control whether he has backup power available when the grid fails. (He can’t control whether the power grid remains energized) How much time he spends watching the fearmongers—the Mainstream Media, fear porn-promoting preppers.  Pulling himself out of the emotion of what he can’t control allows him (and you) to control your stress levels. After all, we, as preppers, already stress more than we should. And, since stress is NOT good for us, it’s an excellent idea to self-regulate when possible.  One of the things that we can control is our expectations. That expectation is a realistic look at our level of preparedness. We can only be as prepared as we are, and that’s the best we can do now. Part of being a prepper is having the flexibility and wherewithal to have a plan for when our preps run out or don’t meet our needs. There’s only so much we can do. And that’s okay. Control what you can control. Additional Resources: Mental Fortitude: 7 Steps to Develop Mental Toughness Top 10 Confucius Quotes For Preppers 152: Top 4 Prepping Concerns for 2023 with Dale Goodwin   Stay safe,

In this episode, Lisa Goodwin (a Registered Nurse with a Bachelor of Science in nursing and certifications in advanced wound care) and I discuss wound care. That's because wound care, in my opinion, is one of the most overlooked aspects of preparedness medicine. Think about the major natural disasters that you've seen. What do they have in common?  The one thing that all disasters have in common is destruction. In other words, all disasters result in rubble, debris, and situations where wounds such as lacerations and abrasions become increasingly possible. It's those cuts, pokes, and scrapes that can lead to difficult-to-heal infections when we are stressed, not eating well, and going without sleep.  That matters because if you're mired down during a disaster or perhaps just older and have a difficult time healing your own or a loved one's wounds, the ability to care for wounds correctly and in a timely manner is hugely important. The ability to care for wounds, even the most minor scrapes, can mean the difference between success and failure—possibly life and death.  Wound Infection Prevention Prevention is the best cure for wounds. The wound never experienced is the wound never infected. However, as wounds happen, rapid cleaning and treatment are the next best line of defense.  Diet Contrary to what many think, wound care and infection prevention begins with diet. Not dieting, but rather eating the proper food to help your body heal. That means eating good calories—not empty calories. Good calories for wound care are from protein, which most people don't get enough of when times are good—much less when times are hard.  So, if you want to be prepared, eat healthy before a disaster, and PREPARE to eat healthy once the disaster happens! Sleep As noted in the Survival Pyramid, sleep is just as important as meeting your water needs. While going without sleep for more than a couple of days will lead to hallucinations and forced micro-sleeps, it will also lead to a decreased ability to fight infection. In other words, going without sleep will not only cause you to be more likely to suffer injuries, but it will also decrease your ability to fight the infections and heal up from those injuries. The bottom line is your body needs rest to maintain your health, well-being, and life!  Why is Skilled Wound Care Important for Preppers According to Lisa, wound care is essential for preparedness-minded people because people who "have a basic understanding of a wound, why it happens, and what you can do to help it, you're going to have the ability to shorten the duration of the wound."  In the end, the ability to provide yourself and your loved ones with effective wound care is a crucial component of preparedness medicine. Without it, infection and struggle are just around the corner.  What are your experiences with wounds that became infected? Tell us in the comments below.    Additional Resources: Silvasorb Gel – Why I Use Silver Antimicrobial Wound Gel 12 Best Wound Care Supplies (Survival Medical Kit) My Diagnostic Medical Kit (A Paramedic’s Personal Gear) Prepping for Healthcare Shortages   Stay safe,

Casey Telger of PreparednessHive.com and I discuss Casey’s Five Golden Rules of Preparedness in this episode.  Casey’s Five Golden Rules of Preparedness are organic—growing from Casey’s personal preparedness journey. These are rules that apply to preparedness regardless of the situation. According to Casey, “You can’t skirt them. They are foundational elements of everyone’s journey.”   1. Don’t Talk About Prepping Don’t talk specifics about your preparedness. Avoid getting into the “nitty-gritty aspects” of your preparedness. That does not mean you can’t still communicate about readiness. It’s great to have productive, non-doom and gloom conversations about preparedness with people that may help them and you to become better prepared. Not talking about your preparedness means not telling people who you don’t know, don’t need to know, or haven’t gained your appropriate level of trust about the specifics of your prepping.  2. Two is One. One is None The “two is one, one is none” is not an excuse to hoard. Don’t just have things to have things. Try to minimize the “what if” scenarios as an excuse to hang on to stuff. Over time going without a mountain of stuff, you learn to focus on what is essential. The critical items are the items to focus on having two or more of. At some point, enough is enough.  Think about what you need from the necessities of life. If it’s something that you need to survive, have multiples of it. Base your supplies on what you need, with consideration given to the space available and the budget you have for purchasing. Effective prepping does not mean having a lot of stuff. Effective preparedness means efficient preparedness!  3. Knowledge and Experience are Your Greatest Assets This rule flows from two is one, one is none. That’s because, as Casey says, “The more you know. The more you can do. The more you learn, the fewer physical items you’ll need in terms of your skills.” When you don’t know much, you stock up on stuff because you don’t know. However, as you gain experience, you learn what works for you and reduce your supply needs. It takes time and experience to figure it out. So, get going and learn what you need and don’t need.  4. There’s No Shortcut for Hard Work Shortcuts don’t work. In the end, you must put time and energy into it. For example, if you never train with a firearm, you’ll never be a great shot with a gun. There are so many variables in your being capable of doing something. Without practice, you’ll be lacking when the chips are down. HINT: lacking when the chips are down is not a goal of preparedness.  5. Preparedness is a Lifestyle, Not a Hobby Going into preparedness only half-ready doesn’t help you to be truly prepared. Preparedness, taking care of your personal responsibility to be as self-sufficient as possible, should be a regular part of your life. Cars, homes, and clothing need to be maintained. So does your preparedness. Preparedness shouldn’t be an add-on to life that only receives occasional attention. It should be a regular part of life because, in the end, you’re only as prepared as your weakest link.  What’s your weakest link? Tell us in the comments below.  Additional Resources All About Disaster Mindset Mental Fortitude: 7 Steps to Develop Mental Toughness What is Prepping? It’s More Than Stockpiling Food! The OK Corral: More of a Blowout than a Shootout   Stay safe,

In today's episode, Morgan (Rogue Preparedness) and I discuss her family's move to Alaska and what homesteading in Alaska was like. Then we get into comforts versus wants and how many preppers' primary plan is to suck rather than plan to thrive. Morgan likes to say, "Our needs are our wants, and our wants are our needs." With that, she reminds us that as adults, we may be able to get away with roughing it, but there are those amongst us, such as children, who aren't able to rough it in the same manner. When we have a family, as part of our preparation, we have to think about the entirety of the situation and what is best for their interests. (Brian's note: In the military, we called this "smarter, not harder.”) What's really needed is not just to plan to survive but to plan to thrive. Planning to survive is great if you only need to survive, but once our survival is set, it's time to thrive. That's why the Mind4Survival goals of preparedness are survival, minimizing unwanted struggle, and living your best life. When preparing to thrive, we set ourselves up to have a sense of normalcy when things are going crazy. In turn, that brings a sense of safety, security, and enjoyment with it. The moral of the story is that as preppers, we tend to prepare to rough it, and that's the only plan. However, roughing it is how we survive. What we should shoot for is to thrive and be as comfortable and secure as possible. Don't plan for discomfort as your primary plan. Plan to be the best you as possible for the situation. Additional Resources: M4S 114: Perspective for Preppers M4S 105: How to Get Over Procrastination and Get Things Done M4S 090: Stories from a Truck Bug Out Vehicle M4S 078: What Does Safety Third Mean?   Stay safe,

In today’s episode, Dale and I discuss what we see as the four most concerning situations for 2023. These four scenarios to prepare for in 2023 are:  Economy / Supply Chain Issues The economy is a definite concern moving into 2023. In our opinion, it requires that people plan that the economy is going to be as difficult as it currently is and possibly worse than it is now. We are at one of the worst economic points in modern history. Whether it’s food, fuel, etc., people should be prepared to experience increased prices or decreased supplies. By preparing to whether economic struggles  Government Overreach Among other problems, the creation and implementation of the Digital Dollar make you and your digital money insecure. The ability of governments as happened in Canada and China, the governments shut off people's ability to access their money. Likewise, that spills over to the government's ability to turn off your digital dollars from purchasing supplies over a threshold set by those who control the digital side of the dollars. You have to shift your mindset to align with the preparedness challenges of the digital dollar. Bartering perhaps? Power Grid Failures We know our power grid has major issues. If the Texas ice storm and power outage taught us anything, it’s that wide swaths of our power grid are vulnerable to prolonged outages. Moreover, the power grid is, as the recent grid downings to small arms fire have shown, very vulnerable to human-caused damage. In other words, each person needs to be their own best preparedness advocate when it comes to power outages and maintaining their energy needs.  Civil Unrest With the economy, supply chain shortages, energy problems, and the upcoming 2024 election, the potential for civil unrest in the next two years is increasing. People across the spectrum of the US population are tired, worn out, and stressed from the craziness of 2022 and the few years before. In the end, the system takes care of itself, and you are your own most dependable aid when things go wrong. The better prepared you are to survive without outside assistance, the freer you are. The minute you become reliant upon others, you become subject to their whims, policies, and orders.  Preparedness = Freedom! Stay safe,

In this episode, Jim Cobb (Real World Prepping) and I discuss Realistic Prepping and Jim's new book Prepper's Long-Term Survival Guide: 2nd Edition. Realistic Prepping is something many preppers struggle with. For example, many preppers worry more about an unlikely nuclear apocalypse than the far more likely job loss with follow-on financial hardship. Regardless of the scenario, all preparedness-minded people will be best served by taking a step back from the doom and gloom of world destruction, instead focusing on the more probable scenarios they are likely to face—realistic prepping.  Listen to our discussion and learn where preppers get it right and where they get it wrong when it comes to realistic prepping. Don't forget to check out Jim's new book! Additional Resources: Top Prepping Tips! (Step-By-Step Survival Guide)   Stay safe,

Layering clothes is an essential concept for preparedness. Whether it be just a casual hike, bugging out, or dealing with any other SHTF scenario, the ability to layer clothes on your body can make or break your success. Let's categorize our layers into three groups; wicking (inner layers), warmth (middle layers), and weather (outer layer). The 3 Ws allow us to layer clothes and approach our everyday activities and the ambient conditions and set ourselves up for success. First, we'll define the layers, then discuss their practical usage together. Now, read on to learn more about how to layer clothes. Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I may receive a small commission for at no cost to you if you choose to purchase a product through a link on this page. 1. Wicking Layer (Inner Layers) Our wicking layer (base layer) is what's next to our skin. Generally speaking, the primary goal of the base layer is to dissipate moisture (sweat) from our body and make evaporation happen easier. A base layer can be very thin and lightweight for hot conditions or have more insulating properties for cooler or downright cold weather. And, for purposes of this article, base layers do not include your favorite pair of skinny jeans. The base layer is usually a synthetic or natural fabric like merino wool. Synthetics usually wick better but often stink more when a person sweats. Merino wool has the benefit of insulating even when wet and is naturally anti-microbial. As a general rule, I would try to stay away from cotton. While comfortable, it doesn't wick exceptionally well and doesn't insulate when wet. More on synthetic versus natural insulation later. Wicking Layers Options: Hooded synthetic  lightweight base layer Merino wool base layer products 2. Warmth Layer (Middle Layers) Our second "W" is warmth. This layer's primary purpose is to keep us insulated. While this layer may be overlooked in warm climates, I recommend having some kind of warmth layer on hand. If you're forced to be in a static position after dark, after sweating, an insulating layer may keep you comfortable and maybe even prevent hypothermia. A warmth layer is usually fleece (synthetic) or a puffy downy layer. You may wear both if you find yourself in a frigid environment. Fleece layers, especially gridded fleece, tend to assist in evaporation with the wicking layer. The puffy down layers can't be beat for a warmth-to-weight ratio, but traditional down layers fail quickly when they get wet. Some newer treated down layers are better but still not ideal in very wet environments. Warmth Layer Options: Here are a couple of examples of warmth layers. These layers can be combined for added warmth if the situation requires it. Synthetic fleece mid-layer Down Jacket 3. Weather (Outer Layer) The last "W" is for weather. Nothing ruins your day like being soaked to the bone and a cold wind whipping through you. Worse than a bad day, being wet and cold with a wind can kill you. Many people think hypothermia only sets in with temperatures near freezing, but it can set in with temperatures in the 50-60 degree range. The primary job of the outer layer is to keep external weather conditions off of you. A water and windproof outer layer can be thin, breathable, lightweight, or heavy-duty depending on your activity level, outside conditions, and budget. The old adage about outer layers is that you can have it lightweight, breathable, or cheap; you can have any 2, but not all three. Weather Layer Options: Here are good choices for reasonably inexpensive outer shell tops and bottoms that will keep the rain and wind off you without being too bulky.

The Carrington Event was a powerful solar storm that smashed into the earth in 1859. The solar flare was so intense that as it hit the earth's magnetic field, it caused telegraph wires to spark and turned the night sky into day. Carrington's solar flare is but one large solar storm in a long line of potentially devastating space weather that has the potential to blast modern society back to 1859. Should you be worried? Should you be prepared? This article covers the what, why, and how of Richard Carrington's great geomagnetic storm and what it means for our future. What Was the Carrington Event? The date is September 1, 1859, and a 33-year-old brewery owner with an interest in astronomy is sketching sunspots in his notebook. The man's name is Richard Carrington, and though he doesn't know it yet, he's about to make the history books. At 11:18 that morning, Carrington is blinded by a massive blast of light that has just come from the sun. Confused, he wonders what on earth it is that he has just witnessed. But it's not until the morrow that he will begin to realize the earthly consequences of what the sun has just done to his planet. The vast solar storm of The Carrington Event was on its way. Carrington's Solar Storm Lights up the Sky In the middle of that night, the sky lights up so bright that both man and fauna are tricked. In South Carolina, people begin to wake up to go to work before they realize that it is still the middle of the night. Songbirds start to greet the night with their melodies before they realize they've been duped. And even more ominously, some people throughout the planet wonder if this is the beginning of the end as colorful auroras fill the skies where northern lights have never appeared before. The next day, telegraph operators worldwide reported an inability to transmit or receive messages. Spontaneous fires happen at these stations in multiple locations, and there are reports of numerous telegraph operators being electrocuted. Though they do not know it, this generation has just lived through a historical event. They have lived through The Carrington Event, also known as the "Great Auroral Storm." (Source) Here Comes the Sun Just like the earth, the sun has magnetic fields. The sun is also filled with massive amounts of energy, however. Anybody who has a passing interest in ham radio is likely familiar with the term "sun spots." These dark regions on the sun's surface are cool areas that result from magnetic instability. Many people don't realize, though, that sometimes these sunspots can become so volatile that they shoot electrified plasma energy out into space. Sunspots These sunspots are created when magnetic fields under the sun's surface combine and get all twisted and tangled together, much like headphones that have been briefly placed inside your jeans pocket. Unlike those headphones, these sunspots usually can "untangle" themselves, resulting in nothing happening. But sometimes, they can't, and when this is the case, the sunspot "explodes," shooting out a burst of energy from the sun's surface. What is the name of this explosion? A coronal mass ejection. An Infrequent Problem with Massive Consequences Again, typically, this isn't anything to worry about. Coronal ejections happen on the sun's surface every day, and virtually all of them are either too little to cause any damage to mankind or aren't aimed at Earth. But The Carrington Event proved that sometimes the perfect solar storm is created, and it can cause some terrific problems. When a geomagnetic storm is large enough to potentially hit the earth and cause damage, it is known as a coronal mass ejection, or CME.

When people think of the term ‘artificial intelligence,’ or AI, they tend to get stuck on the notion of a super-human robot akin to what we see in Will Smith’s I, Robot. But, the fact is that artificial intelligence is already all around you. There is a distinct difference between superintelligence and artificial intelligence, which is what people forget. A superintelligence is an AI that has become self-aware and possesses the ability to become ‘smarter’ than human life. A ‘normal’ AI is simply an algorithm designed with a purpose in mind and the ability to ‘think’ to some degree. The normal AI is all around you. You utilize various AIs whenever you use the facial unlocking feature on your phone, use editing software for your term paper, or rely on investing software to help pick winning stocks. But what is the future of this technology? Where are we going to see this turn to? Let us take a look… War While drones have been used in warfare for years now, the Russo-Ukrainian War is the first war between conventional forces where we have seen drones used to a mass extent by all sides. Currently, many of these drones require a human operator on the tail end, controlling both where the drone goes and what it does. However, mass shipments of highly secretive anti-personnel kamikaze drones have recently arrived in Ukraine, given by the United States. This doesn’t seem like it would need to be a secret. Anybody has access to this technology. What is likely not being said, though, is that these anti-personnel drones stand a good chance of having an AI. It would not be difficult to scrape Russian social media and then take that information to pump into a kamikaze drone with facial recognition. Should that drone recognize a face as a Russian, it could engage in its purpose. This is conjecture on whether these particular drones possess this capability, but there is no conjecture that this will be incorporated into future drones. Drone warfare will become its own subset of war to be thoroughly studied and rehearsed by all militaries and unconventional forces in the near future. And not all of these drones are going to utilize human operators either. In a very short time, you are going to begin to witness AI-controlled “mine” drones, “hunter” drones, “patrol” drones, and more. China has released a video of autonomous drone swarms maneuvering through a forest. These will not be drones simply armed with cameras. They will be outfitted with weapons and explosives, either to ‘police’ Chinese nationals or to fight in future wars. And that is the trend you will see with AI throughout militaries in the rest of the world. They will be armed with explosives, guns, and cameras. They will engage in kamikaze missions (as in Ukraine), provide overwatch, flock to the scene of gunshots, and provide intelligence on where human (and drone) combatants are. We have already seen proof of the concept of robot dogs being outfitted with sniper rifles. It will not be long before these dogs are equipped with AI to operate without a human component. Weapons are not shelved once they are created. They are used. Policing The world saw this already throughout 2020, as robot ‘dogs’ with microphones and drones were sent across the globe to enforce lockdown orders. This was simply proof of concept, and the world will only continue to see this trend towards the use of AI in this regard continue to grow. New York City has already experimented a bit with the help of robot dogs to police their jurisdiction, even outside the realm of public health. However, the idea has been temporarily shelved due to public perception of the robots. As robots and AI become more pervasive, though, this hesitation by police forces throughout America to use...

I was asked about my thoughts on prepping for people with disabilities. And after thinking about it, I believe that prepping can always be approached from the same foundational way. By following my simple system of preparedness, a person will be able to effectively assess their situation, create a preparedness plan, and begin leveling up their preparedness. After all, while some of us have challenges that would cause other to buckle, the thought process behind being prepared should be the same for everyone. Follow the SHTF Planning Process I recommend that you start with the 4-Step SHTF Plan based on the Mind4Survival Pyramid. Step 1: Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan Step 2: Decide on a Course of Action Step 3: Prepare Your SHTF Plan Based on the Survival Pyramid Step 4: Take Action Step 1: Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan The foundation of everyone's survival pyramid is mindset. And, when it comes to your specific plan, you're asking the question, so I know you already have Step 1 - Acknowledge That You Need an SHTF Plan checked off. Step 2: Decide on a Course of Action With step one completed, it's now time for step two. Step two is deciding on a course of action. And deciding on a course of action starts with situational awareness. In today's world, we all have fantastic opportunities to be situationally aware, regardless of capability level. Almost everything you need to know to make well-grounded decisions is available through the Internet and other means. And, when it comes to making decisions, if we're as well informed as we believe we are, the best decision will reveal itself to us. When we know the answer, we know the answer. The only time that fails us is when we think we know the answer and don't. Then, we're making a decision based upon lousy info. So, do your best to be aware of what's happening around you. In doing that, we all must acknowledge our true capability levels, with capability being easily captured in the capability formula. (Mindset + Ability)*Luck (-/+) = Capability. As a note, ability is a combination of knowledge + skill. The important takeaway from that is while a person, skill-wise, may not be as capable as others, they can load the capability formula in their favor by focusing on the mindset and knowledge aspects. By focusing on the mental side of preparedness, you can plan ahead of time to compensate and prepare for any weaknesses and accentuate any strengths. Besides having the vulnerability to examine your capabilities honestly, your first strength is that you're a prepper. And by being a prepper, you have the can-do attitude to make the best out of the worst. Heck, in terms of preppers with disabilities, they're doing more than non-preppers without. In my opinion, that translates into a better-prepared person, regardless of physical ability. Step 3: Prepare Your SHTF Plan Based on the Survival Pyramid Now it's time to create your SHTF. Your plan should follow the flow of the survival pyramid by addressing the most critical needs first. In the case of a person with mobility or medical problems, you should emphasize, in my opinion, three areas. First, creating a more resilient home as a hardened layer for self-defense. Second, if you have the option to move to a more secure location, early recognition, and action on the need to evacuate through effective situational awareness. Last, meeting the requirements of the survival pyramid such as medical needs, environmental control, water and sleep, food, and society. Creating a More Resilient Home While many people romanticize bugging out, the truth is most people will be better off staying inside their homes as long as possible. Your home has more storage than does your bug-out bag.

Many people have preconceived ideas about what is SHTF that are based on fantasy, lack of experience, and misconceptions. And, it's those misconceptions, if not prepared for and corrected, that will lead to their struggle, suffering, and in many cases, death when the shit hits the fan. Fortunately for everyone, there are survivors alive today who can share their years of experience and lessons learned from living in and surviving real-world shit-hits-the-fan scenarios. And in today's podcast and article, we're fortunate to have one SHTF survivor here to share his experience and speak about the mindset of SHTF survival. That SHTF survivor is Selco, who survived years of SHTF in a Balkan city under siege. Selco is an SHTF author, course creator, and regular contributor to The Organic Prepper and is here to share a wealth of SHTF survival information to help make each of us more safe, secure, and prepared. So, don't delay! Get started with leveling up your SHTF preparedness game today! What is the Definition of SHTF I have this in-depth article on the SHTF meaning, where I show that Dictionary.com defines SHTF by stating, "Shit hitting the fan refers to the ultimate consequences of something turning out, well, shitty." That's a pretty obvious answer when defining what is SHTF. However, when it comes to personal experience, Selco has years of first-hand experience living in and surviving a long-term SHTF scenario. And as a long-term SHTF event is a series of individual SHTF scenarios strung together, Selco is a definite SHTF survivor. The SHTF Definition Based on his experiences living in a shit-hits-the-fan situation, Selco has two definitions of what SHTF is - one for non-preppers and another for preppers. For non-preppers, Selco's definition of SHTF is: "An event or situation that overwhelms services and resources." When it comes to preppers, Selco defines SHTF as: "The moment when people realize there are no repercussions or punishments for their actions." I believe Selco's two definitions of what is SHTF can be combined into one definition of SHTF. The Definition of SHTF: "An event of a situation that overwhelms services and resources, resulting in a collapse of civil order and society." Personal Experiences in an SHTF Situation Selco's personal experience is one in which, as his society and the rule of law collapsed, elements of organized crime and others filled the vacuum. In turn, criminal elements took over within a month of the collapse of the rule of law. This led to increased violence and daily struggle. Based on his experience during such a scenario, Selco points out that the moment criminal elements realize there will be no consequences for their actions should indicate to non-criminals that they are in an SHTF event. I feel that Selco is describing what Thomas Hobbes views as a person's life in the "state of nature," which he proposes will be "solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short." The "state of nature" is, in Hobbes's belief, the state of human existence without the rule of law and civil society. We're talking total breakdown here - the Shit Hit the Fan. In Selco's case, his SHTF scenario began the night the last of the police force stopped showing up to work, and from the moment lawlessness started in the streets, armed groups acted without fear of repercussions. Two Periods of SHTF Violence Selco noticed two distinctive periods of violence as the SHTF situation developed as the lawlessness rose. The two periods of violence in a shit hits the fan environment are: Early violence is "sporadic and crazy violence." Later violence is "organized violence with patterns." Why Prepare for an SHTF Event?

I’ve been writing about Thirdworldization since the 2008 financial crisis. It is the process where the structures that support the system in developed nations become inefficient, crippled, and society decadent and belligerent. In this article, I talk about the dynamics of Thirdworldization, the intermediary stages of collapse, SHTF misconceptions - and how these things interconnect. Historian Victor Davis Hansen nails Thirdworldization down with perfection, so I’ll kick this off in style by quoting him: “In modern times, as in ancient Rome, several nations have suffered a “systems collapse.” The term describes the sudden inability of once-prosperous populations to continue with what had ensured the good life as they knew it. Abruptly, the population cannot buy or even find, once plentiful necessities. They feel their streets are unsafe. Laws go unenforced or are enforced inequitably. Every day things stop working. The government turns from reliable to capricious if not hostile." The Collapse Does Not Look Like Mad Max People believe civilizational collapse looks like Mad Max. It doesn’t, I assure you. Not based on history, and not if we’re talking about man-made crises, which is what we’re going through, and the central theme for this article. I should know because I was born and lived most of my life in a country forever plagued by economic, political, institutional, and social volatility. Brazil isn’t a Third World shithole. Far from it, my country is a vast land, blessed by great weather and immense, varied natural and human resources. We’re the 10th largest economy in the world. But thanks to inefficiency, bureaucracy, corruption, and short-sightedness, much of this wealth gets wasted, squandered, and poorly distributed. This creates severe distortions with damning consequences: high levels of inequality, injustice, poverty, crime, and social divisiveness. This makes every day a lot more fluid, unpredictable, and difficult for a significant part of the population. Slow-burning SHTF is “normalized hardship.” This is what I see now taking place in the US, Europe, and much of the world. It’s a result of the corrosion of the social, political, institutional, cultural, and financial pillars from decades of abuse and corruption of this arrangement. Those are the causes, but the consequences matter a lot more. Consequences Over Causes On that, I see some misconceptions about the dynamics of SHTF. And this is critical because building plans and strategies around false assumptions can undermine preparation. For instance, the idea that the entire system can crash down at once, abruptly, or over a short period. Sure: it can happen in large-scale natural cataclysms. However, the consequences are limited to the local affected, and resources and surpluses can be channeled to places in dire need. Crises brought about by human action, on the other hand, are cyclical, often protracted, and long-winded. The frog boils slowly. It’s an overused cliche, but true nonetheless. And that’s not to make light of disasters, just pointing out the differences. Anyway, things reach a tipping point and flare up, eventually shaking or even toppling the status quo. What happens, in reality, is a process in which decadence sets in, and the system gets overwhelmed, then rearranged. This impacts the standard of living first and the quality of life next of larger portions of the population and is seen and felt as an SHTF situation. Rightly so. The Decline Takes Time However, no developed, developing, or underdeveloped country ever dives into chaos overnight. There’s no jumping from the current system straight into a medieval one. Bartering is one classic example. There’s a lot of talk about how large stockpiles are critical for survival and how su...

In this episode, I discuss a listener question about preparedness for single moms, record inflation, and the global unrest that may be leading to the rise of populism and the potential for conflict. Updated and extended show notes coming soon! Stay safe!

In a world where the population is constantly growing, finding more effective ways to produce food is becoming more critical. One solution gaining popularity through organizations such as Food Forest Abundance is the self-sustaining food forest. A food forest is a self-sustainable ecosystem in which plants and animals can work together to produce food. Unlike traditional farming methods, there is no need for pesticides, herbicides, or other chemicals. This makes food forests more environmentally friendly and better for the health of those who consume the produce. Who is Jim Gale? On the surface, Jim is a practitioner and believer in sustainable living, freedom, and helping people to live their best lives. Jim is also the face and driving inspiration of Food Forest Abundance, a site dedicated to helping empower people to become more self-reliant and free through a three-step process. Learn what you need both physically and mentally to become self-reliant during emergencies. Improve your self-reliance by producing your own food. Round out your preparedness by becoming energy independent. Jim has succeeded by leading a life of introspection, intentional goal setting, and focused effort. Food Forest of Abundance - Declaration of Freedom! Introspection In his introspection, Jim believes in listening to the voices of honest criticism when they add "value to his life, family, community, and world." It's his in-depth evaluation of himself that allows Jim to refine his perspective and, in so doing, achieve his goals and stay on the right path. Goal-Setting Jim's goal-setting mindset began in college and, over one weekend helped transform him from a red-shirt freshman wrestler to the captain of the team and national champion. Focus His focus on goal-setting can best be summarized by a quote from Napoleon Hill: "Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve." (Source). His introspection, goal-setting, and focus have allowed Jim to design freedom for himself and his family. In so doing, Jim has traveled a path from college wrestling to founding a billion-dollar business and on to living his best life with Food Forest Abundance. What is Food Forest Abundance? Food Forest Abundance is the realization of the concept of establishing self-reliance enhancing food ecosystems for the individual and family. Through the food forests module, Jim and others provide inspiration and solid guidance for people to create food forests that lead to an abundant society and food security through edible landscapes. Why is the Concept of a Food Forest Important? In our current age of increasing food instability, food forests and the ability of individual families to produce their own food are becoming increasingly important. Having your food forest allows you to design freedom from needing regular trips to the grocery into your lifestyle. When that happens, you not only lead a healthier, lower-cost life, you lead a life of improved confidence and self-reliance. How Much Food Can a Food Forest Produce? To figure out how much the food forest abundance philosophy will yield when growing your food in a food forest ecosystem, let's start with a single fruit tree. One fruit tree can produce 250 - 1000 fruit per year. So, let's assume our peach tree has 250 peaches. Besides being 250 peaches worth of food to eat, that is 250 peaches of value. Is food scarce? The value of those peaches goes up. And, even during non-inflationary times, the peaches will have a value that is often a 100% return on investment. Guilds Guilds are a community of plants supporting one another's growth and sustainability. When plants are grouped in guilds,

When it comes to Bug-Out Bag Essentials, seasoned preppers know that having a survival kit with the right gear can be the difference between life and death in a natural disaster or other survival situation. In this article, podcast episode, and guide, I'll discuss the ten essential pieces of survival gear you need to include in your bug-out bag. If you want to be prepared for any eventuality, check it out and follow the link to get your free guide today! Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links that I may receive a small commission for at no cost to you if you choose to purchase a product through a link on this page. What is a Bug-Out Bag (BOB)? A go-bag, also known as a Bug-Out Bag (BOB), is a portable emergency kit that, if properly planned, should contain everything you need to survive away from home in an emergency. The contents of a bug-out bag, (go-bag), vary depending on individual needs and should cover the basics dictated by the goals of preparedness and the survival pyramid. Go-bags are designed to be grab-and-go, so they should be lightweight and easy to carry. Many people keep their go-bags in their car, near the front door, or at their workplace, so they're always prepared in an emergency. The key to a well-packed bug-out bag is to cover the ten essentials and tailor the remaining contents to your specific needs and situation. Being prepared with an effective go-bag can increase your chances of survival in an emergency situation. What Items Should Be in a Bug-Out Bag? Bug-Out Bags and Weight Considerations When packing a bug-out bag, it's essential to consider the bag's weight and its contents. A bug-out bag is designed to get you from one point to another as rapidly as possible. Therefore, depending on health, fitness, and practice, you may be able to carry a heavier bag than someone else. However, having unnecessary, extra weight is generally a bad idea. It can slow you down and make it more challenging to navigate rough terrain. However, it would help if you aimed to keep the weight of your backpack under 10% of your body weight. Anything more than this can strain your back and shoulders, and slow you down in reaching your objective. If possible, keep your bag light by packing only essential items. This way, you'll be able to move more quickly and easily if you need to bug out in a hurry or cover longer distances. Then, train to carry that weight, and maybe, over time, you'll be able to carry more than 10% of your body weight. Bug-Out Bag Checklist and Guide Here are the ten most essential considerations when packing your bug-out bag. 1. Bug-Out Bag Immediate Action Gear The first priority in any survival situation is self-defense. Therefore, you should pack whatever defensive tool you are comfortable, competent, and legally allowed to use. Regarding emergency preparedness, other than firearms, some good options to consider are defensive tools such as pepper spray, tear gas, tasers, and a survival knife. Personally, a quality survival knife is an excellent option because you can use it in a variety of situations, not just in self-defense. 2. Bug-Out Bag Medical Kit Included within self-defense is the need to be able to manage any immediate and life-threatening medical threats. Immediate and life-threatening medical threats are those problems that can kill a person within minutes. Regarding your medical kit, it's important to not only think in terms of an apocalyptic situation. After all, the apocalypse hasn't happened in our lifetime, nor has it happened in anyone's lifetime that we know. I state that because some people don't believe in carrying tourniquets, chest seals, and the like because they believe there won't be any higher-level medi...