Summary: I'm a crazy prepper who now more than ever wishes he had a hidden bunker with 10 years of food stockpiled and ready to go. Maybe filled with video games and movies. But seriously, yes, I consider myself a prepper. Actually, I embrace the term because I find it tragically humorous that many in modern society label people who prepare for future adversity as crazy whackos. <br> Unfortunately, it's the misconceptions due to the "othering" and labeling by those who don't prepare that cause many to not prepare. The fact is that the unjust stigma society throws on the prepping community prevents many from becoming prepared to face the difficulties that are part of life. Despite what the mainstream media label us, preppers are mostly not hoarders or dangerous members of society. <br> Instead, preppers are people who are concerned with the resiliency of themselves and their families. Preppers are people who want to be personally responsible and part of the solution rather than part of the problem. Preppers want to be their own best, self-reliant resource when it comes to protecting themselves and their loved ones. <br> <br> Being a Crazy Prepper<br> <br> Did I go out at some point and buy rice and beans in bulk? Yeah, of course. I don't have years and years and years worth, but enough to take care of myself, some friends, and some family for a little while. Is that a bad thing right now?<br> I recognize that my brain wants to go elsewhere, truly hoping to avoid any major problems. That's what my emotional brain wants. It's the fight or flight center of your brain. <br> The lockdowns and restrictions we've faced over the past year have told a lot of us that what we've been doing wasn't so nutty after all. If nothing else, 2020 was an ideal year to be a crazy prepper.<br> But how "crazy" are you? Are you starting to suffer mentally from this slow-burning breakdown of our economy and society? If so, you should understand that's not a sign you're crazy - it's a sign you're normal.<br> Feeling Isolated Doesn't Mean You're a Crazy Prepper<br> <br> Shortly after the lockdowns began, I realized I was going a little bit stir-crazy already. I had a conversation with a very good friend who felt the same way. We're human beings. We're herd animals. We like to be social. I mean, we wouldn't have football games and homecoming stuff if we weren't social. We'd have professional hide-and-seek instead.<br> So it's natural to feel like you're isolated when you're cooped up. You're a hundred percent normal. <br> Some ways to lessen your feelings of isolation are to call your loved ones and use technology and social media for your benefit. Set up family Zoom calls for faraway relatives to be able to connect. Don't wait for the holidays to get together online.<br> As restrictions loosen, you can begin getting together again. Get together outdoors for a picnic or a barbecue. Meet at restaurants that have outdoor patios. Do what you can to keep in contact with the people you care about and use social media for the very aspect it was made for - to socialize.<br> Mindset Techniques<br> Take a mental break and enjoy breathing the air. Let's focus on the good. It's a good thing that we can go outside right now and breathe the fresh air. Feel gratitude that we're not one of the people who may be ill. We can feel grateful if our family has escaped unscathed so far.<br> Trying to remain in a good mindset is hard. We can overcome adversity. We've done it in the past. As we go into this, think positively and be grateful. There are certain things you need to be grateful for in your life. Saying it out loud is good for you.<br> It's difficult when there's so much negative stuff on the news, but try to focus on the things you can control instead of the things going on halfway across the planet that you can't affect at all.<br> It's a Good Time to Convince Others That Being a Crazy Prepper Isn't So Bad.
