Sorry I haven’t been posting much lately. I have been in a slump and haven’t been on top of things lately don’t know if it is winter blues , post election blues or holidays and all the graduations or a little of all.
I have been getting so behind on things that need to be done. It’s like I have had no motivation and just when I should be stepping into high gear.
Heck I have even been buying bread and drying my clothes in the dryer two things I hardly ever do. I have even taken a break from talk radio and I usually always have that on.
I have talked to several people that are the same way, I don’t know if we just know things are getting ready to get bad and we are just taking a break for a while to try and regroup.
I do feel like I was given the task of trying to teach people ( long story)the few things that I know. I have had a few people tell me that I share to much info sometimes, but in order to share the things I know I have to give the extra info and pray that all will be ok because of it. Although it is discouraging when trying to reach friends and family about what is on the way and they do not see it or do not care to see it.
I have been doing a lot of praying and soul searching trying to get my mind back to where I need it to be. It is time to get back in the swing of things so hopefully I will be back on track.
Didn’t mean to bore you with all this but I wanted you to know why I haven’t been posting much lately.
Your not a lone. I feel the same way. I am scared for my family and friends who don't realize whats coming.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you are coming from and I have to say, take care of yourself. If you need time to regroup then so be it. We will be here when you are done. I had a friend tell me the other day that she did not have to prep at all because if the SHTF she would be knocking on my door for me to take care of her. I just looked at her with wild eyes and I think she got the point.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, just writing things out helps to settle the brain. Don't worry about it.
ReplyDeleteI think the point of having a blog is to get your thoughts out and not worry that people out there will judge. Those who follow are those who have a lot in common.
I appreciate where you are right now, I have been in the same place for nearly a year... I just recently came out of it and I am blogging like gangbusters again. I enjoy your blog and appreciate all the effort you put into trying to help other understand the need to prepare. It is hard when you bear the burden of responsibility to tell those you care about the truth about needing to prepare for an uncertain future, you run the risk of exposing yourself and to getting burned out. I am breaking this out into 2 comments since it is long and I will run out of characters before I am finished... so this is part 1...
ReplyDeleteThis is part 2. I know we don't know each other, and that it might not be my place to say... but I will hope that what I am sharing will help you...
DeleteI found myself where you are and I had to do a few things to get past the burn out to where I could function again: 1)I had to turn off all input that fed my sense of impending doom. I knew that things were bad and getting worse, but I had that knowledge without those in the radio or internet feeding my fears. 2) I had to focus on my preparations, and let my concerns for those around me take a backseat. 3) I had to decide that I could talk until I was blue in the face, but if others didn't want to hear it or didn't want to bother to prepare, then that was their choice. I am not responsible for their choices. I had a woman with 13 children tell me that she didn't need to prepare since she knew I would help her family if things got bad. So I decided I needed to make a plan for those who don't help themselves. I have stuck my neck out by teaching classes on things like long term storage of food and other preps, what to store and how to prepare it, and other things like non electric cooking etc. So like you, I have told people more than I should about my own preps, in order to teach them how to do their own. I have exposed myself to others trying to rely on me when things get bad and to those who may want to take what I have put up for my own household. So... 4) I had to tell those in my classes and those near to me, but outside of my immediate family, that the help I can give them in time of crisis, is the help I tried to give them before the crisis. In other words no so gentle... "I am telling you what needs to be done now. Later, if things are bad, I can't do much to help you. So don't think that my preparations will stretch to include you..." It made me very uncomfortable... but I felt like it had to be said. 5) I have made a plan for helping others if things go bad and have laid up a stock of things that I am willing to share, but they are limited to one hot meal, one time per person/family. It won't be a hand out, they will be expected to work by pitching in with the tasks at hand on that day they receive help,plus I will share any info I can give that will help them get them through tomorrow. Beyond that, my responsibility for people (outside of a numbered few), ends. 6)I have only kept a very small supply of emergency prep out where it can be found. The rest has been hidden, where others will not be able to find it. This was hard to do but we finally figured out something that was practical, close by and virtually undetectable. 7)I changed the format of the info on my blog to make it of less interest to "authorities" by posting "tutorials" and talking about "pantry keeping" rather than prepping. (I still post my link on prepper forums that I belong to and list prepping in my tagline, but try to be more "vanilla" about how I present to info on my blog, in hopes of preventing undue attention being paid to my blog by the authorities). It may sound paranoid, but I know that in times past, those in authority commandeered supplies laid in to provide for ones family, and labeled it hoarding, making it criminal to provide for your own family...
With all of that done, I have decompressed many of the things that were blocking my ability to function, share and prepare and I am back to teaching and blogging again. I don't know if any of this will be helpful in relieving your burn out, but I thought I wold put it out there in case it might be helpful.
I want you to know I admire your desire to help others, and I really look forward to your posts and enjoy your blog. I hope that you can get your groove back and be at peace! Take care! Elle
http://www.aviewfromthecottage.blogspot.com
Connie, I've been like a slug, myself. Sometimes, I feel so sad over what I feel is coming. Sometimes, I just feel so short of goals, overwhelmed by all that is needed. Maybe, I read too much and the gloom of it gets me kind of depressed.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I've had these conversations with family members. My sister's plan is to help everybody (share), and then all die together. My stepmom's plan is the same. For a moment, there was a twinge of guilt. But, a year's food for one becomes a month's food for twelve. Then I shared my plan to have a few basics to share if I'm given guidance that it's safe to do that, otherwise, I see things differently. If it's something short term (tornado or whatever) and I have the ability to restock, I'd be inclined to be more generous. But if it's a big long-term disaster, others will be mostly on their own. Any of us has been grateful for a little help from time to time, but I don't feel obligated to sustain people who didn't prepare. I'm thinking part of my blues might be from realizing these alliances I imagined with family members, aren't going to work. So, I find legitimate alliances or muddle through on my own. Better to know sooner than later.
It's all some really emotional stuff and it's not easy. The best I can do right now is to pray for wisdom, strength, guidance, and the means to make the needed preparations. I pray for this for myself, and for all of us in this boat, and ask for prayers in return from those who are willing.
brenda from ar
Thanks to all of you for the kind words it has helped me get back in the groove I thinks it helps to know we are not alone in all this.
ReplyDelete@ Michelle,
I know I think there are a lot of us out there feeling the same way.
@ Kim
It is so frustrating when people you are trying to share info with think you will take care of them when shtf .
@ Rachel
You are so right and it is so nice knowing that most of use have so much in common.
@ Elle.
Thank you so much for the words of encouragement Sounds like you are doing the same thing I am, I have tried not to use the word prepping and keep things very generic as to not attract to much attention . I do think there are those of use who have been charged with trying to help and educate those around us but it seems there is only so much we can do. I was able to get a lot of beans for not to much so those of my family and friend that haven’t chose to prepare will have a few beans but when push comes to shove my immediate family will be taken care of first and I try to let that be known.
I have totally unplugged for the last few weeks and I think it has helped (although I feel I am behind on the news now lol). There were a few other things I was trying to work out but I think I am getting back into the swing of things again.
Thanks again for your support.
@ Brenda,
You are so right it is so depressing knowing that you may not be able to help the people you love. This is something I have really struggled with, I have put all my time and extra money into prepping while they are all buying toys and eating out and playing all the time, every one says they will just come to my house when shtf I guess I need to set them straight and let them know my kids come first We do need to keep praying for all of us in this situation and for the others to see the light.
Best of luck to all you we are headed for hard times but at least we have a clue keep prepping and praying.
Connie