Thoughts and Realizations…
I’ve operated with a preparedness, homesteading and frugality mindset for most of my adult life.
Even with all the skills I’ve obtained and the progress I’ve made (paying off debt, for example) the effects of the pandemic have still caught me a little off guard.
I guess we all operate within normalcy bias.
It’s always been in the back of my mind that an economic disruption or even collapse was probable in my lifetime.
The main issue I’m trying to work around is how isolating this version of it is.
My plan, should we start to see breakdowns in services, was to organize locally with my friends, neighbors and family to address whatever needed to be handled.
But with the need to self quarantine, we’ve got a committee of two here to get more actions and plans in place.
Fortunately it’s spring and there’s no shortage of garden work to be done.
Last night I started making a master list of projects to get a jump on while I’m at home. The owners of the bakery where I work opted to close, which I fully understand and support. Most small businesses are not going to have the reserve capital to stay open when sales are down and people are staying in.
So I’m sitting in my study now that is packed full of books and notes on how to navigate and thrive within a world that’s probably going to get a lot more local, very soon.
Our world is so complex and we’ve been so accustomed to being able to buy anything from anywhere and have it here in two days. Those supply chains are still open but I don’t know how much longer that could be the case.
I’ve always envisioned that I would meet this kind of challenge head on. It’s such a weird feeling. The thing has happened. I don’t know how long it’ll last, if it’s the beginning of a new normal or one hell of a temporary disruption. I know the quarantine won’t last forever, although it could be several more weeks. But the economic ripples are turning into waves and we could see the tsunami that wipes a lot of the system we’ve known off the slate.
I’m not saying I want that…but I do plan to thrive in the aftermath, should it come to pass.
I think my best option so far is to continue to teach others (via online methods for now) how to keep themselves solvent during this. We’ve all got to start being a little more productive in our own homes. Maybe more than a little.
I don’t talk to many people about this, but I use tarot as a means of guidance and divination. For me, it’s a way of using archetypes and ancient wisdom to sort out and make sense of the noise in my head.
Every morning I draw a card as a means of looking for guidance throughout my day. There has been a distinctive theme of: Keep preparing. Keep learning. Maintain community.
This morning I drew the Tower card. This card indicates upheaval in one’s personal life. Sometimes it indicates a job loss or a relationship failing. The point of the card is to remind us that regardless of the circumstances that arise, we still have a choice in how we react and what actions we choose to take.
I will take actions led by love, responsibility and courage. For many of us, this is a chance to form a way of life that isn’t spent fretting over what some politician (from any party) said, or worrying about the latest celebrity news. All of this is fake and meant to be a distraction from our true purpose.
Everyone has something to contribute.
So ff you have skills in how to persevere in a changed, scaled down world: teach them.
If you want to learn these skills, we’re ready to teach you.
I’ll be sharing what I know and looking to learn more from others.
Be in touch.