Preparedness Goals - Acquiring New Skills

 Here is a reflective piece I wrote on the newsletter a couple of weeks ago. Since it is still early in the new year, it seemed appropriate to share it on the blog as well.

Fitting a bit of preparedness into your busy life can seem daunting at first. It may feel like one more activity to add to an already full schedule or one more idea to take up brain space when you are already feeling overloaded. I get this. As I looked back over the blog, however, I realized that preparedness skills have been a part of our everyday lives for years in some way or another. Whether you label the projects we do as homemaking, preparedness, or leaning towards self-sufficiency, we do what we can when we can, even if that just means making one more item for the pantry shelf. It really is that simple. In fact, some of the everyday things you already do may be honing your own preparedness skills. Maybe you know how to keep your house warm in a snowstorm when the electricity has gone out. Perhaps you practice your fire building and outdoor cooking skills every time you go camping. I bet if you think about it long enough, you can find something in your skill set that fits into the preparedness category.

Nonetheless, no one should remain stagnant. It is prudent to continue to expand our skillset. Whether you are just starting to think about preparedness or have been homesteading for years, we can all add a new skill or sharpen an old skill. It doesn’t have to be time-consuming. If you are just starting, start small. Pick one skill you would like to learn and start there. I challenge each of you to choose at least one new skill to learn this season. 

Here are a couple of my own goals:

1) Improve my sewing skills. I love making quilts and have made small items – bibs, aprons, simple skirts, and even a pair of lounge pants – but this has been the extent of my skill. I would like to learn to make some serious clothes – shirts, pants, dresses, etc. – and learn how to do zippers and button holes.

2) Make homemade soap. We have a couple of friends who have been gracious enough to let me watch them make soap, but I have not yet ventured to make it by myself. I have been searching for a recipe that uses ingredients I have easy access to (I love tallow, but cannot always get quality tallow) and that I can store for a long time. I think I found a recipe to try. Now I just have to be brave (I am a bit trepidatious about the lye) and do it!


"Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere."

-Chinese Proverb



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