Simple Skills for Survival and Independence

I am an independent person. I enjoy being able to take care of myself. I admire people who have the skills required to make things happen on their own. The way I see it, independence is a survival skill.

In the not so distant past, our society valued life skills that were essential for survival and independence. Over the years these skills have been disfavoured and largely lost, while industrialization, urbanization, and reliance on big government and corporate consumerism took hold.

Now the people are skilled at shopping and finding deals, but not so good at the traditional life skills that may be needed, possibly sooner rather than later, to get through potential rough economic and political troubles.  

Here are some of the premier life skills that will become essential again as we extricate ourselves from an unhealthy reliance on the self-serving pseudo-support mechanisms offered by the government/corporate nexus:

Essential Skills for Survival and Independence

• Gardening and farming: Growing one's own food is a crucial skill, allowing people to be self-sufficient and provide for their families.

• Cooking from scratch: With processed food finally being exposed for the unhealthy crap that it is, people will need to learn how to prepare meals from whole, raw ingredients. 

• Sewing and mending: When both fast and slow fashion stop altogether, we will need to be able to make our own clothes, repair them, and be prepared to pass them down to younger generations.

• Woodworking and carpentry: Building and repairing homes, furniture, and tools requires skilled hands. Learning a trade is going to be the new university degree.

• Hunting and foraging: In many communities, hunting and gathering were essential skills for providing food and other essential resources, and in many others, they are still essential. When the food trucks aren’t running because of net-zero zealousness, we may need to learn to engage in hunting and gathering again.

• First aid and herbalism: With the discredited and broken sickness care industry self-imploding, we may need to rely more on natural remedies and basic first aid skills to treat illnesses and injuries, not to mention a healthy dose of prevention in the first place.

• Navigation and cartography: Before GPS, people used maps, compasses, and astronomical observations to navigate. These lost arts may make a return.

• Animal husbandry: Raising and caring for animals, such as livestock and poultry, was a vital skill for food and other resources. When the tractors are no longer running, animals will once again provide the horsepower required. Plus, animal poop will soon be the fertilizer of choice for the fields and gardens of the people.

• Blacksmithing and metalworking: Crafting tools, repairing equipment, and making hardware require skilled metalworkers. 

• Storytelling and oral history: Passing down stories, legends, and historical events through oral tradition was a valuable skill for preserving cultural heritage. When all our fancy digital storage degrades to the point of uselessness, storytelling will again become a thing around the fire.

• Music and dance: Music and dance are essential parts of community gatherings, celebrations, and cultural expression.

• Basic mechanics and repair: People will need to know how to fix and maintain their own equipment, such as bicycles, tools, and machinery in order to keep things running without breaking the bank.

• Preserving food: Techniques like smoking, curing, and pickling allowed people to enjoy seasonal foods throughout the year.

• Natural building: Constructing homes and buildings using natural materials like wood, earth, and stone required specialized skills. When synthetics are no longer available, or if one wants a healthier home environment, we will need to know how to build with local natural material.

• Community building and cooperation: People relied on their neighbors and community members for support, trade, and mutual aid. Then not so much. But if we are to survive, we will have to overcome our differences, and rely on mutual aid once again.

There is about to be a massive pullback in discretionary economic spending of all kinds, as focus upon the essentials becomes the clear path to survival.

The ability to live simply and take care of one’s self will be the way to go.

If you possess competence in any of the skills highlighted above, you are fortunate and ahead of the game. 

You will be better prepared for the more simple future that lies ahead.

Watch for all these basic life skills to make a big comeback as modernity continues to fail to live up to its promise of a better life through the myths of high technology, infinite growth, and the power of progress.

Health Benefits of Living Simply

Is simplicity a healthy approach to life? Just look at the Amish.

In America, the simple and clean-living Amish community lives longer than the general population, which has been experiencing a drop in life expectancy in recent years, despite spending record amounts of cash on health care.

The Amish experience fewer chronic conditions that have plagued the consumer-oriented population since it became more dependent on Big Ag and Big Food.

Amish children are rarely diagnosed with obesity, cancer, diabetes, or autism, while in the larger society, all these afflictions are tragically common.

Unfortunately, Big Health sees chronic conditions not as something to prevent and cure, but as markets to be exploited for profit.

The Amish are healthier despite not having easy access to modern health care in their rural settings. 

In fact, these traditional, self-reliant folks may not want to access what the modern system has to offer. Vaccines and expensive dental treatments are two such examples.

Perhaps they are healthier because of their avoidance of the entire sickness care industry. 

Or it might be due to their emphasis on maintaining traditional lives of clean living, hard work, and strong community support.

Either way, I believe that the Amish provide evidence that the more simply and traditionally one lives, the healthier they will be.

Tell us what you think in a comment below. Is the simple life the way to health, or is it possible to live a modern, consumer-oriented lifestyle dependent on profit-seeking enterprises and still be healthy?

Not Going Anywhere

I’m not going anywhere - there is enough beauty in my own location to keep me busy for the rest of my life.

I can walk out my back door, descend into the valley, and arrive at a beautiful brook in about 15 minutes. It is enough for me.

In our fast-paced, busy culture, there is a mistaken belief that going places and constantly being on the move is the key to success and personal growth. 

However, over the last couple of decades I've discovered a different path to happiness and fulfillment – a hyper-local lifestyle that embraces simplicity and nature in a rural setting.

I haven't owned or driven a car for almost five years, and I can say that I don't miss it. 

However, I must admit that becoming car-free does take some getting used to since society has become convenience addicted, and I was not immune from this affliction. 

A car is incredibly expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain. Insurance costs have soared in recent years. Additionally, driving is dangerous - just over one million people die in car accidents every year globally. 

Other than that owning a car remains the most ''convenient'' way to get around.

The last time I took a flight was 2001. Prior to take off they took me to a small room and patted me down. 

Nope, don’t miss that either.

Instead, I have found joy and satisfaction in staying put and gaining an intimate knowledge of my local area.

I have not been farther than about 50km from home for a long time, and I have survived to tell the tale. The travel industry does not want you to know this is possible or even preferable.

Here are some benefits of what many are calling localism:

1. Reduced environmental impact:

By staying in one place, you significantly reduce your ecological footprint. You'll also have the opportunity to explore and appreciate the natural beauty in your own backyard, will be more aware of local changes, and foster a deeper connection with the environment.

2. Stronger community ties: 

When you stay in one place for an extended period, you have the chance to build meaningful relationships with your neighbors and community members. This sense of belonging and connection can lead to a more fulfilling life.

3. Improved local knowledge: 

By focusing on your local area, you'll become more familiar with the resources available to you, such as local sources of food, essential businesses, and recreational opportunities. This knowledge can help you meet your basic needs more efficiently and sustainably.

4. Financial benefits: 

Living locally can save you money on transportation, housing, and other expenses associated with traveling. This extra cash can be used to invest in your well-being, such as purchasing healthier food or paying off debt.

5. Personal growth and self-discovery: 

Embracing a local lifestyle doesn't mean you have to give up on personal growth. Instead, you can focus on self-discovery through introspection, learning new skills, and forming deeper connections with your surroundings.

To start embracing a local lifestyle, consider the following steps:

1. Limit your travel: 

Reduce the number of vehicle-supported trips you take and focus on self-propelled explorations of your local area instead. Taking a walk in you neighbourhood is as good as taking a walk anywhere. There is beauty to be found wherever you live.

2. Support local businesses: 

Shop at local farmers' markets, eat at locally-owned restaurants, and support other small businesses in your community. When the big box stores eventually fail, as they should, it will be local businesses that will be helping us meet our needs.

3. Get involved in your community:

Join local clubs, volunteer for community events, and participate in local government to build connections and make a positive impact.

4. Explore nature in your area: 

Take up walking, hiking, cycling, birdwatching, or gardening to connect with the natural world around you.

5. Simplify your life: 

Embrace minimalism and declutter your home to create a more peaceful, intentional living space.

By embracing a local lifestyle, I have found joy, fulfillment, and a deeper connection to my own community and environment. 

Everything I need is here - why go anywhere else.

Give it a try and see how not going anywhere can change your life, and the world, for the better.

To Live Happily, Live Hidden

The phrase "pour vivre heureux vivons cachés" is a French proverb which translates to "to live happily, live hidden." 

This proverb suggests that happiness can be achieved by keeping a low profile and avoiding unnecessary attention or intrusion. It emphasizes the importance of privacy in leading a content and fulfilling life.

This reflects the idea that living a simple, private life away from the spotlight can contribute to personal happiness and well-being. 

By avoiding unnecessary attention and focusing on what truly matters, one can cultivate a deeper appreciation for life's experiences and relationships, ultimately leading to a more fulfilling existence.

Oversharing on social media is definitely out.

This French proverb shares similarities with other philosophical and spiritual traditions, such as Stoicism and Buddhism, which emphasize the importance of detachment from material possessions and external validation in the pursuit of inner peace and contentment.

By embracing these lessons, just like the fox and the grey man, one can create a life that prioritizes privacy, self-sufficiency, and solitude, ultimately maximizing happiness and personal growth.

What do you think? Do you like a life that is out there, or do you prefer the privacy and simplicity of life away from it all?

Edward Abbey and the American Dream

Shoot your TV.

The American Dream was never to acquire as much stuff as possible.

Who, but people with something to sell, would ever think up a slogan as dumb as ''He who dies with the most toys, wins''?

That is the consumer marketing machine trying to make us want more, more, more.

Environmental iconoclast Edward Abbey's take on the original intent of the dream sounds more likely and worthwhile. 

He said,

“If America could be, once again, a nation of self-reliant farmers, craftsmen, hunters, ranchers and artists, then the rich would have little power to dominate others.

Neither to serve nor to rule: That was the American dream.” 

— Edward Abbey 

This quote is a reminder of the value of self-reliance and the pursuit of a simpler, more authentic way of life. 

It suggests that by doing things ourselves rather than rely on government and corporations, the power dynamics that exist in a society that focus on wealth, materialism, and dependency can be changed.

The American dream is a vision of equality and freedom, where people are neither subservient to others nor seeking to exert control over them. It calls for a collective pursuit of self-sufficiency and independence.

Most of us just want to be left alone to live peaceful, free lives untrammelled by outside self-serving agendas. 

That is certainly something Abbey lived, and supported.

He was known for his outspokenness and his willingness to take a stand against the status quo, even if it meant making himself unpopular or controversial. 

The ability to freely challenge those that wish to rule over us is also an important part of the American experiment that is worth preserving.

No kings and queens. No serfs.

Live simply, live free. 

That was the dream.

The Power of Quitting

Our world is shifting. Everywhere people are exercising their power to quit.

They are quietly quitting the toxic, consumer-driven aspects of modern life and choosing healthier, more intentional paths. 

I don't think this is just a passing trend. We are experiencing a seismic shift in the way people are choosing to live.

Quietly and happily, many are quitting unhealthy products and situations like:

- unsatisfying careers and bad bosses

- alcohol and other dependencies 

- mainstream legacy media 

- unnecessary medical treatments

- official narratives

- conspicuous consumption

- treadmill lifestyles

- ultra processed and fast foods

There are so many more things in modern life that are best left behind. The choices of harmful things to quit is almost endless - take your pick and become free of their corrosive influences.

Over the last 20 years Linda and I have quit many modern ''conveniences'' and products, and our lives have improved as a result.

The more we quit, the better it gets. Hmm, funny how that works.

What are you quitting? Let us know in a comment below.

After Enlightenment, Then Laundry

In the world of buddhism, there's a saying that states, "after enlightenment, the laundry." 

It’s a reminder that the journey toward clarity and inner peace doesn’t end with a single moment. 

Instead of being an endpoint, it is just the beginning, continuing into everyday life and encompassing the quiet, repetitive tasks that anchor us all.

When we aim for a minimalist, nature-connected existence, it’s easy to think we’re aiming for perfection: a life free from mess, complication, and distraction.

But true simplicity isn’t about escaping life’s tasks; it’s about seeing them differently. 

After all, the laundry, the dishes, the sweeping - whatever chores fill our days -won't disappear simply because we’ve cultivated a peaceful mindset. What changes is the way we approach them.

When I wash clothes I don't see it as a mundane job to “get done” but as an opportunity, a ritual, a moment to practice mindfulness. 

I feel the texture of the fabric, the coolness of water, and the joy of going outside to hang clean clothes on the line while visiting with the blue jays and juncos in the trees around me. 

When it is done, I appreciate the simplicity of clean, folded piles of cloth. Every step in this process is an invitation for me to stay present, and finding meaning in the mundane.

First enlightenment, then laundry reminds us that peace doesn’t reside only in moments of meditation and stillness. 

True peace lives in carrying out each small daily task gently, grace. 

So, as we seek simplicity, let’s find enlightenment in each chore, embracing the little moments that connect us to ourselves and our world.

Then we see that perhaps the enlightenment has been there all along, waiting for us to let go and take notice.