Forget Doom and Gloom: Preparedness is the Ultimate Act of OptimismDaisy Luther Youre talking to a friend or family member who isnt on board with preparedness. (And its even worse when they think they know whats going on in the world but garner their so-called information from network news sources.) You try for the millionth time to get them to consider stocking up on a few things and they say this: Lifes too short for all of this doom and gloom. Live a little! Youre such a pessimist! My response to this is that preparedness is the ultimate form of optimism. One who practices skills, makes dramatic lifestyle changes, and studies current events critically may come across to the uninitiated as a person who has buried himself or herself in negativity, but in fact, one who prepares is saying to life, Whatever comes, we are not only going to live through it, my family is going to thrive, and I will not bend my knee to tyranny for an MRE and a bottle of water. I think that methods of preparedness can be compared to love songs on the radio. Bear with me through this analogy. If the songs that make you think of your significant other are sad, with reference to breaking up and getting back together, unsatisfied yearnings, arguments, frustration, anger, and broken hearts, you just might be doing the whole love thing wrong. Shouldnt the song that makes you think of the one you love be happy, upbeat, full of joy? Shouldnt thoughts of that special someone make you more prone to goofy smiles and a warm glow than to melancholy longing or the urge to gleefully burn all of their belongings in a great pile in the front yard? Here are some examples of how prepping is pure, unadulterated optimism: What non-preparedness people just cant seem to understand is that what we seek is peace of mind, freedom, and security for our families, not just a weekend at Disneyworld. We dont wish to delude ourselves with the soothing lies and distractions of the mainstream media so that we can blithely go about the business of trying to guess which B-list performer is going to take the crown (do they have a crown?) on Dancing with the Stars. We like reality and wed rather not have surprises. We can still have fun that doesnt compromise our ideals, sabotage our progress, or deter us from our paths. We dont want to be lulled into afalse sense of prosperity, hypnotized by our iPhones and our smart wristwatches, or pacified with governmental lies about the recovery. We dont want to deal with the after effects of shooting poisons into our babies, the ill health that comes from eating substances that arent even food but are guaranteed by the government to be safe, or stumble through life in a fluoride-induced brain fog. We just want to go out to our garden and get some unsprayed heirloom tomatoes for crying out loud, and thrive on real food, clean water, and an avoidance of Big Pharma chemicals. When I look at my own rosy-cheeked child and compare her glowing health with that of her friends, I am thankful every single day that we take the extra steps to keep her nourished, toxin-free, and whole, in defiance of a government and media that would have her chemically dumbed down and poisoned, literally, for profit. Heres a final analogy. Imagine that you are out for a walk, and you get lost in the woods. You end up wandering around for a couple of days, and youre exhausted and hungry. You come upon two bushes, different varieties of plants, both with brightly colored berries. Preparedness: It means that whatever may come, you intend to not only grimly survive, but to thrive. It means that you foresee a day when the imminent threat, whatever that may be, diminishes, and you will rebuild. It means that you have taken responsibility for yourself and your family, and that you will not be forced to rely on others. It means that your mind if focused on life itself, not some imaginary life of some reality star that actually has no grasp on reality whatsoever. You have chosen not to be misguided by the lies that the media uses to pacify you. Preparing yourself is the most optimistic and hopeful thing you can do in a world that would prefer to choose immediate gratification over a firm grasp on reality. Readying yourself to deal with whatever might happen is joyful act, an expression of gratitude to the Creator, peace made tangible, and the personification of faith itself. Also, a quick note to beginners: Please, dont let the thought of all of the preps that you do not yet have bring you down. Its a process, and the most important prep is already in place:your mindset. Once you know the possibilities, accept them, and begin to prepare, you are already far ahead of most of the neighborhood. Youve taken the most important step, the first one, and the rest will come as long as you persevere. Dont be discouraged by how much you have left to do, instead, be encouraged by how far ahead you are compared to your starting point. Never underestimate the magnitude of the importance of your state of mind. Daisy Luther is a freelance writer and editor. Her website, The Organic Prepper, where this first appeared, offers information on healthy prepping, including premium nutritional choices, general wellness and non-tech solutions. You can follow Daisy on Facebook and Twitter, and you can email her at daisy@theorganicprepper.ca 