The Art of Self Reliance in 5 StepsTess Pennington Frustration is a Part of the Journey Im going to be honest, when it comes to my own road towards self reliance, I get frustrated on a continual basis. My plan lately has been to increase my skills set and Ive had some epic failures the past few months. The frustration has been enough to make me question myself and give up. But I know that I am my own worst enemy and those obstacles and mistakes are a part of the path that will help me in the long run. Sometimes I begin wondering if self reliance is a magical, unattainable myth. Its such a simple concept but once you start on this path you realize how long the trek in front of you really is. After being on the self reliant road for five years, I am here to say that I still have a ways to go, but Im enjoying the view along the way. Courage and perseverance have a magical talisman, before which difficulties disappear and obstacles vanish into air. John Quincy Adams 5 Steps toPersevere When you are in the midst of doubt, you have two choices: Like all things, you have to start with a goal in mind and develop a plan around it. Self reliance is the end result where smaller goals must be met in order to achieve it. These smaller achievements also help move you forward. Ive realized that in order to be successful at something we have to stay the course. To live a self reliant lifestyle takes time, effort and certain amount of sacrifice to get to the level of preparedness that we want. When doubt takes over, I look back and see how far Ive come and simply take a step and keep going. Contributed by Tess Pennington of Ready Nutrition. Tess Pennington is the author of The Preppers Cookbook: 300 Recipes to Turn Your Emergency Food into Nutritious, Delicious, Life-Saving Meals. When a catastrophic collapse cripples society, grocery store shelves will empty within days. But if you follow this books plan for stocking, organizing and maintaining a proper emergency food supply, your family will have plenty to eat for weeks, months or even years. 