Episode 52 The Self Reliant Mind

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I try to be a student of human nature and I have found that homesteaders and preppers have some things in common. One of the things they have in common is the way they look at the world and what they do. We are going to dive into the thought processes of the homesteader and prepper. I hope you enjoy.

Internal Locus

I have found that most homesteaders and preppers have what is called an internal locus of control. This means that they believe they have the greater amount of control in their success. They don’t look around for someone to fix their problems.

A person with an internal locus tends to apply themselves to their problems, have projects, and believe they should be able to enjoy the fruits of their own labor. The thought process tends to go beyond that, they want to be able to decide whom they will bless with their abundance. I want to be able to choose who I will give extra zucchini to.

One reason I believe this is the case especially with homesteaders is because of their closeness to the land. They want to teach others and they take very little for granted.

We want to teach and share. We really want to empower people.

We Believe What We Do Matters.

This one is the one that I believe gives us hope. There are so many people that say and I guess believe that what they do doesn’t matter.

Preppers demonstrate this belief of what they do matters every time they add to their food storage or increase their medical kit. With each new skill they are proclaiming that what they do matters.

This is just as much true for the homesteader and possibly even more so. The act of planting seeds, working in animal husbandry. Is a hope for the future. You don’t plant a seed today and harvest tomorrow. You have to believe in the future in order to plant.

Responsibility

There are a lot of people that whenever something bad happens they just sit down and wait on someone else to rescue them. The world isn’t fair, but if we want to make our world better, we have to do it. No one else is going to. The powers that be are really not interested in helping the individual. They are interested in advancing their power.

Are there times when you have to accept help? Absolutely. The way a person responds and acts after receiving help defines whether or not the person believes they are responsible. When they have to accept help, they do so with a thankful heart. Once a person has made it through a difficult situation, they look around and try to make a plan to help ensure that they will not be found in that situation in the future.

More Observant

I have talked about situational awareness in the past. You cannot be a prepper or homesteader and not be situationally aware. Noticing people while out in public or the health of your plants is an absolute must. If you are not paying attention in your garden, bad bugs can take over.

In permaculture there is a principle that states “Observe and interact”.

We Take Action

There are lots of people that will see something that is going on and will not even try to do anything about it. You cannot be a prepper or homesteader and not take actions.

Looking to Be Good Stewards of Our Resources

Many people go through feast and famine cycles. This is especially true for homesteaders. During the summer and fall there is an abundance. If a homesteader doesn’t learn to preserve that harvest, famine times will come soon. We store as much of the abundance as possible because we know winter is coming.

Preppers are extremely similar. They put up supplies when things are going good in anticipation of harder times. This is just smart. I am not talking about the end of the world, just hard times.

Conculusion

If you will think about it these behaviors set us apart from many. All of these behaviors are good. We shouldn’t look down our nose at someone who has some of the same goals with different methods. What we do really does matter and how we look at the world helps us achieve our goals.

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