I recently had a conversation with someone who was boasting about their ability to conduct the bulk of their preparedness efforts from the comfort of their sofa. They rattled off a long list of things they are able to learn about and accomplish while expending a little energy as possible. While their knowledge was extensive, and a lot of their plans were very organized, I couldn’t help but wonder how they would manage if a disaster were to strike at that very moment.
I started doing some research after I got home, and I was shocked to discover that couch prepping is a pretty-popular pastime. Books, videos and all kinds of articles can be found online that target these individuals, and they are marketed as a safe and effective way to prep. Unfortunately, this means that a lot of people are vulnerable to developing a false sense of security, because in all reality, successful prepping is a very hands-on activity.
Knowledge vs Skills
It’s one thing to have our heads full of knowledge, but another to be able to put what we know into practice. Building skills and developing experience is a crucial part of being equipped to contend with survival situations. Active prepping helps us to test ideas and to decide which ones work best. Active prepping reveals our strengths and weaknesses, and it allows us to get into the habit of improvising and thinking fast on our feet. Active prepping builds our strength, tests our resolve and helps to better-absorb the practice of perpetual-readiness into our daily lives.
Remember that skills are what will keep us alive and give us options during a crisis. Knowledge can give us ideas and information, but we need to actively-test those things to make sure they work for us.
Sensory Awareness
One of the reasons that putting things into practice is so important is that doing so helps us to develop our sensory awareness. Things seem deceptively-easy when we watch someone build a shelter in the snow or light a fire in the rain. We don’t feel the pain associated with walking great distances while carrying a heavy bug out bag by reading about the experiences of someone else. The only real way to appreciate the challenges in these and other situations is to experience them first hand, and anyone who lacks those experiences will be at a distinct advantage in the midst of a crisis.
Working Through Mistakes
While tips that we watch or read about may seem like good ideas in theory, they won’t work for everyone. The only way we can know for sure is by putting them to the test in the real world. This will help us to sift through all of the tips and tricks out there so that we only incorporate those that we know will work into our preparedness efforts. Putting things to the test also gives us a glimpse into how we work through mistakes and adapt accordingly. Consequently, going through this process is key to helping to reduce the impact of setbacks and mistakes that we make along the way.
While we can accomplish a lot with regard to prepping on our sofas or desks, we should attempt to spend at least twice as much time developing hands-on experience. Never think of prepping as a spectator sport, because most of the people who do will never make it through a disaster or crisis. Always strive to push yourself further, struggle to meet challenges, and make an effort to overcome obstacles that you can only discover by building up your skill set and experience.
