Prepping Burnout

[Lowdown3]

This is a great subject. I just loaded a podcast about this subject. Not directed at SC cause she posted this, but at the subject in general. I've known more than a few that have gotten to this point over the years.

[Grand58742]

As I said a couple of posts back, I am going to take a break over the summer and work on resetting some of my priorities and just enjoy my family, garden, and the many blessings that God has given us. And just breath.....

Thank you again,
SC

This right here more than anything. Relax, breathe and let the world turn. It will all work out in the end.

We all get down from time to time and wonder if what we are doing is worth the trouble. But eventually we all get back in the groove so to speak. It's a strange thing called life lol

Best wishes on your (hopefully semi as we hope to see you back) vacation. But overall, let the world turn. I promise it will without any help or worrying.

[SCinPNW]

Thanks LD3, I cannot wait to listen to it! One of the many reasons I like this forum, great people, great knowledge, and great support and encouragement. Keep up the excellent work LD3 and Mods.

SC

[Cimarron]

SC, I too had a period of burn out just several months ago. I felt over whelmed with everything. Too many life changes. Going through a divorce, moving, "irons in the fire", and keeping up with prepping "stuff".

I pulled back from people and things for a while. Slowed down and even stopped in some areas. Although my life hasn't really changed, my mindset has. I take things in little steps. Finishing projects I started a long time ago brings a big feeling of accomplishment. If I'm taking care of the little things the big problems don't seem so bad/large.

I began to prioritize my life and the chaos started to take a more manageable shape. Granted, I won't say it's a life on easy street but somehow it doesn't seem such a pain anymore.

Like many others have said. Slow down, take it easy and enjoy yourself.

We'll leave the lights on for when you get back.

[WiseOwl]

The only time we take a break is when he have no $$$$.....which has been more than less as of late but....... its nice to know when you buy extra food or fill up those empty 2 liters with water or get a couple of extra rounds in that you are never done. Right now, I honestly prep for the uncertainty of work. If I loose my job tomorrow, I know we can survive for a few months. The only thing that would hold us back is gas.

I got burned out in a way back in the beginning because of the overload. The last couple of years I have been able to take it easy. Trust me, wayyyy before I learned what prepping was I wanted a homestead, wanted to live off grid, wanted a farm, a shop. I will be there....one day.

Until then I learn everything I can. I would like a couple extra chips of memory implanted though...... :P

[Mannlicher]

Nothing of any significance is going to happen any time soon, so I take a break now and then from long term preps.

Short term preps are a daily thing, and we should all be prepared for any sort of natural catastrophe short of an asteroid hitting Earth.

[SCinPNW]

Cimarron, Thank you for the words of encouragement. I seem to remember you mentioning your divorce before, I am truly sorry you had to go through that. As for the slowing down and finishing projects you had started, I like that, it makes a lot of sense. I have some gardening projects I purchased the supplies for but have not had the time to finish so making and taking the time to finish these projects and just take my time sounds good. They would be good projects to enlist the help of my daughter as she likes to participate in these things.

Wiseowl, I hear you on the burnout early after I first started prepping. When I first started prepping I was one of those people that LD3 described in his podcast, I started off in a frantic race trying to buy everything I thought we might need but then became overwhelmed with just how truly big a task I had taken on. Then I slowly started growing out of that and really looking at what type of prepping I wanted to be doing and that is when I started getting into Long Term Food storage as I learned canned goods were not going to really work long term. Then I started reviewing more closely what types of foods I wanted to store LT. After that I started learning more about sustainability and realizing that was just as important, if not more, than having stuff so I have been focusing on having as many food sources as I can in and around our yard.

This burnout is different than that initial one, it is more of just being tired of managing all of this stuff. I have been prepping for awhile now and everywhere I look in the garage, and in all of the nooks and cranies of the house are prepping things and part of me just snapped and said I am tired of trying to find a home for everything and still keep our house looking nice, organized, and not overflowing wtih "stuff". I did not totally lose it and schedule a yard sale, but there was a tiny part of me that kind of wanted to free myself in that manner. However, preparedness is too ingrained in me to do something so wild and crazy. ;)

As for the desire to have a farm, homestead, etc. I am right there with you Wiseowl. i have spent countless hours resarching property and trying to figure out how we could have a homestead/farm and my husband still keep his same job. LOL, those two thoughts are unfortunately diametrically opposed to each other. Where we currently live, it is too expensive to purchase a farm that would be in reasonable commutting distance to his job, and then there is the school situation. Our special needs son is in a really good school program and I will not take him out of it since I have heard so many horror stories from other special needs parents of how bad their school programs are for their kids. So I am hoping and praying that TEOTWAWKI will hold off until we are in a position to change our locals. If not, then it is what is and we will do the best we can and trust in God.

Knocky, I hope you are right and I agree on the "nothing of significance going to happen anytime soon" thought. I also agree on the importance of short term preps verses long term preps, they both are important for different reasons.

Thank you for your thoughts and suggestions. It is really nice to be able to converse with like minded folks who understand where I am coming from--people who get it. :)

SC

[Cimarron]

SC, I completely understand about "stuff". I moved from a 2000+ sq house and garage to a 1200 sq house and NO garage.

I went to an organized chaos to total chaos. I had to get crafty and find places to put things that I wouldn't before. I still don't have everything organized but I'm still working on it.

A funny incident one time. I was loading gear bags under my 16 yo daughters bed and putting buckets in her closet. She did do a little moaning and complaining and when I was through I explained why I needed to put those items there. Later she came to me, put her foot down, stuck out her chin and in her most authoritive voice told me. "Ok Daddy, I get why you need to put that stuff in there but my underwear drawer is totally off limits!" I laughed and she kinda grinned..

My little rascals have helped me in more ways then they know :)

[MJC]

SC. It sounds like you're a strong motivated person. Step back. Take a breath. and in the meantime if the shtf you can come to my house. every member of my extend family says they'll be here too.;)lol

[SCinPNW]

Thanks for the funny story Cimarron, that is a great family story to have and retell many years down the road.

MJ, thank you for the invite. I hope you have lots of dirt for all of those people to sleep on. ;)

SC