Tag Archives: lifestyle planning

Episode-610- Staying Positive in a World Full of Disaster

Posted on February 23, 2011 by Modern Survival| 27 Comments
Episode-610- Staying Positive in a World Full of Disaster [ 1:03:12 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Eeyore is the Antithesis of Modern Survival Thinking!

I have never understood wholly negative people, you know the folks that personify the Winni the Poo character Eeyore.   To these people the world is one of unending hardship and everyone who succeeds either knows the right person or screwed someone over to reach a place of prominence.

What I understand even less is a survivalist (modern or other wise) that is a fricken Eeyore!  How can you be a negative human being if you are survivalist?

While it is true we head on face disaster and accept some of them are invertible we also understand that for the most part we control our own destiny.  It bothers me when I get emails from people who have clearly lost hope, I ask these people if you have no hope, why are your even worried about “survival”?

Join me today to discuss….

  • Why most survivalists are the most positive people in the world
  • Why we must prepare every bit as much for success as we do for failure
  • Why problems are less daunting if you know their solutions
  • Why money is just a symbol for energy and how that frees you if you understand it
  • Why your job or your next job is both important and meaningless
  • The role of “vision” in the lives of modern survivalists
  • The one undeniable truth that most people can not accept

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air

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Episode-547- Prepper, Survivalist or Homesteader

Posted on November 9, 2010 by Modern Survival| 10 Comments
Episode-547- Prepper, Survivalist or Homesteader [ 1:08:33 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Is there a difference between the prepper, the survivalist and the homesteader?  If so does it even really matter?  What common ground do all three self identified groups share?  What is the difference between societies view of each group and the reality of the individuals that make them up?  Today we examine these and other issues about modern survivalism and our various sub groups.

Join me today as I discuss…

  • What is a survivalist
  • What is a prepper
  • What is a homesteader
  • Why does society characterize any individualist
  • What role does economics play in our lives
  • Why do we have to at least pay some attention to politics
  • Why we are actually the “normal” members of society
  • The recipe for success
    • Develop minimal systemic independence (self sufficiency)
    • Develop sufficient forward wealth  (self reliance)
    • Focus on what you want in your life
    • Be informed but not overly influenced by society
    • Focus on and defend liberty
    • Be a teacher and a student at all times

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show.   Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air

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Episode-534- Prep? Save Money? Or Enjoy Life?

Posted on October 19, 2010 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments
Episode-534- Prep? Save Money? Or Enjoy Life? [ 1:13:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A question I get often is some variation of the following….

  • When do I stop prepping for a while and simply save some of our money?
  • When have I invested enough into prepping and should just start blowing some money once in a while?
  • How do I stay positive in the face of all the problems headed our way?

In essence these folks are asking at the core of things….

  • Is there hope in spite of the danger?
  • Is it okay to just have fun in spite of what might be coming?
  • Is there a such things as a “maintenance mode” as a prepper?

The nice thing is the answer to those last three  questions are yes, yes and yes.

Join Me Today as We Discuss…

  • A quick refresher on commonality and probability
  • Exactly what is “money” anyway, why do we have it
  • What is life all about, what are we surviving for?
  • Setting your personal goals, the big ones
    • Time to debt freedom
    • Time forward in self reliance
    • Percentage of self sufficiency
    • Where you will go if you have to leave
    • How you want your daily life to be
    • What you need for basic comfort
    • What you need to be truly happy
    • What level of physical security do you desire
    • What level of financial security do you desire
    • How much redundancy do you want
  • The reasons most people won’t ask these questions
    • They require you to be 100% responsible for yourself
    • The answers are subject to your self imposed limitations
    • We have been conditioned to think focusing on what we want is selfish
    • The resulting answers require massive action
    • We all have a desire to “fit in” on some level, even me
    • Your plan is going to require sacrifice for some period of time
  • Why you can make it happen
    • In the end you make the decisions
    • You have the courage to ask the questions
    • It ain’t as hard as “they” make it out to be
    • We don’t have to prepared for “the end” just change

Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-531- Life On Your Own Terms

Posted on October 14, 2010 by Modern Survival| 22 Comments
Episode-531- Life On Your Own Terms [ 1:06:45 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today’s show will have brief show notes, it was done with no outline, no pre show prep other than a reflecting walk in my garden.  Today I will hopefully inspire you, at times I may very well make you angry and at others may make you really turn in on yourself and ask some tough questions.

The reality though is if you don’t get this right, your life will never be what you really want it to be.  Prepping is about living life on your terms, your way, based on your choices even when bad things happen and the unprepared have to compromise that.   Doing so take a strength and fortitude that all people have but most have burried, it takes three phrases we learned before we were five year of age that we have forgotten and it takes a knowledge of what we really want.

Connecting with these things is quite often uncomfortable but it is also extremely empowering.  My question for you today if we can’t live a life on our own terms during relatively good times, what chance do we have if the shit ever really hits the fan?

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air

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Episode-529- Finding that Rural Piece of Land

Posted on October 12, 2010 by Modern Survival| 26 Comments
Episode-529- Finding that Rural Piece of Land [ 1:33:11 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I have gotten quite a few emails lately about exactly how to find an affordable piece of land out in the country for everything from a homestead, retirement place, BOL or just as an investment.  I figured we could talk about that a bit today from a modern survivalist view point.

SPECIAL NOTE – Today’s show is LONG over 90 minutes long in fact.  I have had a lot of requests to comment on various areas of the US by region, I do that from about 19 minutes to about 48 minutes on today’s show.  If this isn’t your cup of tea, and it might not be for some, simply skip ahead.  It is part of what made the show so long and it will still leave you with a full show if you skip ahead of it.  I have had so many requests though for this critique, I decided to do it.  Please don’t be offended if I get something wrong about an area you love in today’s show, just tell me your view (respectfully please) in the comments below.

Join me today as we discuss…

  • The rise of two ways of living, urban and rural and the decline of suburbia
  • Why should you choose a rural form of living anyway
  • The lie of retirement and deferred gratification
  • Getting out vs. bugging out in TEOTWAWKI
  • Where to look, a few areas and my thoughts on them
    • PA to New England
    • FL, GA, AL, LA
    • TN, KY, WV and Western VA
    • WI, MN, MI
    • MO, AR
    • TX
    • NM, AZ, NV
    • ID, MT, WY, UT
    • WA, OR
  • Questions to ask yourself
    • What do I most love to do?
    • What type of people do I like to be with?
    • What health needs do I have now, will I have later on?
    • What can I actually afford, how can I afford more?
    • Who will I leave behind, how far behind is to far?
    • Why do I want to do this?
    • Will this really make me happy?
  • Steps to making it happen
    • Never stop window shopping
    • Save like a psychopathic miser
    • Create a secondary income stream (even a tiny one)
    • Take a vacation to an area you think you want to live in
    • Define your vision (couples find a common one)
    • Be willing to compromise, 85% is a B and a B is damn good!
    • Ask yourself “how can I make it happen” at least three times a day
  • Places to look
    • United Country
    • Realtor.com
    • Tax Offices in chosen areas
    • Papers in chosen areas (tiny papers are online now)
    • Find a good real estate agent (once you are ready to act)
  • Consider a transitional move (especially for telecommuters/entrepreneurs)
    • Keep your home
    • Rent dirt cheap and live there a while
    • Explore the community (date before you marry)
    • House hunt while you truly have real time to look things over
  • What to remember first and foremost
    • If other people are living there, you can too
    • If the people living there are not rich you don’t need to be either
    • Nothing will ever be perfect
    • Focus on “living” vs. “stuff”

Resources for today’s show…

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-526- Controlling Economic Fear and Moving Forward

Posted on October 7, 2010 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments
Episode-526- Controlling Economic Fear and Moving Forward [ 1:03:23 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Last night I spent over two hours with some great folks on a PalTalk session in the Gold and Silver chat room discussing hyperinflation and prepping in general.  These were great people but I think a lot were surprised that my recommendation wasn’t just buy lots of precious metals and yes soon the sky is going to fall.  My view is there is a tremendous amount of fear in the market that sells gold and silver and that is part of the issue.  Yet the problem is bigger, advice flies around the alternative space like…

  • Clean out your 401K now, penalties be damned
  • Sell every stock you own now the market is going to crash in 5 days
  • Put 100% of your money into gold it is the only safe place
  • Just get a gun and you can take what ever you need
  • Screw it stay in debt when TSHTF no one will be around to collect it
  • “They” are going to destroy everything anyway

In the end we must understand that there is really no “they” there is only us, now us is a big group and we know many of us are idiots and many are greedy but many are also good people.  In the end though it is still us, nothing more and nothing less.  We will take the course most of us choose, that course looks really bad right now but it doesn’t mean the good people give up, stop building their own lives, etc.

Join me today as I discuss…

  • Exactly what is inflation vs. simple money devaluation
  • What makes inflation “hyper inflation”
  • What is deflation and why it can and still does happen
  • What gold, silver, etc can and can not do for you
  • Why you need some cash
  • Weimar vs. Russian and Argentinian Hyperinflation
  • Keep in your mind the 5 things we really need
    • Food
    • Water
    • Shelter
    • Energy
    • Security
  • Why land is really your best investment
  • Why an defeatist attitude is poison to your life
  • The attitude you must have going into the next shift
  • Why in the end it all comes down to you

Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-521- Why I Think The Way I Do

Posted on September 30, 2010 by Modern Survival| 7 Comments
Episode-521- Why I Think The Way I Do [ 57:00 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

When I talk to folks that have not listened to TSP and they ask me what I do today I generally start with “I run a podcast”, many then need to have me explain what a podcast is.  Often there is disbelief that this is actually what I do for a living but soon the questions begin about “well what is your show about?”

I often soft sell it at first and start with, “I do a show about self reliance and self sufficiency, about how to do everything from stay out of debt to growing your own food and being prepared for things like natural disasters”.

I generally now find myself with one of three types of people…

  • The true the world is going to end believer – They are the worst of the three!  Generally I start hearing about The Book of Revelation, etc.
  • The prepper/modern survivalist – recently some of these types have even gone, OH YOUR THAT GUY!  This is kind of cool when it happens.
  • The person who hasn’t really thought about it.  – I love meeting these people!  Most want to know more if for no other reason that the fact that I don’t have a j-o-b just doesn’t make sense

Eventually though we get into some level of philosophical discussion and unless the person is a listener they are always some what surprised by my view.  Most want to know why I have the beliefs I do, why I don’t fully trust the system but don’t write it fully off either and why even though I am a “survivalist” I seem so moderate and well, normal.  I am not sure how “normal” I really am but I figured if total strangers wanted to know about this stuff than perhaps your guys would as well.

Join me today as I tell you about my life and why I think the way I do including…

  • My family was poor, but I never knew that to be the case
  • I grew up in the woods and holding a rifle
  • I have grown food almost my entire life (took a break in the Army)
  • I served in the military in the 3rd World
  • I became “successful” in the main stream world
  • I am a “trouble shooter” (aka problem solver)
  • I analyze anything I find interesting
  • I remember the details of things, like in a freaky sort of way
  • I am never satisfied that I have learned enough
  • I know the reality of how fragile life and life styles are
  • To me liberty is the most precious thing a man can have
  • I gave up on political affiliation
  • I have given up as much of my personal prejudice as I am humanly capable of
  • I accept that I am at times going to be completely wrong
  • I know I can’t predict the future but I can be prepared for it anyway
  • I believe above all else that I am in control of my life, I know I am NOT a victim
  • I recognize modern slavery as self inflicted
  • I want to help others but understand in the end they must choose for themselves
  • I most want people to know WHY they believe WHAT they believe

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-519- Making the Move to the Country

Posted on September 28, 2010 by Modern Survival| 13 Comments
Episode-519- Making the Move to the Country [ 1:02:44 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Yesterday’s show ended with an awesome story by a man who’s father moved his family to the city while staying on the farm 100 years ago.  He told us how that move required sacrifice but embraced a coming change and how his fathers efforts improved the quality of life for the entire family.  He postulated that perhaps now it is time for a similar move but this time back to rural America.  I have not stopped think about this since I read his letter so today we examine the move back to the country, what it offers and the sacrifices it might require.

Join me today ask I discuss…

  • Leaving small town USA for adventure and the real benefits it offered me
  • What living back in a small town while working a high paying  job taught me
  • The current trends with cities and why you might really want to get out now
  • The reality of real estate pricing and its current trend
  • Community life vs. isolationism in the country
  • How much land is enough
  • What are the sacrifices
  • How can you pull it off before you are “old”
  • Why it may be better for your kids to grow up in the country
  • The country life will be best for the highly self sufficient
  • Establish beach heads of freedom and land protection
  • It can be done, the question is only how bad do you want it

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-506- Why We Prep – The Real Reasons

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Modern Survival| 11 Comments
Episode-506- Why We Prep - The Real Reasons [ 57:31 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I am always asked why we bother prepping or why should people become “survivalists” or some other variation of this question when I am interviewed by the press.  In most instances I give what I consider a “soft answer” the answer is factual and helps people understand, more importantly it fits in the brief segment allocated by the interviewer for that question.  The real answers though are much deeper than,

“We prepare because sometimes things go wrong, sometimes bad things happen to good people and they are forced to fend for themselves.  It isn’t that the government or our neighbors don’t want to help, sometimes they can’t, the situation is overwhelming  or simply getting to us is impossible.  We have to realize that people are killed, injured and have lives disrupted in the millions every year around the world and that no person is immune to these events.  If you have not been effected yet you are fortunate, you may live your entire life and never be touched, many do but many do not.  If the day ever comes that you are caught up in such an event regret will leave a bitter taste in your mouth.    We prepare because not all disasters are earth shaking or life threatening, in fact loosing a loved one or a job is a disaster and that happens to millions of people every year in the United States alone.  Prepping is about being ready to deal with disasters from those that are global in nature to those that are personal in nature.”

See I told you it was a factual answer, hell it is a damn good answer but in reality it goes far deeper.

Tune in today to hear the real reasons we prep….

  • The desire to live as free people and be no man’s slave
  • An understanding that debt has ravaged the nation but we are not required to play along
  • How “super disasters” have made people complacent with “average disasters”
  • How deeply we depend on the “systems” for
    • Food
    • Energy
    • Protection
    • Water
    • Waste Disposal
    • Medical Care
    • Income and Economics
    • Credit
    • Shelter
  • The fact is there is no down side to being a prepper
  • How prepping leads to freedom

Resources from Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air.

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Episode-503- The Goals of The Survival Podcast

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Modern Survival| 14 Comments
Episode-503- The Goals of The Survival Podcast [ 0:01 ] Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Today I am going to discuss the real goals behind The Survival Podcast, more accurately what I hope have been accomplishing up till now and will continue to accomplish going forward.    I will explain the why behind my occasional shows on politics and economics.    I will tell you about the America I feel we have lost, why we can get it back and what that will mean for us as a people.

Tune in today to hear why I feel we need to…

  • Regain the basic knowledge of how things work in America today
  • Really believe we can “live the live you want, if times get tough or even if they don’t”
  • Get over “democrat” vs. “republican” or “conservative” vs. “liberal”
  • View the economy without normalcy bias or total gloom and doom
  • Focus on self sufficiency vs. individual threats
  • Establish “preparedness” as an American value as it once way
  • Pay attention to politics but not trust any of the politicians
  • Know why you believe what you believe
  • See ignorance as your greatest enemy in all walks of life
  • Make land ownership a goal and achieve it
  • Transfer our homes into homesteads
  • Learn that real estate is not always a safe investment
  • Understand the false promises of government help
  • Turn away from the counterfeit American dream
  • Understand that to reclaim your nation you must first reclaim your life

Additional Resources for Today’s Show

Remember to comment, chime in and tell us your thoughts, this podcast is one man’s opinion, not a lecture or sermon. Also please enter our listener appreciation contest and help spread the word about our show. Also remember you can call in your questions and comments to 866-65-THINK and you might hear yourself on the air

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