Why Be Prepared For the Unexpected?

Life is full of surprises and everyone will face an unexpected event at some point in their lifetime. From suddenly losing your job to having a loved one fall seriously ill, these events have a way of blind siding you on an idle afternoon when you least expect it.

2020 has shown everyone around the world how quickly things can change. Twelve months ago, no one could have predicted quite how drastically life would alter in less than 365 days. Terms like social distancing, quarantine and lockdown have quickly become part of our everyday vocabulary, with lockdown even being named the Collins
Dictionary ‘Word of the Year’.

Although there can be no way of knowing what life has in store for you, you can take steps to ensure you are as prepared for whatever comes your way.

The Rise of Home Prepping  

The world can seem a scary place at times. The coronavirus pandemic has created a lot of stress and worries for people across the globe, as people fear for their jobs and the health of their loved ones. Of course, the pandemic is just one part of what appears to be an increasingly fractured world.

From growing civil unrest worldwide, increased economic hardship, political unrest, terrorism and the ever-looming threat of natural disasters, it is no wonder that more people are taking steps to prepare for the unexpected.

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has seen a sharp rise in home prepping as people look to protect themselves from the unexpected dangers of the world. Leading online home prepping community, The Prepared, has seen a 25 times increase since the pandemic began, while reports from every corner of the globe from England and Italy to Canada and America, has seen people stockpiling emergency supplies.

Until this year, the idea of prepping would have seemed strange, or even pointless, to many people. However, after footage of barren supermarket aisles and people panic buying things such as toilet paper and pasta, the benefits of being prepared for the unexpected are now clear for all to see.

Prepping does not mean you need to immediately start mass storing canned food, but instead it should be seen similar to saving. Small, regular investments in equipment and essentials will help you prepare everything you might need, so when the next crisis does hit, you will be fully prepared.

Top Tips to prepare for the unexpected

While home prepping might be on the rise, stockpiling emergency supplies is only one part of the process. When the unexpected occurs, people begin to panic and it can be hard to focus on the right steps to take.

No one has a magical crystal ball to see into what the future holds, but taking some steps today to ensure you are as prepared as possible will help to give you a clear plan of action. From droughts and bush fires to a financial crisis or terrorism attack, here are the best tips to ensure you are ready:

Remember Murphy’s Law

When it comes to ensuring you are truly prepared for the unexpected, it is important to remember the idiom of Murphy’s Law. This is the belief that whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and adopting this approach requires you to accept that bad things will happen, and things will not always go to plan.

It might not be a thought that many of us want to comprehend, but it is the reality of life. By following this belief, you will continuously be able to adapt and plan for what life might throw your way. When you accept that bad things could happen before they occur, you can take steps to prepare solutions that will help you overcome whatever challenges you might face.

Brainstorm ideas

Although you will not be able to know what is coming your way, taking the time to adopt Murphy’s Law and looking at the threats that could affect you, will help you to brainstorm solutions.

Do not be afraid to bring your family and close friends into the conversation, too; the more minds working together can help you to see solutions that you might not have thought of. Of course, it is important that you regularly review these ideas and strategies to ensure they remain as effective as possible.

Think logically

Australian preparedness is vastly different to that of someone living in New York, for example. While no matter where in the world you are based, home prepping things such as food and emergency supplies are similar, each person faces different threats.

Preparing for the unexpected can be tough. Without knowing exactly what might happen, it is hard to know what you will need. However, thinking logically about what threats are most likely to affect you and what you will need to overcome them, will ensure you are as prepared as possible.

Everyone’s level of risk is different based on their location, job, family and savings. So taking the time to determine what risks pose the biggest threat to you personally is essential.

Collect the right resources

Equally as important is ensuring that you are collecting the right resources. Stockpiling the wrong supplies is pointless. Preparing for the unexpected can be somewhat of a risk, but if you have logically thought about the threats posed to you and their likelihood, you will be able to ensure you are collecting the right resources.

Look after yourself

One of the most important aspects of preparing for the unexpected is to ensure that you are as mentally and physically ready. When the unexpected occurs, it can not only be incredibly draining mentally, but it can also take its toll on your body and leave you ill-equipped to face whatever might occur.

While it is important to plan ahead and be ready for the unexpected, it is also crucial that you live in the moment and enjoy the fun in life. This helps to keep you relaxed and ensure that your mind stays sharp and focused.

Prepare today for a stronger tomorrow

Preppers might once have been mocked or ridiculed by society, but it is clear that Australian preparedness is on the rise. The rapid change brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic has showcased how quickly things can change, and now many people realise the need to prepare for the unexpected, no matter how unlikely they might be.

A global pandemic has long been predicted, but with a rising level of unemployment, political and societal unrest, and rising threats of global warming, terrorism and extreme weather, there is a never-ending stream of potential risks.

Here at Australian Preparedness, our mission is to help preppers on their journey to independence. No one can predict the future, which means it is impossible to know what might come your way. The unknown state of the world means it is impossible to know what might come next after the COVID-19 pandemic, but prepping is a crucial way to helping you be as prepared as possible.

We know how important prepping can be. Our journey started back in 2011 when we saw first-hand how a flash flood in our local city of Toowoomba cut off essentials within days. It took two weeks for things to get restocked, and we knew then that we needed to be better prepared, but also that we wanted to help others too.

In our store, customers can find everything they need to become self-sufficient no matter what crisis might come next.  From essential cooking equipment and utensils to navigational equipment and protective clothing, you will be able to ensure you are fully prepared for whatever life might throw your way.