As part of longer term plans (and to give myself some forward progress), I have started to do One and One each day. What is it? Find one item I no longer need and either throw it away as useless or place it in the donate pile and fine one thing that I can do to become better prepared.
To be clear, these are not necessarily big items. Yesterday consisted of recycling two flower pots that were crushed beyond use and reassembling the Bug Out Bag. Today was recycling a woodworking catalog I have not looked at since I got it and oiling one of my sgian dubhs.
What is the point? Moving out and moving on will ultimately require a great number of large changes - but large changes are the sorts of things that take time and effort and money to do. And if you running a full life, it is hard to do such grand plans on a daily basis. But a pair of small things - these I can do, and every day I point to forward progress towards the larger goal.
I have no illusions, of course. Ultimately these activities may clean my shelves and garage and perhaps make me a little better in the readiness department, but they are not substitutes for longer range, more developed plans. What it will do is keep reminding me that there is something that is coming - and prove to myself that I am continually taking action.
A balloon must cast off ballast before it can rise; likewise, a ship weighs anchor so that it can get underway. Well done.
ReplyDeleteFor 21 years in the military, this was my life; move, get stuff, get rid of stuff, and move again. Then I retired (from the military; not work). I was in my last house for 13 years. It's truly astounding, how much crap you can pile up in that amount of time! I made three trips to the dump, and had two yard sales before moving to our current abode.
ReplyDeleteStart now, and start small. It'll be less overwhelming as time goes by...
I hate to say it, but I wish someone would hand me a set of orders again...
Thank you Reverend. Small steps, but something I can genuinely point to and say I made progress.
ReplyDeleteProgress is progress. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteThank you Linda!
ReplyDeletePete, Chuck Swindoll tells a story of the first time he moved they could fit everything in a VW Bub. The next time, the back of a pickup truck. Then a U-haul. Then a fleet of U-Hauls. For some reason, we always seem to acquire stuff.
ReplyDeleteWe found a little of that when we had to move, but I think the military would be much more strict about how much to take. And yes, that sort of direction is useful in situations like this.