Aug182010
Survival Survey: Where is your happy place?
image by Jessica Tam
When I was in labor with my daughter, I’ll never forget my husband urging me, at an intense moment of pain and before the epidural kicked in, to think about my happy place. He actually stuck a picture of our dog in front of my face!
Much later, after the doctor reattached my husband’s head to the rest of his body, I laughed about it, but at that moment I could have killed him. My HAPPY place?? Right now you want me to think about my HAPPY place??
I don’t know about you, but my perspective of life is affected by news stories, movies like “The Book of Eli”, and books like One Second After, and I need a happy place. These apocalyptic books and movies are all useful in reminding us of the reasons we are preparing, but they can also skew our view of life.
Well, SurvivalMoms, it’s important that each of us have a happy place, now more than ever. Something that we can focus on when we’re nearly overcome with worry, panic, or fear.
My own happy place is my kids. I make a point to spend long moments watching my son. He was born with a smile on his face and can’t stay angry or upset for more than just two or three minutes. My heart always feels lighter when I spend time with him and let his natural cheerfulness invade my own emotions. My daughter’s beautiful features convey everything she feels, and I love watching the changing emotions on her face. Those two are my happy place, and they help me stay balanced and keep life in perspective.
I also stay rooted to the good things in life through my faith in God and His promises. I’ve been through a lot in my many decades of life, and I have always known I can rely on Him for guidance, comfort, and peace.
What is your happy place? What helps you maintain a balanced outlook on life? In a moment of sheer terror for your family’s future, or your own, what do you focus on?
© 2010, thesurvivalmom. All rights reserved.
(14) Readers Comments
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Survival Survey: What is your #1 stock-up item?
SALT/ OIL/ VINEGAR/WATER /CAST IRON /CHARCOAL/ DRY FOODS
Why Getting in Shape Should be Part of Your Apocalypse Preparations
I hope I didn't make it seem like I disagreed with your article. Quite
Survival Survey: What is your #1 stock-up item?
there is other stuff you can take for your stints 1 of my best friends
Survival Survey: What is your #1 stock-up item?
soap is no more dangerous to make than cooking dinner if you a careful
LizLong
Not being my mom. She's a wonderful person and I love her very much, but her worrying frequently crosses the line from "worry" to "paranoia". I do not want to become that person, so I turn off the news, read an actual fiction book (you know, sci-fi, chick lit, whatever has no relevance to anything even slightly realistic), play with the kids, go shopping for something normal like shoe or clothing. Basically, I try to do things I've always done, for my whole life, but make sure to not have a real prepper focus.
Also, it's worth noting that my shoe and clothing shopping now focuses much more long-term and strictly practical than it used to. I'm buying crazy-far ahead for my kids whenever I see something fairly basic (jeans, t-shirts, hoodies, sneakers) so that even if we go the way of Argentina, my kids will at least have something to wear, and a decent winter coat and gloves. But when I'm specifically shopping for prepping, it tends to be for things like a grain mill, off grid equipment, wheat, etc.
will
I try to counter balance the current depressing news, and view of the dim future, by fixing things and making things; things I can lay my hands on, see and understand, I don't understand our banking system (an wonder if any human does), but I installed my neighbor's hot water heater, and that gave me a sense of accomplishment. Fixing an old lawn tractor is satisfying, as is learning about beekeeping. If I can force myself to accept the proverbial "control those things you can, let the rest go" I can get to my "happy place" a lot easier.
Melinda
My kids, hands down. Planning homeschool curriculum, autumn activities and a special Christmas at my parents' new house is a welcome relief when I'm suffering from prepping fatigue.
Ruth
I actually find myself less stressed now than I was befor we started preparing. We have come a long way though in 4 years. My faith in God is my best resource and prayer is always comforting. Like Liz said a good non-prepper related book (i've been reading some of the classics) and walking or riding the 4-wheeler in the woods with the dogs are also good retreats. This weekend will be a play-date with my husband – Tractor pulls at the county fair
tracy
Me too, sort of. I feel safer with 3 gallons of clothes soap, and a few boxes of trash bags, and the growing pantry, the wheat, but now I know so much more about the economy and the "golden horde" that I still have that realistic gloom and doom over my head. But you're right, with God on our side, who can be against us? If we prepare our minds and hearts, and we are confident of what will happen to ourselves and our families if the worst does happen (and we all die) then whatever. I know where I'm going!
SHTF blog
Hiking mountains, on quiet lakes early in the morning, those are my happy places.
TheSurvivalMom
Those sound wonderful. I love the lakes and forests. Definitely could live in that environment forever.
Diana
I focus on prepping when I start worrying about the future. I was talking to a girlfriend who's a therapist and she said that I must be quite fearful to prepare for disaster…I responded "Well, no! Being prepared keeps me from being afriad! I'm too busy!" My happy places? Sitting in meditation, kayaking, reading, knitting…almost anything can be a happy place if you look at the positives of it. (Not to be too Merry Sunshine about it!)
TheSurvivalMom
ahhh…knitting. I am an extreme knitter. I either knit like a mad woman, toting my yarn and needles with me everywhere I go or I don't knit at all. There's no middle ground for me! I would love to start a beautiful new knitting project for the fall. Problem is, everyone in my family already has all the neck scarves they'll ever need.
)
Midge
I am a descendant of Utah pioneers; people who left all they knew to take a tremendously hard journey across wild lands, and start a new life in the middle of nowhere, far from civilization. I grew up on stories of plowing virgin land, diverting streams for irrigation, gathering wild yeast and searching the hills for edible plants. I guess the idea of me living some version of that pioneer life just isn't scary. I can make do with kerosene lamps and tallow candles, and I can bake bread in a clay oven. (And I don't have to do it in a skirt! )
Those who will suffer, and even die if this happens because of SHTF disasters have my prayers. There's the possibility I may even be one of them! But, I may get hit by a bus tomorrow. It isn't anything that bears worrying about. My mother didn't live in a house with running water or electricity until she was fifteen yrs old, and she says her life was happy. I plan on being happy. I imagine my life post-SHTF as being just like my mother, and her mother. My happy place is the strength and determination of my ancestors. Shall I fall lower in the test than they?
rightwingmom
I cannot choose only one!
My happy place(s) are with my family and my Savior. Our church has done a fantastic job making it COOL to love Jesus. Our children and teens rock out to the most awesome praise music and Jesus – focused activities. It fills my heart to sing these songs and participate in these activities w/ my husband and sons knowing we're getting closer to each other, our Savior, our friends, and bringing others to Christ too!
Next, a great happy place for me is spending time with my grandparents. I have awesome memories of my sons playing dominoes (Chickenfoot), hunting, fishing,and just handing out with their grandparents and great grandparents.
My final happy place is the Slate River in Crested Butte, Colorado. We camp on it as often as possible. I have years of memories of all of us spending time at that paradise on Earth.
dogear6
Sitting on the deck and looking at my backyard. When we moved here several years ago, I didn't like being here (central Virginia) . My husband decided to make our small backyard an oasis that I could relax in after work. We planted some trees, put out some vines (our neighbors driveway ended right on our fence and there was no privacy).
Three summers later, most all of it has thrived and makes our backyard private and inviting.
LizLong
I wish my neighbor could see that. We had some spindly cypress trees (small at the top, wide at the bottom since they're everygreens) that we cut down and replaced with apple trees (big at the top, just a trunk at the bottom) on the fenceline. The fence already blocks the view at the bottom and he's annoyed that we took down the privacy block!!! In three years, those stupid cypress trees STILL wouldn't fully block the view, but the apple trees should be both blocking the view and providing food by then. I know who I don't want to share potassium iodide with….
Seriously, though, it's nice when you get to see your vision (or lack thereof, in this case) become real. I am looking forward to seeing it in our yard!
Mary Ellen
My happy place is seeing my grown daughter tend her beautiful vegetable garden and actually canning and preserving the berries that she lovingly cares for. This is the same daughter, when growing up, wanted to get out of the "sticks" and live in the city where she could shop and live the high life. She now has two preteen children and is teaching them to love the garden and help with stocking the pantry. Now, the thought of liiving in the city is so foreign to her, it's amazing. I love it.
She did learn something from her (proud) Mom.