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15 Ways To Detach From The System
15 Ways To Detach From The System
Tess Pennington
I am inspired by the very definition of self-reliance: to be reliant on one’s own capabilities, judgment,
or resources. Ultimately, it is the epitome of independence and lays the groundwork of what we are all
striving for – to live a life based on our personal principles and beliefs.
It is a concept rooted in the groundwork that made America great. Being dependent on our own
capabilities and resources helped create a strong, plentiful country for so long. That said, the existing
country as it is now is entirely different than when it began.
Collectively speaking, the contribution from our easy lifestyle and comfort level has created rampant
complacency and a population of dependent, self-entitled mediocres. We no longer count on our
sound judgement, capabilities and resources. The system keeps everything in working order so we
don’t have to depend on ourselves, and furthermore, don’t want to. I realize that many of the readers
here do not fall into this collectivism, as you see through the ideological facade and know that the
system is fragile and can crumble.
Breaking away from the system is the only way to avoid the destruction of when it comes crumbling
down. When you don’t feed into the manipulation tactics of the system, or enslave yourself to debt,
and possess the necessary skills to sustain yourself and your family when large-scale or personal
emergencies arise, you will be far better off than those who were dependent on the system. Those
who lived during the Great Depression grew up in a time when self-reliance was bred into them and
were able to deal with the blow of an economic depression much easier. Which side of this would you
want to be on? Those who had the patience to learn the necessary skills, ended up surviving more
favorably compared to others who went through the trying times of the Depression.
Most of us can’t move to an off grid location. We have responsibilities that keep us from doing so.
Therefore, live according to what is best for you and your family (common sense, I know) and do what
you can. My family and I moved to the rural countryside four years ago to pursue a more self-reliant
lifestyle. We learned many lessons along the way and are proud of where we are. Am I 100% self-
reliant? No. But, I am venturing closer to living more self-reliantly with each skill I learn. Many of my
little homesteading, off-grid ventures can be read about here.
End of an Era: Prospects Look Bleak For Slowing the Coming Food Crisis
Collapse Survivor: “There Was Little Room For Error… Either You Learn Fast Or End Up Dead”
2. Learn Skills - When you can depend on your skills to support you and your family’s life, then the
outside world doesn’t affect you as much. When large groups of people in a general area possess
self-reliant skills, it makes your community stronger.
3. Get Out of Debt – It is paramount that each of us begin actively practicing economic self-
discipline. Many believe that because of the ease in money confiscations from the banks, you
shouldn’t have all of your money stashed there. Diversifying your money and investing in long-term
ways to preserve your wealth will ensure you have multiple ways to pay the bills.
4. Store food - Having a supply of food to subsist on in times of dire circumstances ensures that you
are not dependent on having your basic needs met by someone else. This gives you the control of
what food to put in your body and how you want to live.
5. Start raising your own food – With the high prices of meat at the store these days, many are
turning to raising their own meat sources. Rabbits, chickens and fish can easily be started in
backyard homesteads.
How Micro Livestock Can Be Used For Suburban and Rural Sustainability
Child-Friendly Livestock
Waste Not, Want Not: How To Use EVERY Single Part Of An Animal
6. Prepare for emergencies - Preparing for the unlikely emergencies is a way to insulate yourself
from the aftermath. The simplest way to begin preparing is to prepare for the most likely events that
can affect you, and go from there.
Anatomy of a Breakdown
Buy The Prepper’s Blueprint: A Step-By-Step Guide to Prepare You For Any Disaster
Six Ways You Can Keep Yourself Alive With Animal Bones
7. Repurpose - We must take steps to stop being a throw away society and get back to a population
who makes do with what they have.
SHTF Planning: 7 Ways to Use The Items Around You To Adapt and Survive
Composting 101
8. Make Your Own Supplies - You have everything around you to survive, but many can’t look
outside of the box to see how they can use what they have to survive. Having versatile preparedness
supplies saves space and can serve multiple uses that can double up as ingredients to make soaps,
medical supplies, etc.
Make soap
9. Use Up What You Already Have or Find Another Use - Being self-reliant means using up what
already have. This is a crucial principle of being self-dependent. Saving leftover construction supplies,
food, clothing, etc., can be reused for another day.
10. Live More Naturally – Life is chaotic these days and many of us feel we have to keep up with
everyone else. It’s time to forget that and start living more simply and naturally.
Simply Simplify
11. Grow Your Own Medicine - With the vast medical advancements in the Western world, we are
turning our backs on the first medicine – natural medicine. It’s time we begun exploring a more
mindful, natural existence.
12. Grow Your Own Food - The cost of making healthy decisions about the food we put into our
body is eating our budgets alive. We want the very best foods for our family, but buying solely organic
products can be costly. All the while, you are questioning the legitimacy of this produce. Is it
genetically modified? Where was this grown? Was it exposed to salmonella or another food-borne
pathogens? What was the type of water used to grow it? There comes a time when you want to throw
your hands up and shout, “That’s it, I’m doing this myself.”
7 Laws of Gardening
13. Be Flexible - I often tell those who are preparing that the single most important thing you can do
is continue to be flexible in your preparedness efforts. Doing so gives you leeway in your planning
and backup planning, as well as helps you move more fluidly through the aftermath. This concept can
be applied in non-emergencies, as well. Self-reliance can help us be more flexible in our life and our
decisions.
Blending In: The Secret to Keeping The Target Off Your Back
15. Teach Your Kids – We must teach our children how to be more mindful and self-reliant. After all,
we do not want to continue the cycle of having a dependent, self-entitled population. By informing
them, we are setting them upon a self-sustaining path for life.
How Farmers Markets Can Teach Your Kids the Values of Local Food and Community Building
We must come to the understanding that there is no true safety net for us to fall into; it’s up to
ourselves to get us out trouble. How easily you land depends on how reliant you were to begin with.
Adopting certain concepts as your new life’s code will help you on your path.
Many of us share a common goal: to be free from the shackles of the system. This goal doesn’t come
over night. You have to work at it, invest in it and ultimately, change your way of thinking. The point is,
we are all at different places in our preparedness efforts, so don’t get discouraged! Continue on the
pace, keep learning and step-by-step, you inch closer and closer to that goal.