Be Resilient - Thrive And Be Happy In An Uncertain Future

Nothing is as certain as change. But no one can know just how much things are going to change - and how fast. History gives us some insight. Wars, plagues, famines, political upheavals... they all seem remote partly because, for most of us, we did not directly experience them. But they did happen and I think it is fair to say that, in general, each such event was largely unexpected. Unexpected changes are the norm.

Paleontologist, climatologists, and other experts who have dedicated their lives to knowing past major events, are confident that some extreme past events will repeat. Huge earthquakes, mega volcanic eruptions, and asteroid impacts will happen some day. They are rare events so chances are our lives will not be overtu
ed by such an extraordinary cataclysm - chances are. And there are many known overwhelming events that have disrupted civilizations in the past. There are a few cataclysmic events that, perhaps, earth has not experienced before. A gamma ray burst, for example, from an exploding star could monumentally change how (or whether) we go about our lives.

But what about unknowns? How do you estimate the chances of an unknown catastrophe? We seldom dwell on the fact that there is much more in the universe that we don't understand and can not predict than there is that we do understand. When an unknown event happens, new strategies and new ways of dealing with situations will become necessary.

With so many tragedies in humanity's past and future, it would be easy to become gloomy. That is not productive - definitely not how to enjoy life and how to best experience the opportunities that life presents to us. The payoff in living is to enjoy our efforts, our accomplishments, and our spirit of determination to prepare for the future.

To thrive in an uncertain future where unexpected situations will arise, requires resilience - the ability to adapt to the situation at hand. Resilience is partly creativity, partly positive attitude, and partly preparation in providing yourself with backups and options. Each of us is in a different situation. We each, therefore, must reason out how to best increase our personal resilience.

Make whatever changes are best for your situation. Do whatever small or great changes that seem appropriate for you. Get a fuel efficient vehicle in case fuel prices soar. Add insulation to your home in case energy prices go up. Put drinking water into storage. Have an alte
ate source of drinking water. Have a backup way of heating your home. Stock up on warm clothing. Buy some canned food. Build a network of local survival resources. Be able to provide some service or product that can be used as barter. Start a food garden to increase food security. Establish a retreat/retirement home in a remote location. Pay attention to your health and physical fitness. Develop skills and knowledge that might best carry you through the new situations that the future will bring. And, perhaps most of all, enjoy knowing that you are optimizing your future.