Housekeeping:

1. There has recently been a board added to Top Survival Forum where you can discuss Prepper Podcast Episodes.  Check out the Prepping Forum.
2. If you don’t know where to start in prepping.
3. Don’t forget to give me a review at theprepperpodcast.com/itunes and you could win a consulting call with me. (You must email me with subject: Podcast Review so I can contact you… This includes any past or new reviews if you want to be able to win.)
   1. Two weeks ago, the winner was twinkletwinkletoes, and by the time I am recording this, I have not heard back from them, but I have heard from MLWriggle.

News in Two Minutes with J.Bradbury of PreparePDX.com

• Army Plans to Start Replacing M9 Pistol in 2018
  • http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/06/17/army-plans-to-start-replacing-m9-pistol-in-2018.html
• Prepping Survival Decision Could Make the Difference: Pay Off Your Credit Card or Stock up on Critical Supplies?
  • http://www.jbbardot.com/prepping-survival-decision-could-make-the-difference-pay-off-your-credit-care-or-stock-up-on-critical-supplies/
• Wheeler County ranch worker rescued after two days pinned under ATV
  • http://www.eastoregonian.com/eo/local-news/20150615/wheeler-county-ranch-hand-rescued-after-two-days-pinned-under-atv

Join a Community and Get Insane Benefits in Preparedness

Last week was Part One in Getting Started in Prepping.  It was an introduction to preparing.  Today is Part 2.  I coven in depth, the First Step in Preparedness, which is joining a community.

Last weeks winner was twinkletwinkletoes, and by the time I am recording this, I have not heard back from them, but I have heard from MLWriggle

If you join a community you can get tons of benefits

Join at least one community before you start

1. You will have great ideas
   1. They will be out of order
   2. They will have bad timing
   3. Maybe you aren’t sure how to prioritize
2. Use other people as sound boards for your ideas
   1. You will invite knowledge and wisdom from others
   2. Many other people have been prepping for quite some time

You can learn from others

1. You can learn Technical skills from others
   1. Electrical
   2. Mechanical
   3. Gardening
   4. Building fires
   5. Storing foods
   6. Pasturizing Water
   7. Building Shelters
2. You can learn some “soft skills” from others
   1. You can learn critical thinking
   2. They can teach you a new way of thinking about something
      1. What you consider a weed, I may consider a medicinal plant
      2. Instead of waste disposal systems, it may be better to put in regenerative waste reuse systems.
      3. By learning new things, you will learn to question your own knowledge for the better.
3. You get new ideas
   1. As you hear the stories of others, you will pick up valuable information.
   2. From this information, you will choose the best ideas and use them to your advantage.

You can prevent yourself from making mistakes

1. Others have made mistakes, so why do you need to do it as well?
2. Mistakes are not a failure, they are an opportunity to learn.
   1. But why learn from your mistakes, when you can learn from theirs?
3. I mentioned your potential “out-of-order” great ideas.
   1. These may turn into disasters or mistakes instead of a great idea.
   2. Someone could tell you, “I think you may want to do THIS first.”

You can “Fast Track” your preparedness with a community.

1. When you have others to push you along and encourage you it gives you motivation.
2. When others are willing to hold you accountable, and you have to answer to someone for your incomplete goals, you are more willing to finish.
3. The mistakes that you have dodged and the advantage in learning prioritization will mean a smoother straighter, FASTER path.

Collective Knowledge from community adds up!

1. You may be a year into preparedness.
   1. But you know 3 people that have been doing it for 10 years each.
   2. This is a collective knowledge of 30 years in prepping!

Build relationships and Get help from others in the group.

1. When you are in a close-knit community, where everyone gives and helps each other, people are more willing to help.
2. You show that you are willing to give, and eventually others will reciprocate.
3. Good-Will toward each other means that they become allies in survival scenarios instead of enemies.
4. Be the “good guy”, but don’t let them take advantage of you.
   1. Good friends get assistance from people.
   2. Pushovers get robbed for their food.
   3. Barbeque now, can equal beans and rice later.

Joining a Community will Allow You to Benefit Others

Everything you get from others, you get to reciprocate.

1. The misguided ideas that you get may be the idea that others want.
2. You can speak a little wisdom into others’ lives when they are discussing their ideas with you.
3. Any skills that you have, you can teach to others.
   1. You can also use those skills as a bartering tool to get what you want from others.
4. I have shifted my opinions about stuff and I have been prepping for some time.
   1. Often people that tell me they are new to prepping, teach me my most valuable insights.
5. You can prevent others from making mistakes and can help hold them accountable.
   1. Therefore, you will help speed up their Journey
6. Now you get to add to the collective knowledge.
   1. It may not be a direct linear relationship but:
      1. 3 people at 10 years of prepping is 30 years of knowledge
      2. 10 people at 3 years of prepping is 30 years of knowledge
7. You can help others in the group.
   1. You will feel better about yourself.
   2. You will make great friends.
   3. You will create good will among others.
   4. You will be healthier (we are social creatures).

You Can Easily and Freely Join Communities!

Online Prepping and Survival Communities

1. Join an online group or forum.
   1. You can join my forum that has some awesome interactions going on all the time.

1. 1. You can join a small prepping mastermind group

Join a local prepper group.

1. I founded one by simply placing an add on craigslist.
2. Only one person replied, then we opened a world of people to each other.
3. That is what started the group.

Join in a large cause

1. I met several awesome people at the NRA expo that was from my area.

Join in a gun club, hunting club, brewing club, biking or running club, Hamm Club

1. These people may not be preppers.
   1. Funny enough, EVERYONE like one aspect of prepping.
   2. These people are great for accountability and knowledge anyways
   3. You may make an awesome friend anyways.

Join your neighbors!

1. Your neighbors, like everyone likes to do things in prepping
   1. They don’t call it that though
   2. Gardening
   3. Camping
   4. Orienteering
   5. Barbequing
   6. Dehydrating
   7. Furniture building
2. Your neighbors are your ULTIMATE GROUP.
   1. These will be the people you deal with or will enjoy when you bug-in.
   2. A great relationship with your neighbor may be the only thing that causes them to be a good teammate, instead of a marauder in a Stink Hit’s the Fan Scenario.

Get out there and find a community to Join!

Why are you still paying attention to me? Get out there and meet some people, make some friends, learn some stuff, and build your resiliency!