2025 End-of-Year Preparedness Assessment and "To Do" List

By Cade Shadowlight

As 2025 draws to a close, now is a great time for us to assess our situation, make any necessary changes to our plans, and to do all those things we only need to do occasionally, but are so easy to forget. 

End-of-Year Assessment 

How prepared are you and your family for any future chaos? With multiple shooting wars and trade wars going on around the world, AI Jobs losses, the possibility of a looming recession,and ongoing political and social unrest, 2026 is certain to be unpredictable.

Here are some questions to ask yourself as you assess your current state of preparedness:

• Do you have a Disaster Preparedness Plan?
• Is it written? Or do you keep it "in your head?" 
• Are you and your spouse in agreement on your preparedness plans?
• If it involves other family members or friends, have you discussed it with them?  
• Have your circumstances changed? Have you modified your plans to fit your new circumstances? Things to consider include births, deaths, marriages, divorces, long-term illnesses or disabilities, moves, and job changes within both your household and extended family or tribe.. 
• Do you have a Family Communications Plan? (article link) 
• Do you have a fully stocked first aid kit at home? In your vehicle? (Refuge Medical link for 10% off) 
• Have you taken a first aid course recently (not when you were in the scouts 30 years ago)? 
• Do you have a fire extinguisher in your home? (Amazon link)
• How is your emergency fund holding up? Do you need to expand it? Do you even have one? 
• How are your vehicles holding up? Are they "bug out" ready? Do they need new tires, brake jobs, or other maintenance? 
• Have you planned for your pets and any livestock in an emergency? 

End-of-Year To-Do List

▢ Check and change your water storage. Also, check to make sure your water storage containers don't have any slow leaks. I had trouble with this in the past, as ALL of my Ozark Trail 6-gallon water jugs developed slow leaks. Do you need more water storage? I now use the 7-gallon Aqua-Tainers by Reliance (available on Amazon) for most of my water storage and have never had a problem with them. 

▢ Check your food storage. Make sure your rotation plan is working and you don't have any problems with food going bad. Make sure all canned foods are not swelling or leaking. Check dry foods for signs of mold or infestation. Restock any food storage that you're running low on. Augason Farms (Amazon link) is where I buy powdered butter, eggs, cheese, and milk for my Survival Pantry.  

 
▢ Check all medications and first aid supplies, and replace any supplies that you have used up during the year. Many medicines are safe to use past their expiration date, but some do grow less effective over time, and a few can become toxic. Do your research, talk to your doctor or pharmacist, and use your best judgment. Click here for first aid supplies from Refuge Medical, and automatically receive 10% OFF at checkout!

▢ Check all batteries to make sure they are okay. Check all stored batteries to make sure none are starting to corrode or leak. Also check all batteries currently "in use" to make sure they are still working. It is especially important to check the batteries in gear that you don't frequently use, such as in flashlights, headlamps, or radios sitting in your bug-out bag, a toolbox, or the glove compartment of your car. I personally have lost more than one seldom-used flashlight over the years due to the battery going dead and corroding for weeks or months before I realized it. Learn from my mistakes!

Note: Battery testers are relatively cheap - the one I use (Amazon link) is available on Amazon for less than $7 currently.

▢ Change the batteries in your smoke/fire alarms if you haven't changed them recently (many folks change them with the twice yearly time changes). Better to "waste" a good battery by changing it too soon, then for it to be dead when you really need it. 

▢ Do any needed vehicle repairs or overdue maintenance. Inspect your vehicles and tractors. Are there any repairs that need to be made? Is it time for an oil change? How do the tires look? Are all the headlights, taillights, and turn signals working? Is your battery getting old? Be sure to inspect the brakes.

▢ Rotate any gasoline storage you may have. If you have gasoline storage (please do so legally and safely), remember to keep it rotated. Gasoline slowly starts to go flat (lose energy) after about six months or so. STA-BIL Fuel Stabilizer (Amazon link) may help gasoline last up to two years, but remembering to rotate your stored fuel is probably the easiest and best way. 

▢ Do a home safety inspection. Check for fire hazards, tripping hazards, poisonous or toxic materials that aren't stored properly, overloaded outlets, frayed electrical cords, expired fire extinguishers, non-functioning smoke detectors, and so forth. 

▢ Review your emergency and preparedness plans with **everyone** in your family or group. Make sure everyone is on the same page and knows what to do, and when. 

▢ Update your contact lists. People change jobs, move to new addresses, and get new phone numbers. Email addresses can change often. Now is the time to update your contact lists and communications plan. You do have a family communications plan, don't you? 

▢ Make sure you are addressing the needs of any family or group members with special needs. There are a lot of folks with special needs, such as the mentally or physically handicapped, the elderly, the disabled, people with chronic illnesses, pregnant women, babies and very young children, just to name a few. In fact, most families are likely to have one or more people with special needs of some sort. Make sure you are addressing those needs! 

▢ Review your bug-out plans and location. Is your bug-out location still available? Is it still a safe location? Does it require any work, repairs, or maintenance? Do you need to make any improvements? Do you need to restock it with food, water, or other supplies? Has your bug-out route changed due to road work, construction, or other circumstances? Do you have an alternative bug-out location? Do you even have a bug-out location? Work on these things now.

▢ Re-think your EDC. How has the gear you carry everyday worked out for you? Are you carrying unneeded gear? What gear are you actually using? Have you needed something you didn't have? Now is a great time to make any needed changes to your EDC.

▢ Review your finances. The end of the year is a great time to review your finances, especially in light of any changes in your circumstances over the past year  (raises, promotions, new job, job loss, births and deaths in the family, etc.). Have your insurance needs changed? How goes the retirement savings? It is also a good time to reconsider your monthly budget and make any needed adjustments. Live within your means in 2026! Start an emergency fund if you don't yet have one. Add to it if you can.

▢ Do a personal self-assessment. How have you changed during the past year? How have your concerns changed? How have your needs changed? Are you addressing any new concerns in your planning? Is your health and fitness better, worse, or the same as a year ago? Have you gained weight, or lost fitness? What skills do you need to learn? Did you meet your goals this year? Do you need to set new goals for next year? 

▢ Is it time for any medical exams, for you are your family members? I've learned the hard way the importance of regular medical check-ups. The key to healing any disease or chronic health condition is early detection. I strongly urge everyone to get regular physical, dental, and eye check-ups.

 

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AD: Some good categories to explore on Amazon!

Augason Farms Long Term Foods (the brand I buy for powdered butter, milk, cheese, eggs, etc.)

Canned Meats

Canned Soups

Canned Veggies

Canned Fruits

Dried Beans and Peas

Rice and Grains 

Oatmeal

6 Deadly Mistakes Sabotoging Your Preparedness

By Cade Shadowlight

 

Most preppers quietly sabotage themselves long before disaster hits. Here are the six deadliest mistakes most still make today, and how to fix them fast. Mistake 1: You Go Into Debt to Prep 
You max out credit cards on pallets of freeze-dried food and tacticool gear. When the crisis arrives, creditors own you and the bank seizes your preps. Rule: Never borrow to prepare. Buy slow, buy used, or don’t buy at all until the card reads zero. Mistake 2: You Only Have Plan A 
You plan to shelter in place forever. Then fires, floods, riots, or contamination force you out in 12 hours, or less, with no Plan B. Fix it now: Map two bug-out routes, cache supplies at an alternate location, and rehearse Plan B and C quarterly. Mistake 3: You Hoard Gear but Never Build Skills 
Your basement overflows with guns, MREs, and gadgets you’ve never fired, cooked, or used under stress. Gear without mastered skills equals dead weight. Train weekly: shoot, start fires without matches, treat wounds, navigate without GPS. Skills beat stuff every time. Mistake 4: You Ignore Financial Preparedness 
You stockpile food while drowning in car payments and medical debt. Job loss or inflation wipes you out long before the apocalypse does. Priority one: Kill high-interest debt, build a 3–6 month cash emergency fund, live below your means. Money is the first survival tool. Mistake 5: You Stay Fat and Out of Shape 
You joke about “surviving on your stored fat” while huffing after one flight of stairs. In chaos, the fit inherit the earth; the unfit become victims fast. Start today: Walk, lift, stretch. Even 15 minutes a day compounds. Excuse-free fitness saves your life when seconds count. Mistake 6: You Only Do the Fun Parts 
Guys love hoarding ARs and knives. Many women master canning and gardening. Both ignore the hard stuff: fitness, finance, backup plans, and boring skills like water purification or wound stitching. Fun feels good; balance keeps you alive. Force yourself to train the weak areas monthly. Fix these six mistakes and you stop being a wannabe prepper with a pile of unused gear. You become the one who actually makes it when everyone else fails. Start today. Tomorrow may be too late.

 

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Ad: Kaito Emergency Radio (Amazon link). This one has is all: AM/FM/SW/NOAA (weather alert) bands; powered five ways (electrical cord, USB port, AA batteries, solar, and hand-crank); plus flashlight, reading lamp, and cellphone charger.

 

6 Essential Skills to Prepare Your Children for a Chaotic World

By Cade Shadowlight

 

In an unpredictable world, preparing your children with practical and principled skills is essential for their survival and success. Here are six key areas to focus on, blending timeless values with hands-on abilities. Some recommendations, particularly around values, may spark debate, but they can be adapted to align with your worldview.

 

1. Attitude of Self-Reliance

 

Instill personal responsibility in your children as the foundation of self-reliance, the cornerstone of preparedness in chaotic times. Teach them that responsibility means taking initiative, doing what needs to be done, not just what’s enjoyable or convenient. Encourage them to act proactively rather than waiting for others to step in. Self-reliance empowers them to navigate challenges independently.

 

2. Strong Work Ethic

A strong work ethic is vital for success in any environment, not just survival scenarios. Emphasize the value of hard work, such as the concept of “an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay” (rooted in traditional American values) and the hard-working ant from the Bible (Proverbs 6:6-8). Assdign age-appropriate chores to children, even young ones, and ensure they follow through. As they mature, increase their responsibilities, and consider part-time jobs for older kids. Shielding them from hard work hinders their growth; embracing it builds character and resilience.

 

3. Biblical and Traditional Values
 

Guide your children toward a relationship with God through regular prayer, scripture reading, and worship. Teach them the Ten Commandments and Jesus’ teachings, emphasizing the Bible as the ultimate authority for morality, not the shifting trends of society. Explain not just what you believe, but why, preparing them to face a world—through schools, media, and pop culture—that often denies biblical and traditional values. 

 

Additionally, instill traditional American principles: individual freedom, self-reliance, the sanctity of the Constitution and Bill of Rights, private property rights, the morality of true capitalism, the value of hard work, respect for human life, common decency, and the monogamous family as society’s foundation. Clarify that our rights come from God, not government. 

 

If faith isn’t part of your worldview, adapt this section to reflect your core beliefs, ensuring your children have a moral compass other than personal whim to guide them.

 

4. First Aid (Including Wild Medicinals)

If your children are school-aged, they’re ready to learn basic first aid. As they grow, advance their skills to handle more complex emergencies.  

 

Introduce them to wild edibles and medicinal plants early, teaching identification, collection, preservation, and use. Encourage them to start and maintain a medicinal herb garden, building expertise over time. These skills could prove invaluable in a crisis. See the Resources section below. 

 

5. Self-Defense Skills

Teach situational awareness. More than just observing surroundings, it’s about knowing what to look for and how to assess risks. My article on situational awareness offers practical guidance to start teaching your kids these skills. 

 

Consider enrolling your children in a martial arts program, such as karate or judo. Beyond self-defense, martial arts foster fitness, confidence, and discipline, serving as a lifelong hobby.  

 

If your household includes firearms, prioritize gun safety education from a young age. The NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program is an excellent resource for kids. 

 

Firearms training should begin when you deem your child mature enough. I started shooting and hunting with my grandfathers at age 8 or 9, carrying a .410 shotgun under their supervision. I also learned responsibility by helping clean what I shot, learning a practical skill and reinforcing the gravity of handling firearms.

 

6. Gardening Skills

Teach your children to plant, grow, preserve food, and save seeds for future crops. Involve them in your garden or allocate a small plot for them to manage, letting them choose what to plant while taking on most of the work. In urban settings, explore community gardens or encourage your church to start one. At minimum, visit a farm to show them food’s origins beyond the grocery store. These skills ensure self-sufficiency in times of scarcity. 

Additional Resources

• Recommended first aid handbook: ACEP First Aid Manual (Amazon link)
• For more on wild medicinals, check out Field Guide to Medicinal Wild Plants (Amazon link)
• Explore my article The Pine Tree Riot (article link) for a deeper insight into private property rights.
• Fr. Robert Sirico’s books Defending the Free Market and A Moral Basis for Liberty provide deeper insights into those American traditional values.
• Recommended gardening guide: Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook (Amazon link)
• For container gardening on a balcony or patio: Container Gardener’s Handbook (Amazon link)
• For growing a medicinal herbs: Rosemary Gladstar's Medicinal Herbs (Amazon link) and Grow Your Own Drugs, by James Wong (Amazon link).
• For more on wild edibles, check out Samuel Thayer’s books (The Forager’s Harvest, Nature’s Garden, and Incredible Wild Edibles) on Amazon. I own and really like these books.
• The NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program: https://eddieeagle.nra.org/

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Soft Skills for Survival: Unsung Heroes of Preparedness

By Cade Shadowlight

In prepper circles, we often focus on hard skills: first aid, water purification, bushcraft, shooting, and self-defense. These are critical, no doubt. But the soft, less tangible, skills like communication, teamwork, and critical thinking,are just as vital for surviving and thriving in a crisis. The good news? You can develop these skills with intention and practice. Here’s how to start and why these skills matter.

Getting Started with Soft Skills

 

Recognizing the importance of soft skills is the first step. Begin with an honest self-assessment of your abilities in the areas below. Identify where you need improvement, then dive into research. The internet is packed with articles, videos, and books dedicated to these skills. Some community colleges even offer relevant courses. Most importantly, soft skills, like hard skills, are honed through practice. Commit to regular, real-world application to build confidence and competence.

Essential Soft Skills For Survival

Communication and Listening Skills - Effective communication goes beyond speaking clearly. It’s about active listening and conveying ideas in ways others can grasp. In a crisis, clear communication can prevent misunderstandings, de-escalate tensions, and coordinate group efforts. Practice active listening by summarizing what others say to ensure understanding, and work on explaining complex ideas simply.

Social Skills / Networking - A common struggle in the prepper community is finding like-minded individuals or building a reliable network. Strong social skills help you connect, build trust, and maintain relationships. Attend local meetups, engage in online forums, or join preparedness groups to practice meeting and collaborating with others. A tight-knit community can be a lifeline in tough times.

Responsibility / Work Ethic -Taking ownership of your life is the cornerstone of preparedness. A strong work ethic—whether it’s maintaining supplies, learning new skills, or helping others—sets you up for success in any scenario. Start now by tackling small tasks consistently, like organizing your gear or planning your week. Discipline today builds resilience for tomorrow.

Teamwork - Are you a team player or a lone wolf? Survival often depends on cooperation. Being able to compromise, follow shared rules, and work toward common goals is non-negotiable in group settings. Practice teamwork by volunteering for group projects or participating in community drills. Learn to value collaboration over going it alone.

Leadership Skills - Leadership isn’t about barking orders. Instead, Instead, i’s about inspiring, guiding and teacing others. Effective leaders listen, make informed decisions, and foster trust. You don’t need a title to lead; start by taking initiative in small group settings, like organizing a family emergency plan or leading a community preparedness workshop.

Creativity / Problem Solving - Disasters are chaotic and unpredictable. Creative thinking allows you to adapt to unexpected challenges, like finding alternative shelter or improvising tools. Hone this skill by brainstorming solutions to hypothetical scenarios or practicing improvisation with limited resources.

Logic / Critical Thinking - Panic and confusion can cloud judgment in a crisis. Critical thinking helps you stay calm, assess situations objectively, and make reasoned decisions. Practice by analyzing past decisions (what worked, what didn’t, and why?) and engaging in logic-based exercises like puzzles or strategy games.

Organization / Time Management - Preparedness involves endless tasks: planning, inventorying supplies, and maintaining skills. Poor organization can lead to critical oversights. Use tools like checklists, calendars, or apps to stay on top of priorities. Practice breaking large tasks into manageable steps to avoid feeling overwhelmed.

Adaptability - Change is inevitable, especially in a crisis. Adaptability means recognizing, accepting, and responding to new realities without resistance. Build this skill by stepping out of your comfort zone. Try new routines, learn unfamiliar skills, or simulate crisis scenarios to practice pivoting under pressure.

 

Final Thoughts

 

Soft skills are the backbone of survival, complementing your hard skills to make you a well-rounded prepper. Start small, practice consistently, and seek out resources to grow. In a crisis, these skills could mean the difference between chaos and control, isolation and community, survival and failure. Assess your strengths, address your weaknesses, and prepare to face any challenge head-on. 

 

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Gear Spotlight: 4-Way Silcock Key, aka The Water Key (Amazon link)  In an emergency, water access can be a game-changer. The 4-Way Silcock Key opens recessed water spigots found on commercial buildings, parks, and golf courses—sources others might overlook. Compact and durable, it’s a must-have for your bug-out or get-home bag. 

 

 

Preparedness is Rebellion

The Less You Need Them, the Less They Own You

By Cade Shadowlight

The less you rely on the system, the less power it has over you. This is the heartbeat of resistance—not marching in the streets, but standing on your own two feet. Resilience and self-reliance aren’t just buzzwords; they’re your shield against a world designed to keep you weak, broke, and begging for scraps.

The Elites—politicians, CEOs, unelected bureaucrats—know this. That’s why they’ve spent decades rigging the game. Schools teach you to memorize, not think—leaving you clueless about fixing a car or growing food. Social media pumps victimhood 24/7, convincing you someone else should solve your problems. Welfare and debt trap you in a cycle of just-enough-to-survive. Even the push to ditch family ties leaves you isolated, leaning on strangers in suits instead of people you trust. It’s not an accident; it’s a leash.

They want you dependent because a needy population is a controllable one. But here’s the flip: every skill you learn, every tie you strengthen, every crutch you kick away cuts that leash a little more. Survival isn’t about bunkers or bug-out bags—it’s about building a life where you don’t need their handouts or approval. Imagine a power outage hits: the guy who can rig a generator or cook without a microwave isn’t sweating. Or rent spikes: the crew sharing a house, splitting costs, and growing herbs on the balcony isn’t fazed. That’s resistance—quiet, practical, badass.

You don’t have to ditch your phone or move to the woods. Start small: learn to cook a real meal, fix something broken, or team up with friends to trade skills. The Elites lose sleep over people who don’t need them. Why? Because a generation that’s tough, resourceful, and connected doesn’t bow to anyone. That’s your power. Take it.

Want more? Join the Dystopian Survival email list—real talk, no fluff, on thriving outside their game. (Link to join.)

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Ready to ditch the leash? Grab the SAS Survival Handbook and start owning your survival today. (Amazon link)