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By Fabian Ommar
The new year has officially begun on a Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The world is crazy right now, and there are reasons to believe that 2023 will be even harder and more challenging than 2022.
I make that statement in light of historical evidence and my observation of the fundamentals, not a wild assumption. The current crisis is profound and all-encompassing; it is not cyclical but secular. Every pillar of modern civilization is either being questioned, challenged, or outright demolished.
Those who haven’t already been obliterated by the quickly deteriorating situation (or are in denial) keep alternating between gloomy despair and brilliant optimism. Given everything that has happened in Brazil since the presidential elections, I include myself in the latter group.
It’s impossible to completely avoid the emotional rollercoaster, but I try not to let that impact my judgment or mental state much. I acknowledge chance plays a significant role in surviving a crisis, but I keep working and focused which helps me stay sane and (hopefully) prepared.
Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. — Marcus Aurelius
Nobody could have predicted the outcome of the election (BS!) but everyone can spot the trends—the rise of authoritarianism, political corruption, social polarization, moral decadence, and economic destruction—and realize it was coming one way or another. Whether by vote or a revolution (which is still in the cards), there’s no way to avoid the rising tide.
Concerning signs of where the recently elected leftist government and its supporters intend to lead the nation have already emerged. These people are incompetent, arrogant, and tyrannical – a more dangerous and detrimental combination than just being corrupt and evil. Which they are as well, evidently. Again, it’s not me saying but the facts.
It doesn’t really matter if the elections were rigged, steered, stolen, or whatever. It’s a done deal, and I hate to break it but the ongoing protests won’t change that. I mean, it’s obvious what forces we’re up against, and this provides hints as to where we’re going.
Threats and issues are global but the effects are local.
Back to the global stage, things are not exactly returning to normal, even with the pandemic seemingly in the rearview mirror (or not)? Whatever, we’re clearly stuck in this ongoing cycle of political destabilization, economic and social decline, and perpetual warfare.
Europe’s standard of living is plummeting thanks to energy costs and limitations, inflation, mass migration and others. The situation in UK is serious. Also, huge inequalities and mounting sovereign debts threaten the continuation of the EU.
Rape and violent crime are exploding in Sweden. Migration, social division, cultural and economical gaps are rising and these will be hot issues in Europe going forward.
For the second time since 2020, Finnish government has issued warnings for households to keep cash in case of disruptions.
Those are just a few examples of the Thirdworldization taking place everywhere. Not to mention the rise in sudden deaths everywhere, the ongoing war in Ukraine, climate terrorism, COVID outbreaks in China, and many other issues that are cooking in the background and will bring their consequences at one point.
Too many questions and very few answers
I don’t know whether or not a major global disaster will happen in 2023 or the years ahead, and no one does. There are some preppers with hundreds of thousands or even millions of followers on social media announcing the end of times in one shape or another every single day. They keep claiming that some cataclysm is only a matter of days or weeks away.
Twitter will crash. Food will end. Russia will nuke the United States. Fire will rain. Pure doom porn that primarily serves to terrify viewers and sell stuff no one needs. Despite the fact that the situation is deteriorating and critical things happen on a daily basis (of course), none of the catastrophes they keep predicting have occurred.
However, I see a lot of bad stuff like pedophilia, child manipulation and even cannibalism being normalized by the media and some sectors of the left. All of that is happening in movies, news, schools and other places near us, right now. That’s what we should be concerned with and acting on, instead of basking in gloom.
Anyway, it’s important to realize that none of that is new, either. In the 1980s, experts and doomsayers prophesied that the Amazon rainforest would turn into a desert, the polar ice cap would melt, coastal cities would be inundated by the sea, and pollution would wipe out half of all species on Earth. All of that nonsense was magnified by the media, and it still is. None of that happened.
When things are bad, people become more mystical and pessimistic. And once you realize how tainted and rotten the entire system has become, it’s difficult to avoid worrying that everything will end in hell anytime something unusual occurs (and many extraordinary things are happening lately). However, as we approach the end of the year, I want to demonstrate that everything has a flip side and, most likely, life will go on.
It will be hard. And you’ll be okay.
Don’t tell me it sucks to deal with uncertainty, rising crime, violence, inflation, loss of freedoms, and widespread injustice. I’ve lived my whole life around all that, and I know. I’m still here to tell you, yes, it’s hard, but you’ll be OK.
There are reasons to be optimistic.
Anyone not living in one of the many places where things have been hitting the fan for real (such as Ukraine) has reasons to be grateful, too. Never forget that some people would love to have your bad days.
I am aware that some of the following may seem like oversimplified self-help clichés. Even still, whenever I can, I want to end my articles on a good note and provide something practical based on my experience and knowledge, in the hopes that it will be useful to someone. So there it goes.
Pay attention to the Big Picture and the fundamentals of the underlying trend, but focus your practical and mental efforts on your situation and surroundings.
Keep your emotions in check, and don’t lash out. Don’t overreact, but don’t ignore what is happening, either. Don’t create your own SHTF.
Your victories won’t feel as good as you had hoped.
Your failures won’t hurt as much as you fear.
To avoid depression, do something for your body (a sport or other physical activity), for your mind (reading, meditation), for your soul (enjoy nature), and for someone else (voluntary work, direct support, etc.).
Mental toughness is often portrayed as determination and persistence. But it can also be flexibility and adaptability. You are tough when your mood is not dependent on your conditions. You can be happy anywhere and work with what you have. You can have a good day with anyone or with little.
“The victim mentality leads to a victim reality” (David Icke).
Stay on course and keep preparing.
What are your thoughts about the upcoming year?
Do you lean more toward optimism or pessimism this year? What do you think the biggest challenge will be? Are there any wild card events not mentioned here? Let’s discuss it in the comments.
Source: The Organic Prepper
https://www.theorganicprepper.com/2023-optimistic-pessimistic/
Fabian Ommar is a 50-year-old middle-class worker living in São Paulo, Brazil.
