I Can’t Do Everything And It’s Okay
I love what I do every day, but I can’t do everything and it’s okay. When I scroll through Facebook or Instagram I really love seeing what people enjoy doing. I love the smiles and the joy in the pictures my family and friends share. I love watching children grow up that I haven’t seen for years. I marvel at everything people make, and I have no desire to do, or should I say, I don’t want to do. I’m not lazy by any means, but as I look at some things that wonderful people make and share on social media, I can’t relate. Or, as I said before, I can’t do everything and it’s okay.
Here’s the deal, I do not dwell on the things I can’t do or do not want to do or make. I’m sure there are people who have no desire to make bread or cinnamon rolls. I love, and I mean, I love everything about making bread. The feel of the dough, the bread baking and the smell of hot bread right out of the oven. I hope today that this post this helps someone who feels they must be able to do everything that your neighbor does or your favorite aunt loves to do. We don’t have to do everything. Period. It’s okay.
I Can’t do Everything
I’m going to share some of the things I do not want to learn to do, I applaud you if these are some of your talents. They don’t work for me, and it’s okay. I have zero desire to learn these skills. But I will pat myself on the back for all the skills I do have.
I can cook from scratch, stick to a budget, teach emergency preparedness classes, I can paint houses, cut and lay floor tile, finish basements, use a nail gun, hang sheetrock, use a garden tiller, plant a huge garden, prune trees, mow a lawn, design houses, make curtains, make table runners, make quilts, make my own laundry soap, hang cabinets, make coats, and just about everything a person can wear, but shoes.
Personal Hygiene
I call myself the extreme saving shopper and I do not buy cheap products. I do not have any allergies. I applaud you if you make the following items. I can’t do one more thing. I must take care of my health and save money at the same time. It’s okay if you don’t want to make all your personal hygiene products from scratch. You can’t do everything. It’s okay.
Make Bars of Soap
Make Lip Balm
Make Deodorant
Make Shampoo
Raise Animals
I’m excited if you raise animals. I rarely eat meat, I never eat eggs and I do not care for milk. I will never make a big deal if you have a big slab of meat on your plate. Mark would love that every night, it’s not going to happen. I would rather have beans and rice. It’s how I roll. I really admire my friend, Janet Garman over at Timber Creek Farm. She is an expert on farming, raising chickens and sheep, naturally dyes wool, the list goes on and on. Plus she makes the most beautiful soft wool hand-warmers. Hand-Warmers
If raising animals for food is not your thing, it’s okay, buy the meat prepackaged from a reputable farmer that feeds their animals healthy food without poisonous grains. Grass-fed meat is awesome. I’m not an expert on what animals eat, I can’t do everything. It’s okay.
Raise Meat Rabbits
Raise Goats
Raise Chickens-I highly recommend “Chickens From Scratch” by Janet Garman
Raise Ducks
Raise Cows
Produce Cow Milk
Produce Goat Milk
Raising Bees
Acreage Over An Acre
Now, I would love to buy an acre of land, yes I’m looking for the perfect lot. I want to have a huge garden, a home that is off the grid as much as possible, but not up in the hills. I want it to be built with concrete and catch the sunrays from every side of the house. I want it to be solar, but not connected to the government power grid. I want a small community of like-minded people to do everything together to live off the land. Yes, this is possible. I would love to utilize the skills and talents of others and share mine with them. We could have our own farm with food you grow yourselves and animals for those that want them and control what is fed to them.
I want a totally organic garden, and I want to be able to save my seeds without being arrested. I want to do everything our ancestors did, and more. Yes, we can do it, I know it. May God bless us for being self-reliant, it’s critical we do it now, not next year. Time is of the essence, please dream and make it a reality, but don’t feel bad if you can’t do everything!
My book “Prepare Your Family For Survival” by Linda Loosli
Copyright Picture AdobeStock_77761639 by Timmary
Just sitting here thinking about this post this morning. I think it is by God’s design that we don’t all do the same thing…or all like the same thing…or all have the same passions. Think about it. What if we did? We would all become self-reliant and have no need for one another. Instead, we are each gifted in our own special way, with our own talent, ability, passions… I think that’s how God planned it, so that TOGETHER we make the whole.
Oh, ShirlAnn, what a powerful comment! You nailed what I was trying to get across in my post. You nailed it! We are all gifted in different areas, have different passions and like you said, “so that TOGETHER we make the whole”. I LOVED waking up to this comment, thank you from the bottom of my heart! Linda
ShirlAnn has got it right in my opinion. My duplex-city-living sister laments that she cannot grow a garden and she really has no desire to do so but she feels guilty that I can (living on 15 acres and loving to garden). She supports her local farmers market faithfully every Saturday and has her kids and grandkids with her. She is so important to that cycle for who would the farmers sell to and rely on for their families if they don’t have faithful customers? We each have gifts to share and sometimes need those with other gifts when our own fails us. None of us can do everything. Good reminder, Linda.
I needed this .. This morning woke with a terribly sore ankle. no reason why but was feeling upset as one part after another seems to slow me down..My hired helper was here yesterday to vacuum and take out the trash for me and I told her I wanted to get rid of my big massive computer desk and get the one out of the pantry to use instead, Of course she said I couldn’t do it. and went to work moving things around so maybe tomorrow the desk can come out of the crowded pantry.. I felt like a wimp, I could have done that a few years ago, so go in to a pout mode. the mind so willing and the body has rules too.. I bought a brand new sewing machine and had to buy the little gidget to get the thread thru the needle eye. Whoops there again, I am aging.. and can’t the most hard part of aging is finding out one by one what we can’t do. and forgetting all the things we can do.. I am sitting here thinking of the many things I have accomplished and realize that I now can go on to other things to do that don’t require my muscles and eyesight as much as the use of my brain for all the things I can dream up and try, If not done today, make room for it tomorrow….
Hi, Jeanne, I think I know exactly how you feel, but without a sore ankle. I used to do all the yard work outside, I decided this year, I am paying a young man to blow the leaves from all the trees in my front yard to dispose of them at the compost pile in the city dump. I think we all get in a pout mode once in a while because we can’t do the things we used to do. I wish I had a lot of money and could afford to have my house cleaned once a month. Mark helps me clean it every week, but in ten years, I hope I can pay someone. LOL! Did you know they make sewing machines that thread the needle now? I got mine about ten years ago when my mom died and left me a little money. I cannot see where the hole is in the needle. You are not alone. We are all aging. I’m trying to get a group of friends to go to lunch once a week using coupons to get meals buy one get one free. Then we can split the cost. I go visit some of my neighbors who can’t get out. I wish people had visited my mom when she lived alone. As I look back she got angry because no one came to see her. I lived almost 400 miles away and I was running my own company for 15 years. Each year my mom was getting older. I was so involved in paying my staff and earning money, I didn’t take the time to go visit her. Now, as I am getting older and live in a neighborhood with very few people, I am lonely. I am thankful for my readers than I can talk to and learn from them and teach them. Love you my friend, Linda
I know there are many things I cannot do.But, I CAN sew, cook from scratch,make butter,garden,raise chickens and goats,chop wood ( in extreme need) ,build a fire,grind wheat,make soy milk,make jerky,can my own food, dehydrate food. I just made my first batch of pickled beets. (All these years of canning I had never made them).There are some things I would like to learn,for example, hydroponics and making sausage. You are never to old to learn a new skill, as long as you have a desire. God Bless and keep on prepping.
Hi Judy, oh my gosh, I want to learn how to do hydroponics!!! I want to make pickled beets, I love those!!!! I’ve never made sausage but I watched my parents make sausage patties. They were so yummy! I need to buy some pork some readers gave me two recipes, I am going to try both of them. It’s great to think about ALL the things we CAN do!! You rock, my friend, Linda
You teach- meaning you do these things every day through other people.
Hi, Janette, thank you so much for your comment! I try really hard to help people and I learn from them as well. Linda
Linda, thank you for this, and all your wonderful articles! There’s so much to be said for living a life of gratitude. Focusing on our gifts and all we HAVE been given brings so much contentment and joy. The guilt of not doing it all, or the envy of those who appear to do so, only tears us down and destroys our joy. Thank you for sharing your wisdom! With much gratitude, Julie
Hi Julie, I worried about writing this one because I didn’t want people to think it’s bad to make soap or milk cows. I love seeing them do it. I just can’t do one more thing. And that’s okay. I hope people realize we can’t do everything and like you mentioned we should focus on our gifts (great comment). Life is good and we can share our talents with others. Linda
This group is so uplifting, so thankful I was able to join. Never had a sister and now feel like I found some… I guess I am just so frustrated some times as I know how to do it, but the body says no.. and for sure no one does it like I did as far as where things belong of how to clean.. I have been so set in my ways that it is hard to back down and give in to others ways… I am a shop aholic, not for new but love a good yardsale,, might just look but many times find what I have been wanting, a new to me blouse for a dollar? a cute dust collector I just can’t pass up.. or like yesterday, some new unopened diaper pull ups for my daughter that is bed ridden, saved a lot on them, down from $18 to $5 a package.. Here in 29 Palms, no shopping, a few quaint overpriced shops, a good grocery store and 3 dollar stores. lots of massage parlors, bars and tatoo parlors…. a Military town.. so must drive 25 miles to a town you would walk down the street in… and good shopping… Must keep driving safely or end up stuck here shopping… Yikes….
I keep a well kept pantry and lots of extra in cleaning supplies, so mainly fresh milk is the need here in town. and really don’t need all the frills, don’t wear out my clothes, and have creature feed all sent to my door. MY DOGS, CATS AND CHICKENS ARE MY BEST FRIENDS, and folks from my church drop by and I am able to attend once in awhile,. Miss the many Relief Society meetings but my back starts complaining if I stay too long.. One hour of sacrament is about all the sitting at one time I can do.. but the feeling of love is there and strong enough to carry me thru to the next time..
Take care all of you, I appreciate you more than you could ever know…
Hi Jeanne, My goal in writing this blog was to teach the world and bring people together and share ideas. I have been blessed just like you to make friends through my writing that I will forever be grateful for in meeting through the internet. Take care girlfriend, I love hearing about your “finds”! You can always find stuff that is slightly used and new for a fraction of the price. May God bless you my friend, Hugs, Linda
For what it’s worth, my house IS built of ~ 70 yards of reinforced concrete with a 10 x 20 ft basement set on a 2 ft thick slab. It was built by the owner of the local cement company with no expenses spared in 1984. It’s got killer southern exposure with large windows and french doors. I’ve upgraded it with a metal roof and various systems. Very lucky to have found it and my neighbors joke they know where to go during a cyclone outbreak. 😀 I highly recommend the construction.
Best regards JDub
Hi JDub, I would love that kind of house! Your comment is awesome! I want a concrete house to save on utilities and for so many other reasons. I LOVE this comment! You rock! Linda
With my wife’s declining health the past two years, and her inability to concentrate on tasks, I have been forced to “do it all.” I have had to decide what is a necessity and what is a convience. I focus on the necessities only. This helps us to cut expenses and helps me learn how to do things and make things I always took for granted.
Hi Roland, thank you for your wonderful comment. You are an angel to take care of your wife. It’s very hard to do it all, I have chills on my arms as I write this response. It’s interesting how we all take so many things for granted, we have to cut expenses and decide what is a necessity and a convenience. May God bless you and your sweet wife. I am praying for both of you! Linda
I cook from scratch and make my soap and such from scratch out of desperation. My body doesn’t like commercial products.
Hi, Janet, you rock for making your own soap products! I make my own laundry detergent, but I applaud you for making other soap items. Of course, cooking from scratch is the way to go! Linda