Over the 4th of July I mentioned that Gaye (from BackdoorSurvival.com) and George (from UrbanSurvival.com) were giving away their eBook titled “11 Steps to Living a Strategic Life.” Since that time I had the opportunity to read it and choose to review it here.
Obviously, the book details 11 steps as Gaye and George see it to living a better life, a strategic life, that is. They define living strategically as:
“Living strategically – by our own definition – means living a life full of abundant adventure while embracing the tenants of simplicity and sustainability. It means being healthy and reaping the benefits of bounteous friendships and caring relationships. It means living a life full of happiness and readiness, without the burden of wanting to be someone else or someplace else. It means liking yourself and moving forward with this business of life with animated spirit and optimism.”
Okay, that sounds a little fluffy if you ask me but as you read their definitions of each step you’ll understand it’s truly the tenet–the ultimate goal–if you will that many of us now seek in our hectic and busy lives. And, dare I suggest, it’s a major premise to the preparedness movement!
Specifically, they detail the following steps:
1. Be healthy and pursue wellness
2. Achieve economic independence
3. Embrace food production
4. Reduce energy consumption
5. Learn to barter
6. Use it up, make it do, wear it out!
7. Take advantage of nature’s bounty
8. Prepare for the unexpected
9. Choose simplicity
10. Enjoy the good life
11. The LOSTD (I thought this was a typo at first but you’ll just have to read the book to figure out what it means)
Hmmm… any of that sound familiar? It sure does to me. That sounds like where I’ve been heading toward the past several years!
They also look at the “game” of life with a mathematical approach, choosing to use facts, history, and actual common sense to guide their recommendations.
I’ll be honest, since it’s a relatively short book I wasn’t expecting much in the way of “meat on the bones” but, rather, a descent overview of how to live better. Boy was I wrong!
While they don’t go into many details (though plenty of references are provided) Gaye and George really get at each subject and provide many, many tactics for you and I to follow to get to that strategic life. For example, in the health section alone they tackle exercise, healthy food choices (e.g., meats and sugar), addictions, and even your DNA. Like I said, I was really surprised.
I obviously can’t give away the contents of the whole book and I should say that I’m a little biased because I consider Gaye a friendly fellow blogger, but if I try to be as unbiased as I can be here then I would still give this book high marks if you really feel you need solid guidance in living a better life. And, for the price, you can’t beat the advice given. Check it out!
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