The year 2020 is a nightmare. The world has gone mad. The FedGov, already insane, has grown more crazy. Virtually overnight, Many states became totalitarian dictatorships – controlled by elected “massas,” unelected bureaucrats, and jack-booted thugs. Communities are purposefully torn apart by internal factions and external meddling.

People, even when part of the insanity, are worried. Terrified. Those who just want to live their lives in peace and prosperity? Enjoy their families, run their businesses, work at their professions? The vast majority of those “normal people” (regardless of their politics and religion) are fearful indeed. Even though they are pretending that things are “mostly” normal. They tell themselves that things are going to return to more normalcy.

I hope they are right. I wish they were right. I, like them, fear that they are wrong.

Many of these “normal” people think that there is little or nothing they can do to change matters. Are they right about that? Perhaps on a “federal” or a State level? Maybe. Even in many locales, there may be little that can be done by a person or a family.

But for their own situation, for that of their family? They can do much. And even as we near the end of this horrific year, there are still things that can be done.

Here are some ideas of how to live in relative peace, prosperity, and liberty in 2020-21:

1. Don’t panic – don’t let your fears take control, and think, think, THINK before you act. (Prior positive planning prevents panic.) Panic kills and destroys. Don’t over-react.
2. Don’t tick off people unnecessarily. Choose your battles wisely. Make sure that you understand the downside before you push too hard – even if you are pushing back against something that is nigh intolerable. Be polite, be kind, be tactful in dealing with people – especially those who take offense towards you, even if they are scary.
3. Keep your relationships, contacts, active and healthy: build closer ties to family, friends, neighbors, fellow members of your church, and other organizations. Offer to help them – they will be willing to help you in return. If you aren’t already, get your congregation, your business and civic organizations, your scout groups, your hobby clubs, to start meeting again in person. If the leadership doesn’t, start meeting with others in person. Extend, don’t retract, your personal networks. Reestablish them if they are broken.
4. Be prepared to protect and defend yourself and those close to you – and even strangers – against dangerous, pushy, demanding, scary, and offensive people. Make sure you have resources available – however limited. Keep those resources available and ready. Have backups and plan B. (And C and…) If you can, don’t run short of essentials like food, water, and medicines. Stock up.
5. Keep yourself informed but do NOT become obsessed with the news. Don’t believe ANY media: use multiple sources – especially locally. Avoid trusting both Pollyanas and doomsayers.
6. Watch out for scams: not just the usual scam calls, emails, etc., but the scams pushed by governments and really big business. Watch careful, warn others, and do not take anything at face value.
7. Be prepared for manmade as well as natural disasters: more than just hurricanes and shortages in stores or inability to travel in certain areas. Keep aware and ready to act to deal with these things on your own. Don’t count on outside help. But at the same time…
8. Be prepared to help others, especially but not just those close to you, in case of disasters and problems. When you are willing to help others, they are willing to help you.
9. Don’t condemn people needlessly or harshly. Even media and government types. Don’t over-react but don’t tolerate anything wrong. Remember that many of them are just as fearful as you are, are afraid of losing their livelihood if they don’t hew to the party line – and may not believe that party line any more than you do. Listen to them, don’t antagonize them, and win them to your side (or get them to admit that they are in sympathy and that there are worse things than just losing their jobs).
10. Whenever possible, tactfully and calmly tell people enough is enough. Explain that the Pandemic is not a death sentence for everyone – even older people and those with serious medical problems. Point out that the Lockdown was and is a failure leading to more, not fewer, deaths; and social engineering (mask-wearing, social distancing, stay safe-at-home, etc.) has been scientifically demonstrated to have no effect on the deathrate outside nursing homes and overcrowded cities. But don’t push too hard, too fast. Plant the seed, don’t expect to immediately harvest it.
11. Don’t confuse luxuries – nice-to-have things – with essentials, the necessities of life and even prosperity. Be willing to do without things like restaurant (and fast food) meals, cable television, and much much more, to have the things you need.
12. Cooperate with others, on a daily basis. As discussed earlier, make it clear that you are willing to help them – they will be more willing to help you in return. But that extends to much more than just survival in disasters or a collapse. It includes many other things. For example, if you as a mom feel it essential to make a stand on taking your child to a playground or not wearing a mask to your son’s football game, get friends and neighbors to go with you and support you – peacefully intervening to keep you out of jail. If you must reopen your business against the law, get your customers and suppliers to come to your aid BEFORE the cops are sent. Share teaching, share materials, share ideas.
13. Prioritize and communicate your plans and actions with family and others. Follow the Golden Rule and the Zero Aggression Principle. Remember that freedom, peace and prosperity GROW when they are shared with others.

We CAN survive this horrible year. And liberty WILL survive and revive. Our survival is in God’s hands and our own.