I love the ocean and walking along the beach. Living in Mexico with the Pacific as my backyard was a dream come true.

But I think, as much as I loved it, it solidified the fact that my favorite place of all is the forest. I love it in every season: the bright green liveliness of summer, the crisp and colorful leaves under my feet in the fall, those magical moments when it's so quiet that you can actually hear the snowflakes hitting the ground in the winter, and the blossoms and buds of the spring.

Living in the middle of a city, it's been a challenge to find a place to get away from the smell of exhaust and the sound of horns and sirens, but I finally located a beautiful place to walk about a 15-minute drive from my apartment. While it may seem rather silly to drive somewhere to walk, the resulting peace is well worth it.

Thor is living his best life, making friends with others who are out hiking the trails. He's especially a fan of children who are fascinated by his size.

During our daily hikes, we ran into one person to whom Thor took a dislike, and when he doesn't care for someone, I listen. After basking in the attention of at least 6 people earlier in our walk, he began to growl deep and low at an approaching hiker. He backed up against me to block me from the man and his hair stood up along his back.

The man laughed and said, "Wow, your dog doesn't like me."

I didn't smile back. (Thanks, Gavin de becker!) I said, "No, he clearly doesn't, and he bites."

Our interaction ended with the man giving us a very wide berth. Of course, my reference to deBecker is the classic that everyone should read - especially women - The Gift of Fear. If you haven't read it, I strongly recommend that you do. It's about tapping into your instincts and understanding that when you feel unease, it's often for a very good reason.

Finally, some good news to report to those who are against medical mandates. A "US federal appeals court has issued a stay on President Joe Biden's vaccine mandates for employers, freezing the requirement over constitutional concerns." I sincerely hope it holds up when it reaches the Supreme Court.

In less positive news, as per the New York Times…"Thanksgiving 2021 could be the most expensive meal in the history of the holiday. Nearly every component of the traditional American Thanksgiving dinner will cost more this year, according to agricultural economists, farmers and grocery executives. The culprit for these inflated prices are high transportation expenses, supply chain issues caused by the pandemic, labor shortages, trade policies, bad weather and inflation. 'I can buy that this will be the most expensive Thanksgiving ever, but there's an income-inequality story here that matters a lot,' said Trey Malone, an agricultural economist at Michigan State University. 'The rich are going to be spending more on Thanksgiving than they have ever spent before, but not everyone is going to be able to do that.'"

People in the UK who post "false information" about vaccines online could face two years in prison under a new law. When you think about how many former "conspiracy theories" have turned out to be true over just the past 2 years, one must wonder how 'false information' will be defined.

Other stuff to read or watch:

What I'm working on with regard to preparedness right now is kind of embarrassing to admit, but in the spirit of this newsletter and full disclosure ------->

I've really let my mental, physical, and financial health run down.

And I know I'm not alone in that. A lot of us are in similar situations. If you are doing just fine, skip over the next bit - you won't find it relatable. But if you are feeling like me, read on.

The "whys" and events that led us to the point we are at right now don't matter nearly as much as what we do with it now that we've identified it.

So many people are in the vicious cycle of "I really need to rest and take a step back" and "But if I do, how will I pay my bills?" The two feel mutually exclusive, don't they? After all, how do you take time off but make more money for the ever-increasing cost of living in general?

I talked to a good friend about this level of burn-out I've been feeling and he was insistent that I had to get better about finding some balance. And he's right. So while I'm not taking a vacation in the Bahamas any time soon, I do have to separate myself from my laptop and my writing for a little more time each day. He assures me that by doing so, I'll be able to bring a fresher, more positive point of view to the things that I write. I'm hoping he's right.

It's so easy to get caught up in the whirlpool of horrific events and so hard to swim your way out of it. To do so, it must be a deliberate action. So, I'm limiting my time on social media to 2 fifteen minute intervals each day. (It's a necessary evil in my line of work.) And I'm driving to the state park 15 minutes away every weekday, rain, shine, snow, or sleet, and walking my dog for at least a mile. This will make me healthier, and hopefully happier and more productive. I've scheduled it into my day. I've set an alarm that tells me, it's time to get-the-heck-out-and-walk. I'm making it a priority.

If you're having similar struggles, please let this email be your sign: take care of yourself. Your brain, your body, and your bank account are all important and when you take care of your brain and body, your bank account will follow. You will be fresher and more productive.

We live in a society that often makes us feel guilty for taking care of ourselves, but remember that saying, "You can't pour from an empty cup." You can't care for others if you don't first care for yourself. Eat something nourishing, move your body, drink some water, and do something that allows you to relax and feel at peace every single day.

It isn't just a rumor now. There are significant indicators of supply chain disruptions, rising food prices, and distribution shortages growing in the coming months. What are you doing to protect your family?

Our food supply will likely never be the same as it was just a few years ago. Even if your grocery store shelves remain full today (though that's changing quickly too), problems will trickle down to the consumer over time. That paired with the uncertainty our modern times present means it's critical to start relocalizing your food supply NOW, so you can insulate yourself from the modern food grid's vulnerabilities (whatever that looks like next). Learn how in this free training. It's really REALLY good information.