Have you ever wanted to be more self-sufficient? Thought up all the awesome things you could do…. Only to hit a wall of doubt. 

I’m here to challenge those negative thoughts. 

When we first began our homestead many mocked our ideas (still plenty do - let the haters hate). We were told all the ways we would fall on our faces.  

Fortunately, my husband and I are dreamers. It has allowed us the imagination to achieve what we have thus far.  

Because of the life I’ve lived, I encourage anyone I know to follow their dreams. And now I’ll share how you can do it one step at a time. 

I know you might be thinking…“This lady sounds like a Disney princess”…well—maybe. But what’s worse? 

Dreaming like a child, or being an adult who sulks away their life? 

I wanted to share with you today because so many come into my store dreaming…they want to feel the peace of mind that comes from homesteading. 

It is achievable!  Now the scale of it depends on the individual.  

You may have acres to work with or inches. Either way— you can homestead. 

1.) START WITH A {simple} GOAL IN MIND

Seems simple enough right? Lol, not if you have a brain like mine!! Talk about a billion train tracks going in every direction. Can you relate?
Start small. 

If you want your own food source, i.e. eggs/fresh garden foods/raw milk, don’t do it all at once.  

Pick one place to focus your efforts.  

Chickens are one of the easiest farm animals to begin with. Cows— not so much. But it can be done!  

Just remember, animals die. Even if you do everything on the list and run them to the vet! You still could have an animal die. Think $5 chick versus $2,500 milk cow.  

Keep it simple.  

Growing your own fruits and veggies is the best-kept secret. I grew up gardening and I haaaated it. “Hate, hate, hate. Double Hate. Loathe entirely!” Yep, I was the Grinch. 

So do your kids a favor, and start small on a garden. Acres and acres of veggies will burn you out and wreck your children. Lol– don’t worry mom, I hate gardening *slightly* less now!! 

2.) RESEARCH & UNDERSTAND 

Do your research and understand what this undertaking means. 

Talk to others who already have done what you're hoping to achieve. 

Price out the cost. 

We already went over the chick vs cow cost. Also, have you considered how much it is to feed this animal?? Yep, the bigger the animal the higher the feed cost. 

Do your studying. 

3.) GIVE YOUR DREAM URGENCY 

Treat this idea like it is your most important investment. Give it a high priority on your list.  

Treat it like it was all you had to keep you alive!  

K, hear me out on this. (Coming from a woman who has changed her entire diet to reverse inflammation and chronic dis-ease the last 10 years.)

With what is happening with the Standard American Diet, things are only getting worse.  

When you consider this dream of backyard homesteading, you’re creating a healthier you.  

You’re giving your family an opportunity to thrive rather than survive. 

Make it worth the effort & investment in your mind. 

Urgency can also be exciting!  

I released 20 lbs of inflammation just by improving the foods I put into my body…I find that very exciting!! 

4.) LET THEM TALK

Everyone has opinions. Let them have them. 

Find healthy ways to cope with the judgment of your mother-in-law or crazy Aunt Birdy. 

You are either going to have positive feedback or negative from those around you. 

Don’t give much thought to either side!  

Let them talk and live out your ideas. 

5.) GET OVER YOU

Don’t let your excuses rule your life.  

We can be our own worst enemy. There are reasons our subconscious functions that way. And it’s why we have a prefrontal cortex. 

When you acknowledge that the excuses are stopping you, then your life begins. 

I’m not meaning to sound philosophical…it’s very important to see ourselves in a mirror.  

A mirror doesn’t lie. A good mirror shows you exactly what’s standing before it.  

Give yourself the chance to see through the mirror. No gimmicks.  

Often dreams of living a healthier lifestyle or creating a homestead get trampled out from justified reasons. 

Too sick to plant a garden. Tired to get up. Too busy.  Too depressed. Too many kids. No kids to do life with.  No spouse. No love. No motivation. No money.  

Whatever the excuse is, no matter how valid, or challenging it might be the key to unlock the door to progression.  

Take a hard look in the mirror and see what reasons are stopping you.  

(Fall back on step number 3 to get you past yourself— urgency can win over the excuses.) 

A dear friend and raw milk customer recently asked if I thought they should follow a dream.  

I told her, the same as I would tell you right now– absolutely. 

Take the leap and trust the process. No matter how big or how small the idea may be! 

Life is meant to be lived. So we might as well live it to our full potential.  

Xoxo- 

Tasha