Getting By or Being Okay
February 10, 2026

Getting By or Being Okay

 

The "We Got By Fine" Story

When the power went out during last year's storm, the Layton family made it work.

They had cereal for breakfast. Peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. They ate the leftover pizza cold from the fridge before it went bad. They finished the bag of chips and granola bars. They scraped together a dinner from random cans in the back of the pantry. Green beans. Some soup. Crackers.

By day three, they were out of milk. The bread was gone. They were eating things they didn't really want because that's what was left. The kids were complaining. Everyone was tired of cold food and tired of each other.

When the power finally came back on, Mr. Layton’s first thought was relief. His second thought was, "We need to go to the store."

His third thought, a few weeks later when life was back to normal, was:

"See? We survived and got by just fine."

And they did. Technically.

Getting by means you made it through, but it wasn't comfortable. It wasn't easy. And if the power had stayed out several more days, things would've gotten much harder. 

Being ready means you're not just surviving. You're actually doing well. The kids aren't complaining about what's for dinner. You're eating warm meals, and your routine mostly stays normal. No one's stressed about what happens if this goes on longer.

Most people have enough food in the house to scrape by for a few days. That's true.

In this day and age, there’s no reason to just “get by” when better options exist. A few extra steps, a little planning, some shelf-stable meals and supplies can make you the hero and turn an uncomfortable situation into something far more tolerable.

The difference between miserable and manageable is smaller than you think. But most people never take those extra steps, and here's why:

 

Preparedness has a branding problem.

For a lot of people, the word brings up images of fear, extremes, or living in a constant state of worry. Maybe you picture someone stockpiling years of supplies in their basement, convinced the world is about to fall apart. Or a family living on a self-sufficient farm, something impossible in your local suburb. Maybe you figure that in our modern world, things will resolve fast, help will arrive quickly and planning ahead feels unnecessary.

That's understandable. The media has regularly promoted this dramatic side for ratings. But they also miss the point entirely.

True readiness isn't about panic. It's about making life easier and smoothing the unexpected bumps that happen.

 

You're Already Doing This

Most of us already prepare in quiet ways, without calling it preparedness or making it complicated.

We buy insurance we hope we never use. We keep jumper cables in the car even though we haven't needed them in years, or ever. We save important files to the cloud just in case a laptop dies. We fill up the gas tank before a road trip. We keep a first aid kit, or flashlight and batteries in a drawer.

None of that feels dramatic. It feels responsible. It feels normal.

Readiness works the same way. It's not about expecting something bad to happen. It's about knowing that life doesn't always go according to plan, and that's okay.

Groceries get delayed. Power goes out for a few hours, or sometimes longer. Someone gets sick and can't make it to the store. A storm lasts longer than expected. A paycheck comes late. Your car needs an unexpected repair the same week the washing machine breaks.

These aren't disasters. They're interruptions. And interruptions are part of normal life.

The difference between a minor inconvenience and a stressful situation often comes down to whether you saw it coming. Not because you're psychic, but because you planned for the possibility. You had a plan B.  You simply decided that when unpredictable moments happen, you'd rather stay calm than scramble.

 

Calm Doesn't Come from Luck

That calm doesn't appear out of nowhere. It comes from small decisions made ahead of time.

Having shelf-stable meals means you're not frantically ordering takeout when the roads are bad or eating mystery meals from the pantry. Keeping extra essentials on hand means a busy week doesn't turn into a stressful one. Thinking a few steps ahead means you're not having to solve everything in real time, under pressure.

This isn't fear based. It's energy saving.

When you prepare thoughtfully, you free up mental space. You spend less time worrying about "what if" and more time living your life.

You're not waiting for things to go wrong. You just know that not everything will always go right on schedule.

 

Start Where It Makes Sense

Readiness doesn't ask you to overhaul your life. It asks you to support it.

You choose your readiness level.  You don't need a bunker or a massive checklist taped to the wall. You don't need specialized gear or a second mortgage. You just start where it makes sense for your household.

One less thing to worry about.  One fewer surprise.

Maybe that's keeping an extra week of groceries on hand so you're not shopping when you're tired or sick. 

Maybe it's having a backup payment method if your debit card stops working. 

Maybe it's having savings in case income drops unexpectedly.

Maybe it's knowing where your important documents are if you need them quickly.

Maybe it's having flashlights that actually work, or a first aid kit that's not expired, or knowing what you'd do if the power went out during dinner.

“We survived”, turns into “We got this.”

 

Ready Is Not Anxious

Here's what readiness isn't: constant vigilance. Obsessive planning. Living in fear of the future.

Here's what it is: building a foundation that holds steady when normal life gets bumpy. You live your life with a little more cushion, a little more margin, a little more breathing room.

Most people who think they aren’t “prepared” already are. They just haven’t named it yet.

Readiness isn't panic. It's peace of mind you build on purpose.


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