Everyone has their own personal skills that they excel at. Critical thinking or your ability to "McGyver" things is a key skill to possess. You need to learn how to fix things when you can't call the handyman.

 

Another great skill that far too little people possess now-a-days is gardening. Can you grow your own food? Even if your gardening skills are top notch, you will still have off years. Can you preserve the fruits of your labor? Can you cook from scratch? You need to start practicing these skills now.

 

There are some other skills you might consider learning before you needed them for survival. Sewing, knitting, or crocheting are skills that take practice to be done right. Shoes are something we all take for granted in our society. Are there any cobblers left out there? Do you know what a cobbler is? There are also many products for daily personal care and cleaning that can be made at home. Soap, is easy to make if you know how. Do you know how?

 

Once you have acquired a variety of skills you have to know how to leverage them so you are provided with an exchange for your services, whether that be food, security, housing, group membership, etc. Sometimes you will want to be the "gray man" and blend in so you can see what the group is lacking and how you can fill the gaps without giving away all your secrets. Other times you might have to be your own salesman and help others see how valuable your skills are. Everybody does something well, find your strength and dwell there. You will need to be physically prepared as well to take on a survival existence. You won't be worth much if you get injured because you were out of shape and become a drain on the group.