I read a study from many years ago that one of the biggest causes of stress was the feeling you had no control of a situation. I know that I really hate the feeling that I had no control of my life and sort of check the blocks rather than do things outside of the check boxes. I think getting sick/disabled was one of the best things that has happened to me long term. Sure it sucked while it was happening but it really made me think about what was important to me. It does not say much about me as it took something so dramatic to evaluate/change my life but some of us need to get smacked hard by reality before we wake up and start moving out of the rat race.
I truly believe the best action you can take politically is to become as self-reliant as possible. This is not a leftwing/right wing issue at a personal level. Our food system is crap, proven by the obesity epidemic, rising diabetes levels and the rise of immune- compromised diseases. We have sick care rather than health care in the USA. Energy is expensive and destroying peoples budgets and it is a mostly man-made disaster by the politicians. No matter where you fall on the political spectrum, if you are low to middle class these are issues you deal with daily and the politicians won’t do anything but jawbone the issues. You probably can’t get completely independent but you can reduce your reliance on the system.
I think small scale independent solar energy is a great idea. Perhaps a small neighborhood co-op might be workable but neither solar or wind energy can work on an industrial scale. That is the reality full stop! You can’t make steel without coal as it is and ingredient of steel. I’d love if the new small Thorium salt nuke reactors work out but we are not there yet. I think a wood stove is probably the best bet for having heat and an energy source you can control that is not tied to the grid. Buying and installing is not cheap and my area of the country buying wood is not cheap. You could pay more but you have control of your heat. I have been looking at the portable lithium battery packs/generators and the look like a solution to electricity that bypasses the PTBS and that you can control. Again the up front costs are not cheap but that is the price you pay to control your life.
Look at the paybacks. My wood stove is now paying me back compared to using electricity to heat. It is slow but I decide how warm I want my house in winter and not the government or the utility companies. I’m trying out some swamp coolers this summer and I think they might reduce my electrical costs but I won’t know until I test it out. I want to add some of the solar energy power packs to the preps. If I can run a fridge and freezer overnight and a swamp cooler during the day in summer I would be happy. Will it work I don’t know but I think it worth a try.
I’m very excited about how well the envelope system is working out for “emergency fund” and other little projects I have planned. I want another small freezer that has been on sale for around $200.00 in the past and I think I’ll see that price again this spring so I have saved up the cash for that project. For me saving up for a project via envelopes and stashing cash in them works for me so far. I’m sure some issue will come up and blow up all my plans as life seems to be that way but now I have cash on hand to deal with the blow ups and don’t need to use a credit card.
Start getting the ingredients and learn to bake your breads. I made a batch of English muffins and while they tasted good the correct texture was missing. I’m going to try a different recipe and see if it works better. Yes I’m buying flour and you should as well if you get it for under 50 cents per pound. Revolutions have started because people did not have food and while bread might seem blasé it it the staff of life. Lard can be substituted for vegetable oils on a 1 for 1 basis. I don’t like most chemically processed vegetable oils. I use lard and some olive oils.
Refusing to play the game dictated by the elites is something anyone can do every day.
My Adventures in selfreliance 
good content, “food” for thought. my pespective changes the older I get. refuse to play their game because its rigged
EM, I learned as a child never to play a game with cheaters. I have relearned that lesson as and adult.
I will simply take my “ball” and go home!