Awareness is the second most important thing in the list of ways to keep yourself safe (most important item to be discussed in full next week). Self defense starts way before a man pulls a knife on you. It begins with what you notice and what you do not notice as you go about your day to day. For example, the man walking with his eyes closed and hands over his ears is far more likely to walk in front of a car and become a victim than a man who is using the gifts God gave him: ears and eyes. Distractions can be costly. The cost can be your life.
Over the past few years, there has been a constant stream of messages passing through the media about texting while driving. Don't text and drive! A text isn't worth your life! While I agree with those messages, I think they aren't taking the message far enough. From a self defense standpoint, the trouble isn't just texting. The problem is cell phones. I have nothing against cell phones. They are convenient and a blessing to have in an emergency. I have a problem with the apparent addiction to using one's phone. Everywhere I go I see people on their phones. They can't do their grocery shopping, drive to work, or even use the bathroom without constantly being tuned in to social media. People in the same room feel like they have to text back and forth. If they used even 1% of that awareness and applied it to their personal safety, I wonder how many attacks could be prevented.
If you are wandering out to your car after work and texting your boyfriend, are you going to notice the van parked next to your vehicle, even if it is the only other vehicle in the parking lot? Probably not. You probably won't, because just like the man walking around with his eyes and ears covered, you have neglected God's gifts to you by distracting yourself at a time when being vigilant is important.
Cell phones aren't the only cause of this, of course. In the 80s, it was the Walkman. Women were warned not to walk or jog alone with headphones. Again, negligence of one of God's gifts (hearing) was causing women to become easy prey to predators in the parks and paths. MP3 players still present an issue today. A rough day at work or a breakup can also cause you to be more careless and distracted.
What can you do to keep yourself safe? Identify times when you need to be more vigilant and go out of your way to be more aware during those times. If possible, finish your errands during daylight hours. Don't sit in your parked car, doing things such as applying makeup or balancing your checkbook. If you must walk or jog with music, consider only putting one earpiece in, or jogging with a partner. The buddy system is never a bad idea when it comes to keeping oneself safe (think bars, nighttime errands, or exercise). Don't be afraid to trust your gut. If your intuition is screeching that something isn't right, but you can't locate the source, FOLLOW YOUR GUT! Your subconscious mind likely picked up on cues that your conscious mind missed and identified the hazard faster than your logical mind could manage. Making a choice against your gut under these circumstances could literally be life and death.
Love,
Heather.
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