STOP what you are doing right now. Look around, are you safe?
Regardless of where you are you must have a safety plan and it starts with MINDSET.
Yes, I know, nothing will happen to you right? Or maybe you already have a plan…have you practiced it? Whether you are at home, work, in your car, out on a walk, hunting or shopping a Confident mindset will be the best foundation to stay ahead of a problem and the first step to winning a fight. Let me first say avoidance is key. Staying alert and aware, and responding ahead of something will help keep you safe. How do you stay “ahead” of a problem? First keep your head up, ears open and shoulders back. If you see, hear or have that gut feeling that something is not right then turn the other way and Avoid it. Many people put themselves in a critical situation from not staying aware of their surroundings. One of the biggest culprits in this… is our cellphone.
Cellphones have a magical power. They connect us with the things we love. Our family and friends through phone calls, texts and emails, pictures and videos, Facetiming and even Social Media. Many of us are working virtually and find ourselves with our head down and tunnel vision to the words on the screen…oh, and let’s not forget Music. I am in no way suggesting that you ditch your cellphone and disconnect (even though I think that is not a bad idea), but instead be aware that you are cutting yourself off from your surroundings when you have your head down, ear phones in and your brain engulfed in its magical power.
Now that I have implied that you change your relationship with your cellphone I want you to remember they can also be helpful to you in a time of need. You can make a call for help, and with certain apps your family can track and see the phones last position as well as the camera offers a tool to capture information. So please, be smart with your cellphone and don’t let it derail your Safe Mindset.
Getting back to Mindset and why it comes first. What we say and think is what we do. If our mind says, I am not strong enough, I do not know what to do, I don’t have a plan and I cannot win…what do you think the outcome will be? So, let’s start now taking the steps to set our Mind on the course to win. There are a few things you must do first.
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Hit your reset button.
Wipe the disc clean, clean out the file drawer, delete the folder. Whatever you do, now is the time to start with a clean slate. What we have always done or thought we would do may not be the best choice for today. So. clear your mind and throw away the head trash and create a new awareness plan for this moment.
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With a clear mind.
Decide now, if something happens to me or my family can I and will I fight. This is easy for some and hard for most. We often would choose our life over those we love and therefore we would fight for them, but maybe not us. Where do you stand on this thought? Take some time to think about it. It makes the next steps so much easier.
- Create a base plan or plans and practice.
Mentally practice. Let’s reflect back to the first sentence in this article…STOP, look around, are you safe? Each one of us will have different answers for our different surroundings, and many of us will say “Yes, of course”. You control your safety, not the door that is locked between you and the outside, that is just a barrier that buys time so you must still have a plan from behind that locked door. -
Believe Everything is an opportunity and can be used if you need it.
This applies in every space. We will break these down at a later time, just know that opportunities include openings to escape, barriers to block and tools used to fight. You know, things like Refrigerators, Windows, Lamps, Fire Extinguishers, Computer Cables, Desks….and many, many more.
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The “Now What” syndrome.
If you are a person that has already worked through the what, when, where and how of Safety, have you thought about the What Now Conclusion? Every situation doesn’t end with the fight, there is always aftermath. What happens in that aftermath is a key first step in developing our plan and defining our mindset. The Moral, Financial and Physical pain we could find ourselves in needs to be addressed ahead of time. Have an understanding and be ready to handle each piece of the aftermath of a fight. Its ok, it won’t be easy, but don’t let this area be what causes you to ultimately lose.
Now, let’s get back to the beginning. Mindset. Start clearing and rebuilding it now. Think about what you want your end result to be…and backwards plan it. Fill in the gaps and spaces with your surroundings and the opportunities they offer and remember your first step needs to be AVOID a problem, and if you can’t avoid it try to ESCAPE, and if there is just no way out then be ready to DEFEND.
Educate your self on situational awareness, find a Course near you that will help you develop a winning mindset and build a plan that will help keep you and the ones you love Safe.