Self Defense Tips For Young Women: A Father’s Desire To Protect All Daughters

Situational Awareness: Not Just A Catchy Phrase

By now you’ve heard the term “Situational Awareness” many times in your life. It’s a common phrase in anything from training videos for your job to warnings in a train station. However, it’s a fundamental concept in your everyday safety. How many times have you witnessed a person collide into an inanimate object because they were focused on something else? And if you’re honest with yourself, I’m sure you can recount a few times you were that person others humorously observed. This world is full of distractions! Almost every single one of us intentionally carry a tiny little device that we use to entertain ourselves during most of our free time. Don’t let your cell phone be the reason someone violates your space and causes you physical harm.

This is a topic that I will expound upon in a later post. The short version, be aware of where you are, what you’re doing, who’s around you, and who or what can potentially cause you harm. Notice I did NOT say be afraid, be nervous, be anxious. The key word, Be Aware. To be situationally aware isn’t to be in a constant state of paranoia that something bad is going to happen. In fact, it’s the exact opposite. Be cognizant of what’s going on so nothing bad can happen.

The Survival Mindset: What Is Your Life Worth To You?

This is a difficult concept to fully grasp. It’s very unpleasant to think about. But it is something that you must keep in the back of your mind for that worst case scenario. IF someone does violate your space with the intent to cause you physical harm what are you willing to do to prevent that from happening? To be more blunt, someone that is going to cause you major harm or sexual assault isn’t worried about your well-being. And more times than not, is planning on taking your life. Yeah, I said this was unpleasant. As I try to write this I have to clear the tears in my eyes because I think of my loved ones possibly being in this situation. And I think of the loved ones that I know have been in this situation.

What is your life worth? Hypothetically you find yourself in this worst case scenario (God forbid this every really happens!) you need to be mentally prepared to do ANYTHING you can to survive. What do I mean by anything? Look at your finger. Do you see 3 knuckles? One just below the nail, one mid finger, and one where the finger connects to the hand. Imagine yourself in this worst case scenario, now see yourself sticking your fingers, 3 knuckles deep, into your attackers eye ball. This is just one example of “anything”, but it’s something you need to be mentally prepared to do.

Without even knowing you I can confidently say your life is worth a lot more than an attackers eye ball, his severed genitalia, his broken nose, or even his own life. Don’t ever allow yourself to think that it’s not. You must appreciate your value so you can defend your space.

Trust Your Instincts: The Angel On Your Shoulder

It doesn’t matter if you believe in God, Buddha, the Flying Spaghetti Monster, or nothing at all. We are all born with an internal “alarm”. You should always listen to, and trust, your instincts. If you think back to any mistake you made or situation that landed you in trouble or harm I’m sure you can recall a moment just before that you thought “this probably isn’t a good idea”.

Our brains are amazing! I’m not going to even try to pretend I understand how it works, maybe one of you is an expert and can teach me some things. But I do know that the brain processes data that it’s constantly receiving from the eyes, ears, nose, skin, etc. When you get that feeling that someone is watching you, it’s because your brain has received data that you were not consciously aware of. It’s not paranoia, it’s science. Listen to your brain. When you’re in a situation or a location that does not feel right, make a change.

Never let self-doubt be the reason harm comes to your person. You know the old adage, better safe than sorry. By listening to your instincts and following your gut you can eliminate the possible scenarios in which harm may have come to you.

Self Confidence: Little Dog With A Big Bark

My daughters have dogs. I’ll spare you my rant about dogs in my house. I do want to share an observation, however. One of the dogs is 115 pounds, a very large puppy. The other is a little older, 14 pound mutt. When I watch these two “fight” the little one always acts like he’s 10 feet tall. The thought never enters his mind that he’s too small or too weak to take on his massive opponent. As Mark Twain said “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”

If you present yourself as scared, timid, and tiny you can attract a predator. But if you carry yourself like you’re 10 feet tall, tough as nails, King Kong ain’t got nothing on you, then you will be too much of a hassle to come after. Self confidence is about attitude and what you feel and think on the inside is directly portrayed on the outside. I’m not saying you need to be cocky, arrogant, or mean. The self-confidence I’m talking about is a direct result of education, preparation, and visualization. It is a learned behavior that anyone can accomplish.

But Wait, There’s More

You’ve made it to the end of my post and you’re asking “Where’s the ass kicking tips?!”. Oh, I’ve got lots of ass kicking tips for you. But, just like building a house, you need to start with a solid foundation. My goal isn’t to create warriors that are going to roam the streets looking for trouble just to prove how tough they are. I’m here to help you AVOID harm. Being aware of your surroundings, being mentally prepared to protect yourself, relying on your own instincts, and comporting yourself with confidence are key fundamentals. They are the foundation for a worry free, safe life. We’ll get to the vaulted ceilings and decorative archways, once you have the foundation to build upon.

I’m here because I want to help you so if you have any questions or comments please let me know down below.

Until next time….

KG