Imagine this! It’s about 8 pm in the evening and you are talking on your cell phone as you push your shopping cart across the supermarket parking lot. As you approach your vehicle you are approached from behind, you turn to see what it is and BAMM! You are punched square in the face, knocked to the ground and the assailant starts to pull your purse from you or rummages through your pockets looking for your wallet. You are dazed and confused and wondering what just hit you. You can’t even call out for help. Terrifying, isn’t it? How could this have been prevented? Let’s freeze frame this scene and come back to it later. In the meantime, let’s learn how to prevent such a scene from happening to you!

The title of this chapter says it all! Your Personal Safety Starts with You. This statement is very clear. The first steps in self-protection and self-preservation start with you! We can use this statement to encourage ourselves to take an active role in our own safety and well-being and to be empowered to navigate the complexities of life with confidence, take an active role in our well-being and foster a resilient mindset that transforms challenges into opportunities for growth. It goes beyond reactive measures and fosters a mindset of resilience and empowerment, where we are equipped to handle challenges and potential dangers by relying on our own awareness, preparedness and skills.

Personal safety begins with an individual’s mindset and actions. It encompasses a range of practices and behaviors that contribute to an individual’s well-being and security in various environments. From the moment we wake up to the time we go to bed, our decisions and awareness play a crucial role in our safety.

The foundation of personal safety is a proactive mindset and awareness. It involves being conscious of what is happening around you, including the people, objects, and events in your environment. Being aware of one’s surroundings, potential threats, and how to respond in different situations is crucial. Awareness allows you to gather information and process it to understand the context of a situation. To help develop awareness, regularly scan your surroundings to identify potential threats or changes in your environment. Use all your senses, including sight, hearing, and intuition, to gather information about your surroundings.

Mindset refers to your mental attitude or disposition towards a situation. In the context of situational awareness, mindset plays a crucial role in how you interpret and respond to the information you gather through awareness. Awareness starts with a mindset that prioritizes safety without succumbing to fear. It involves being proactive rather than reactive, anticipating potential risks, and taking steps to mitigate them.

Awareness and mindset are closely connected, as your mindset influences how effectively you can maintain awareness in different situations. A proactive and vigilant mindset enhances your ability to stay aware and respond quickly to potential threats. Conversely, a passive or distracted mindset can lead to a lack of awareness and a delayed response.

By developing both awareness and mindset, you can enhance your situational awareness and improve your ability to stay safe and respond effectively in various situations.

To enhance your situational awareness, you must first understand the environment you’re in. This includes knowing the layout of the area, identifying potential escape routes, entrances, and emergency exits. Knowing where these areas are can be crucial in an emergency.

Recognizing potential hazards and physical obstacles and/or barriers that can impede your movement or pose a safety risk. This could include things like uneven terrain or poorly lit areas.

A very important part of knowing your environment is paying attention to and understanding the people in your environment! Look for signs of aggression, intoxication, or some signs of suspicious activity. If in a busy area are the people in that area focused on their own business or are they focused on you?

Try to know the “Crime Hotspots”. These are areas where criminal activity is high. Avoid these areas if possible or use extra precautions if you are driving through. You do not want to get caught in a crime hotspot! I have visited many people in hospital ER during my police career who got lost and become victims of a criminal attack due to not being familiar with the area. It rarely turns out good!

Be aware of large crowds as they can get chaotic and become unsafe. The last place you want to be is within a large unruly crowd. This can quickly become very dangerous. Trust your instincts. Your instincts are powerful tools for detecting danger. If something does not feel right or is out of place, trust your gut instinct and act accordingly. This could mean leaving a situation, seeking help or alerting others to a potential threat.

Personal safety measures are essential components of situational awareness, as they help individuals anticipate and respond effectively to potential threats or dangers in their environment. By implementing these measures, individuals can enhance their overall safety and security in various situations. This includes basic practices such as locking doors and windows, securing valuables, and being cautious in unfamiliar or high-risk areas. It also involves more advanced measures such as self-defense training and carrying safety devices like pepper spray. Here are some basic personal safety measures to consider:

Stay alert and vigilant by always remaining aware of your surroundings, scanning for potential threats or suspicious activity. Avoid distractions, such as using your cell phone, that can reduce your awareness.

Something we don’t always do is trust our instincts. We need to learn to do this! If something feels wrong or out of place, trust your instincts and take the appropriate action. It’s better to err on the side of caution than to ignore potential warning signs. I have interviewed too many victims of assaults in the emergency rooms that did not pay attention to their instincts and paid the unfortunate price. Our instincts or “gut feeling” are our own built in alarm system in our body