Most self-defense advice jumps straight to physical techniques. But here's what I've learned from years of teaching karate, kickboxing, and personal safety: the best defense starts long before a physical confrontation. It starts with awareness.
Your Instincts Are Your First Line of Defense
That feeling of unease when something seems off? That's not paranoia. Your subconscious mind processes information from your environment constantly. Body language, facial expressions, subtle mood shifts in the people around you. Your brain picks up on signals you don't consciously register and sends you a warning through feelings of discomfort or fear.
Don't ignore those feelings. Don't rationalize them away. If something feels wrong, treat that feeling as information and act on it. Leave the situation. Change direction. Move toward other people. Your intuition often provides an immediate response faster than conscious analysis ever could.
What "Staying Alert" Actually Looks Like
Staying alert doesn't mean walking around in a state of fear. It means keeping your head up, your eyes open, and your ears open. Especially during transitions: walking to your car, entering a building, moving through a parking lot, getting gas.
Specifically:
- Put your phone away. Looking down at a screen tells everyone around you that you're distracted. You can't see what's happening around you if your face is buried in your phone.
- Take your headphones out. Music and podcasts are great, but they block one of your primary senses. Save them for the gym.
- Scan your surroundings. When you enter a new space, take a quick look around. Note the exits. Notice who's nearby. This takes two seconds and gives you a mental map if you need to move quickly.
- Make eye contact. Brief, confident eye contact signals awareness. It tells anyone watching that you see them and you're paying attention.
Awareness Is a Deterrent
Here's something most people don't realize: criminals select targets based on perceived vulnerability. Research consistently shows that attackers look for people who seem distracted, unaware, or unlikely to put up resistance.
By being alert, making eye contact, and projecting confidence through your posture and movement, you make yourself a harder target. You might deter a threat before it ever develops. No tools required, no physical confrontation, no risk of injury. Just awareness.
Practice Makes It Natural
Situational awareness isn't something you're born with. It's a skill you build through practice. Start small: the next time you walk into a store, notice the exits before you start shopping. The next time you walk to your car at night, scan the area before you get close. Over time, this becomes second nature.
Awareness is the foundation of everything else in personal safety. Once you build that habit, tools like personal safety alarms and pepper spray become more effective because you'll have the reaction time to actually use them.
Start paying attention. It's the simplest and most powerful thing you can do for your safety.
Lisa Boggs is a black belt in karate, kickboxing instructor, and the founder of Safety Smarts.