We don’t often think of Old Saint Nick as someone who practices preparedness, but consider this: he is “making a list and checking it twice – and he’s gonna find out who’s naughty and nice”. These are the elements of preparedness and situational awareness! We can all take a lesson from the Jolly Old Elf. Bearing glad tidings may be your intent, but not everyone has quite the same spirit.
As a gift to yourself, check off this list and plan to enter the New Year by taking at least four new steps toward readiness:
#1) Mental Preparation – It has been said that success is ten-percent physical and ninety-percent mental. Santa surely has every chimney navigation pre-planned down to the millionth of a second, similar to how athletes train, as they invasion scenarios they may encounter. A gymnast, for example, plays a mental movie of each step, each hand-hold, and each tuck and roll in the process of completing his or her routine. A clear mental picture emerges that can be played forward and backward, seamlessly planning each moment. This is done to reduce anxiety, to consider surprising events
that might occur, and to plan for success. Self-defense strategies are similar, in that we need to prepare not only for known but also unknown elements. We can sit in our own home and play scenarios of a home invasion wherein an intrusion comes from a variety of different doors and windows. But, how do we prepare for an assault that may happen in a shopping mall, in a parking lot, or while we are on vacation? One way is to make a habit of tuning in to the Self Defense Gun Stories Podcast & Stop The Threat TV. Both of these shows take the listener and viewer through real-life, actual news stories of self-defense and offer play by play commentary by experts as they discuss each moment in terms of what went well and what could have been done more effectively. Watching these events offers us a valuable glimpse into the tactics used by criminals, as well as times when would-be victims were able to successfully turn the tables on their attacker.
#2) Physical Training – Almost everyone plans to join a gym as a New Year’s resolution. Not only do we want to drop a few pounds, we also want to increase strength and endurance. Physical exercise has been proven to help with focus, clarity, and quickness of mind and body. You can also train your mind and muscles for self-defense just as effectively.
As you would seek out a professional trainer at the gym, you will want to find a skilled instructor who can take you through treat assessment and management techniques. One of the most respected names in teaching the rules of engagement and self-defense is the Massad Ayoob Group (MAG). MAG offers courses from two days to several days in length, where students will learn the legal, emotional, mental and physical elements of self-defense.
#3) Legal Protection – In the movies there are obvious naughty characters and those who are nice , the good guys and bad guys, and the police seem to magically know who is who before they even arrive on the scene of an incident. In those films the good guy picks up his or her gun and heads home to resume their life uninterrupted. This is a wholly false portrayal of what happens in real life. When a citizen discharges his or her firearm in self-defense the police will process the scene, secure all suspects, and sort out the details later. For the protection of themselves and others you may be handcuffed, placed prone on the ground, locked in the back of a cruiser, or even jailed… (READ ENTIRE ARTICLE HERE)
Article originally published on 12.07.16, and has been reposted on Gun Freedom Radio Blog with permission.
To learn more about the author of this article, Cheryl Todd.
