It’s easy to become complacent when it comes to self-defense. But we must not forget, trouble can present itself anytime, anywhere. Here are a few things to help you keep your guard up at all times.
- Understand the Consequences: Always keep the results of being victimized in the front of your mind. Letting your guard down can result in life-altering consequences. You may have the right to run on that isolated trail at 5am in the morning. However, you must understand that you will be exposing yourself to a lot of danger.
- Visualize the Situation: Visualize dangerous situations you may encounter. Don’t leave your home until you are prepared to deal with what you may face. A good example is carrying firearms for personal protection. So many people have told me that they carry sub-compact firearms in marginal calibers because they are “convenient and easy to conceal.” This is all good and well until it comes time to use them. Self-defense is a commitment dictated by our environments, not our desires and compromises.
- Others are Depending on You: We have an obligation and duty to protect ourselves, our family and our loved ones. Complacency is a selfish act. Your loved ones are depending on you.
- It Only Takes 1 Time: We all justify our actions by saying things like, “I will only be gone for 5 minutes, nothing will happen.” You have to assume that the one time you’re unprepared is the time you will be faced with danger.
- Complacency Kills: The relative safety that most us enjoy on a daily basis is often the cause for us dropping our guard. Predators are counting on you becoming complacent, as it makes their jobs easy. Always make yourself a hard target. Never let your guard down.
Understand the risks to yourself and loved ones associated with complacency. Make your self-defense habitual. It should be the norm, never the exception. Criminals can hit and miss. We, as self-defenders, do not have the option of becoming complacent. That one time we let our guard down could very well be the one time danger strikes.
