Knowing how to defend yourself is an important part of improving your personal safety and security. Unfortunately, there are plenty of people out there who are looking to take advantage of you. Whether it’s a robbery, an assault, or a scam, it is important to understand how to protect yourself against such attacks.
Three ways to defend yourself
The best way to defend against any attack is to reduce or eliminate it from happening in the first place. We can do this by acknowledging and understanding the risk, then gaining the training needed to reduce it and defend ourselves. Having the knowledge and ability to defend against an attack can reduce your risk significantly.
Physically
Our physical health and fitness play into this. Being able to run from danger may at some point be necessary. So too may be the ability to defend against a physical attack when running is not an option. To this end, I highly encourage people to spend some time studying personal defense or a martial art. I have found that the confidence alone gained from studying physical combat can reduce the risk of physical attack. I can carry myself confidently but not arrogantly. Real confidence is a deterrent to those who would victimize you. They are looking for a weak, easy target – someone unsure of themselves. But be careful, false confidence (cockiness) or arrogance may have the opposite effect and antagonize others who see it as a challenge.
Digitally
If you are like most folks, you are probably more likely to suffer from a digital attack than a physical one. Make sure you are using up-to-date, safe digital behaviors. These include, but are not limited to:
- Two-step authorization for all online accounts
- A password manager – to make sure you are using complex enough passwords and have a place to store them
- Not letting your browser “auto-fill” or save your info (payment details, passwords, address, etc)
For a great resource on digital security check out All Things Secured.
Mentally
This is where I would group all types of scams – whether in person or online. It is important to keep yourself mentally sharp and aware of tactics people would use take advantage of you. The rule of thumb I use for this is to only share information with those who need to know it. If you are in the habit of oversharing or communicating personal information with every person you meet, you are setting yourself up as a target for those who would use that information against you – or for their own gain.
This can be a delicate balance, because obviously we don’t want to be so private that we can’t build community relationships – which are also an important part of personal security. However, be thoughtful and intentional about what is actually necessary at the time to share. Build trust and rapport. Rely on verification or references – particularly when working with someone who claims to represent an organization or business that handles any financial related matters.
The best defense…
Is being prepared. Get out of your comfort zone. Talk with others in your social groups and community. Figure out what type of attacks you might be at risk for and prepare for them. Hopefully, they’ll never happen. But you can live life confidently knowing that you are prepared to reduce or respond to any threats that come your way.
Know how to defend yourself.
