28 Days to Better Self-Defense and Safety Awareness

In an unpredictable world, prioritizing self-defense and safety awareness is paramount. Whether you're walking down a quiet street at night, navigating the digital landscape, or simply going about your daily routine, having the knowledge and tools to protect yourself and stay vigilant can make all the difference. In this guide, we present a comprehensive list of 28 self-defense and safety awareness tips with actions you can take to put them in place immediately.

☑️DAY 1. Stay Aware: Pay attention to your surroundings at all times.

Action Step: Spend a few minutes walking in a crowded space and pay attention to your surroundings. Ten minutes later, try to recall as many details about the people that were around you as possible. Do this for several weeks so that it becomes habit. Training your brain to notice the details will greatly increase your situational awareness.

☑️DAY 2. Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off, remove yourself from the situation.

Action Step: Begin tuning in to your instincts more frequently throughout your day. Pay attention to when you feel happy, calm, anxious, fearful, etc. to determine what was going on in your surroundings to evoke this reaction. The more you become willing to trust your gut instincts, the faster you will react if something bad is going down.

☑️DAY 3. Walk Confidently: Appear confident and purposeful when walking.

Action Step: Make a point of standing tall, shoulders back and head held high when you are walking across campus or in the office today. Exuding confidence and control make you a less likely target to an attacker who is looking for his next victim.

☑️DAY 4. Maintain Personal Space: Keep a comfortable distance from strangers.

Action Step: Imagine that you have an invisible hula-hoop around your body. Observe how many people you either intentionally or accidentally let inside your personal space today. Becoming aware of maintaining your personal space when interacting with strangers will keep you a safe distance from being easily grabbed.

☑️DAY 5. Keep Your Gas Tank Topped Off: Never let your gas tank go below half a tank in case you get stuck in traffic or lost.

Action Step: Fill up at the gas station today and don't let it go below half tank in the future.

☑️DAY 6. Avoid Isolated Areas: Stick to well-lit and populated areas, especially at night.

Action Step: Make any changes to your commute today that might place you in a vulnerable environment. Do you cut through alleys or between houses to save time crossing campus? Do you drive home after work through a less desirable part of town? Look at your routine and make changes where needed.

☑️DAY 7. Set-Up Safety Words: Have a secret sentence or safety word that your friends and family know means you are in danger if you say it to them.

Action Step: Set-up a safety sentence with your family and friends today. Choose something that is memorable to your person but not so random that it tips off your attacker.

☑️DAY 8. Keep Your Hands Free: Don't overload yourself with bags in case you need to defend yourself quickly.

Action Step: Simply pay attention to how much you carry today.  Keep your hands free and ready to act if necessary.

☑️DAY 9. Learn Basic Self-Defense: Consider taking self-defense classes to learn essential techniques.

Action Step: Contact your local police department and/or campus security to find out if they offer a self-defense class in the near future. Many of them offer these valuable personal safety courses for free as a part of their community outreach program.

☑️DAY 10. Carry Personal Alarm: Carry a small alarm to attract attention in case of danger.

Action Step: Practice activating your personal panic alarm and check the battery. If you don’t own a panic alarm, purchase one today. It is your voice when you cannot speak for yourself.

☑️DAY 11. Know Your Escape Routes: Identify exit points to escape an active shooter crisis.

Action Step: Make note of at least one exit and one place to hide in each of the various spaces you find yourself today. With repeated practice, you will develop the habit of always scanning the room and noting these two critical ways to save valuable seconds if an active shooter enters the building.

Bonus Step: Read the article "How to Survive an Active Shooter Crisis" to learn more valuable tips that could save your life if you are in a live shooter situation.

☑️DAY 12. Be Mindful of Personal Information: Don't share too much personal information with strangers.

Action Step: Set aside some time to review your social media pubic profiles and conceal any images or information that a criminal may find useful to either commit a physical assault or cyber-crime against you. Make it a habit to review your privacy settings at least every six months.

☑️DAY 13. Avoid Routine Patterns: Vary your routes and routines to make yourself less predictable.

Action Step: Change the time you leave for work, take your morning run down a different road or get your mail at a different time. Do things differently because predictability makes us vulnerable to predators.

☑️DAY 14. Lock Doors and Windows: Secure your home and vehicles to prevent unauthorized entry.

Action Step: Take 10 minutes to go around your home and make sure all your doors and windows are locked. Don’t forget the door from your attached garage to the house. It’s common to leave this unlocked when you have an automatic garage door opener. However, this is one of the most vulnerable entry points for a home invasion.

☑️DAY 15. Practice Situational Awareness: Observe people and activities around you to detect potential threats.

Action Step: Practice paying attention to the details of what is going on around you. What color is the car in front of you? What was the lady in line wearing? Creating this habit will allow you to spot trouble before it happens and identify victims and attackers after an attack.

☑️DAY 16. Carry a Self-Defense Weapon: You want to be prepared to defend yourself against an attacker so don’t leave your stun gun or pepper spray in your purse. Seconds matter.

Action Step: Recharge your stun gun and set up a monthly reminder to do this routinely. Practice activating your pepper spray and aiming at a target. Become comfortable deploying your self-defense weapon.

☑️DAY 17. Use Everyday Items for Defense: Keys, umbrellas, or other objects can be used as makeshift defensive tools.

Action Step: Locate 3 things in your purse or that you are wearing which could be used to defend yourself in the case that your self-defense weapon is not on hand.

☑️DAY 18. Stay Visible at Night: Wear reflective clothing or carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.

Action Step: If you don’t already own it, purchase reflective gear for those night runs or dog walks.

☑️DAY 19. Stay in Communication: Let someone know your plans and estimated time of return when heading out.

Action Step: Put a notepad by the kitchen sink and write down when you’ll be home and where you went before heading out. This is especially important if you live with roommates and you are all coming and going at different hours and to different places.

☑️DAY 20. Cybersecurity: Use strong, unique passwords and be cautious of sharing personal information online.

Action Step: Do a quick password security evaluation. When was the last time you changed your passwords? Do you use the same password for everything? Is your bank a completely different password? Consider using a password generator app and two-step authentication.

☑️DAY 21. Fire Safety: Know the locations of fire exits and how to use fire extinguishers.

Action Step: Locate the fire extinguishers in your home and office. Learn how to use a fire extinguisher if you don’t already know how to do so. Check the expiration dates and take them to your local fire department to be recertified (for free) if necessary.

☑️DAY 22. Emergency Contacts: Have important contact numbers saved in your phone.

Action Step: Add an I.C.E. contact to your phone. I.C.E. stands for In Case of Emergency and it is nationally recognized by all first responder and paramedics. By setting up this emergency contact, first responders will be able to look in your phone and contact your person to notify them you have had an emergency. It is also a good idea to carry a card in your wallet with this information on it as well.

☑️DAY 23. First Aid Knowledge: Learn basic first aid techniques and keep a first aid kit handy.

Action Step: Sign up for a basic CPR class and learn basic first aid techniques such as tying a tournaquette and treating shock victims. YouTube is a great resource for learning these things for free.

☑️DAY 24. Home Safety: Install smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, and secure entry points.

Action Step: Check the operation and batteries for your home safety equipment today.

☑️DAY 25. Watch Your Drink: Be cautious of accepting drinks from strangers and monitor your own beverage. Date rape drugs are odorless, clear and tasteless.

Action Step: Purchase a date rape drink test kit so that you never have to worry about having your drink tampered with.

☑️DAY 26. Natural Disaster Preparedness: Be prepared and have a plan in place before a natural disaster strikes.

Action Step: Familiarize yourself with evacuation plans for natural disasters in your area. Locate the tornado and hurricane shelters in your area. Make a plan for your pets if you have to go to a shelter.

☑️DAY 27. Travel Safety: Always have a “bug out bag” in your vehicle for travel emergencies.

Action Step: Make a bag to keep in your car with emergency supplies in case you get stuck in traffic, experience weather delays or break down on the side of the road. Read the article: "Ten Decisive Items Vital to Auto Safety" for a complete list of things you should add to your survival bag.

☑️DAY 28. Always Carry Cash: The last thing you want is to be in the middle of a situation where you need cash and only have your debit card in your wallet.

Action Step: Go to the bank and withdraw $100 in small bills to carry in your purse for emergency purposes only. (Preferably in $1.00, $5.00 and $10.00 increments)