If you had to choose one occupation to teach you about personal safety, whom would you choose? Mine would definitely be Navy Seals, as those guys seem tough as hell! Why do I tell you this? I recently stumbled upon the Tactical Hyve channel, a great place for anyone interested in tactical training or general safety tips.
I found an interesting personal safety video by two retired Navy Seals, Dorr and Myles. You can also watch their video below or keep reading for my take on what I saw:
Stay Aware of Your Surroundings
If you drive a car, you certainly know how important it is to keep your eye on the road and everything that’s happening around you. You need to stay vigilant and aware of your surroundings even when you aren’t driving. With that mindset, you will easily spot any threats or potential dangers and remove yourself from such situations.
Be Confident
If you don’t want to be perceived as weak and vulnerable, don’t act like it. When you are walking somewhere or doing something, do it with confidence and purpose. Even if you don’t feel confident or don’t know what you’re doing, fake it till you make it! Other people will see your confidence, and most will take it as a sign not to bother you.
Online Safety
Answer this honestly: how many hours per day are you spending online? Regardless of what you do when online, you are leaving a digital footprint, which means some pieces of your personal information stay online. To protect your privacy and safety, you can use a service called “Delete Me,” which removes your personal info from websites you visited.
Social Media
Speaking of online safety, do you have social media? If so, be careful what you post there. Your posts can attract the attention of some dangerous people, and it can also lead to your property being stolen, or you and your loved ones getting hurt. So, try to avoid oversharing – use social media, but make sure your posts aren’t too revealing of your location, personal information, and financial status.
Don’t Be Predictable
Adult life carries many responsibilities, and it is very easy to fall into a routine. This can pose a threat to your safety. If someone wanted to hurt you, learning your routine would help them a lot. So, try to shake things up a little bit! Don’t leave home at the same time every day, don’t drink coffee from the same place… Who knows, maybe these minor changes can make your life not just safer but also more interesting!
Learn How To Use Your Cellphone
I know you know how to use your cellphone, but do you know how to use its emergency SOS features? Learn how to speed dial 911 or other emergency numbers. Memorize the numbers of your loved ones so that you can call them quickly. You can also set their contacts as emergency numbers and call them quickly in case you need help. Practice using these features so that you know how to do it if the need arises.
Use GPS Wisely
GPS technologies have made our lives so much easier, but they can also make you vulnerable to some prying eyes. For example, if you have saved your home location on GPS-based apps and devices, someone could figure out where you live. Instead, save your home location as a police station – no criminal will try to go there!
Make Some Noise
This might sound silly, but having a blowhorn nearby could save your life. Imagine someone is trying to hurt you – you blow the horn, and your attacker will probably get confused and start to panic. This will also draw attention to you two, prompting the attacker to let you go.
Non-Lethal Self-Defense
Another great non-lethal self-defense tool is pepper spray. It can incapacitate a dangerous person without injuring them permanently. This will give you enough time to run away to a safer location and even call the police. Learn how to use it, as you don’t want to use it on yourself!
Recognize Scam Calls
Scam calls are becoming increasingly common, and you need to recognize and avoid them. If the caller is unknown, or the caller ID is weird (sometimes, it’s a number from some random country), maybe you shouldn’t answer those calls. If you do, don’t share any personal and sensitive info, as it may be used to steal your money. Also, learn a thing or two about phishing emails.
Staying Safe In All Situations
I hope these tips will help you protect yourself and your loved ones from various dangers. You can never be 100% safe, but staying cautious could minimize the dangers, and maximize your personal safety. Usually, that’s enough :)
