Stop Overriding Your Instinct & Start Trusting Your Gut
Have you ever been out running errands, caught up in your own thoughts, when something suddenly interrupts those thoughts and jolts your attention right back to the present?
It could be a person, or a situation. Maybe you’ve just finished shopping. You’re tired, and as you walk into the parking lot, you get the feeling that something isn’t right. You feel that cold chill when the hair on the back of your neck stands on end, and your focus immediately shifts to a person walking toward you.
That feeling is your instinct! And it’s warning you! Author Gavin deBecker’s book The Gift of Fear makes the point that when something just isn’t right, trust your gut! Asking yourself what it noticed that you didn’t could keep you from getting robbed, taken advantage of…it might even save your life!
But there’s a catch! Many of us – especially women – ignore those warnings. We’ve been taught that we need to be nice. Be polite. We tell ourselves “Oh, it’s nothing” or, “Oh, they look OK,” and we decide to just ignore the warning bells and go back to whatever we were doing.
When we do this, we are overriding our most effective personal safety system. It’s like seeing the “do not walk” sign at a crosswalk but stepping out into traffic anyway!
Our survival instinct has been honed over centuries (which is why we’re still here!). Though we may not be fending off wild animals in our daily life, there are other, human predators that we do need to protect ourselves from. How can we practice trusting our gut in everyday situations to prevent being taken advantage of, and to help us avoid physical danger?
Let’s start with the person you noticed in the parking lot who gave you the creeps from 5 cars away. Now they’re walking directly toward you and getting a little too close for comfort.
• Make eye contact. This takes away the element of surprise that criminals prefer. It also shows, “I see you. I can identify you.”
• Use confident body language. Even if you’re scared, throw your shoulders back, pick your head up, and walk with confidence. Have your hands out of your pockets (just in case physical defense becomes necessary).
• Move away. Go back into the store if you’re close to the door. Already walking in an aisle? Cross to the other side. If they follow you, get vocal. Get loud. Be the crazy lady! “STOP!” “GET BACK!” There’s nothing that stops a potential criminal like drawing attention to what they’re doing.
For many of us, identifying potential danger isn’t the problem. Doing something proactive about it, and not ignoring the red flags is the issue. When we identify a problem, we have the opportunity to either avoid it, or respond in a way to (hopefully) keep things from escalating.
A teacher once told me, practice doesn’t make perfect, practice makes permanent! Practice trusting your gut. Whether it says you’re hungry, or tells you there’s a problem ahead, your gut is looking out for you. Be safe out there!
In late 2016, after reading about a spate of vicious attacks, Dawn Armstrong realized that a lack of situational awareness was contributing to people getting hurt and even killed. Something needed to change. Combining her expertise in martial arts, big city life skills and a career in creative marketing, Dawn founded ThinkSafe Seminars.
Having experienced sexual assault early in life, Dawn focuses on preventing violence by equipping people of all ages and genders with specific situational awareness skills, conflict management strategies and basic “Stun & Run” physical defenses.
A 3rd Degree Black Belt, Dawn began her martial arts journey while studying at Syracuse University. Her career in marketing and business development taught her how to relate and respond to a wide variety of people and situations.
Soon after creating ThinkSafe Seminars, the #MeToo movement went viral and Dawn knew her message and training were more important than ever.
Dawn lives in Tucson, AZ and is looking forward to traveling and exploring new places with her family (as soon as it’s safe). Contact her here: Dawn@ThinkSafeSeminars.com Website: www.ThinkSafeSeminars.com
