Self defense starts with self awareness. You should always be conscious of what's happening around you. Let's say you are out for your daily exercise walk. I try to walk for twenty minutes during my lunch break from work. I work for a large medical center that advocates this activity by mapping out indoor routes, through the various hallways, tunnels and building connections complete with mileage. If I'm walking indoors due to adverse weather (which is 75% of the time here in the upper Midwest) I do wear my MP3 player. When walking outdoors I never wear my MP3 player. Not only does it block my sense of hearing, but the wires dangling from my ears only broadcasts anyone who is interested that I am essentially deaf. Go ahead and sneak up behind me, pull the van up to the curb and hop out to abduct me.

You could walk with a buddy. Some people find that this helps to keep them on track with their exercise program. I've always felt that if two people are walking together, one of them is not walking to their full aerobic potential, but it is safer. You could walk the dog. This would also be safer, whether it's a small barking dog or a huge intimidating dog. I do, however know of cases where the dog is found later, wandering after the walker goes missing.

So, we're walking alone, outside, no dog, and no MP3 player. Keep your eyes moving. Look at everything. This should become habit. Don't look at the ground as you walk unless you are walking on rough terrain, then just glance down, then back to scanning. Perpetrators are looking for victims with low self esteem, which may be demonstrated by keeping their eyes down. Listen. Hopefully you'll hear bird chirping, a breeze blowing through the trees, perhaps children laughing. Be aware of vehicles driving on the street- are they slowing down as they approach you? Do you hear footsteps? If you hear these last two things turn and look at them. Assess the situation- don't be shy. You have the right to know what's happening around you.

Someone approaches you walking on the sidewalk. They are probably just out walking also. Make eye contact with them. Don't stare at them, they may find that confrontational-- just what we want to avoid. I like to give them the "tight smile" and if I feel real friendly, even a quick nod. If they say, "Hey", I say, "hey"-- then I look away. They should anticipate that at my pace I'm walking for exercise-- no time to chat. That should be the end of it. It someone is running toward me, in front or behind, I cross the street. If they follow-- either the walker or the runner-- it may be time to exercise some techniques. I know many techniques, I teach them, and I practice them. I am confident that I could defend myself against one or two perpetrators.

I think everyone should have a self defense plan. Studying a martial art can be helpful, some more than others. At the very least being a martial artist can help build fitness, discipline and self esteem. Some martial arts are more sport and some purely self defense. Knowledge of pressure points is also useful; there are a lot of them.

Should you carry weapons? I wouldn't carry a weapon I wasn't proficient with and willing to use. Make sure you know that you would use it if confronted! If you carry a weapon and it is taken from you, it will be used against you! A personal alarm is a handy item to have. They emit a squealing sound of up to 130 decibels- enough to be heard up to a quarter mile away. Because the bad guy does not want the added attention, this is probably enough of a deterrent to chase him away without being something that could be used against you. Have it ready to use, though. It's not any good to floating down in the black hole of the bottom of your purse! Some of these personal alarms can also be used on door knobs and used for home security as well.

Self awareness and preparedness are the essence of self defense for all occasions. In a perfect world we would not have to worry about this. This is not a perfect world.