MINDSETTING

Your mind is the most important tool in your arsenal. Visualization of yourself in a violent situation prepares you for the real thing because the mind cannot distinguish between real and imagined memories. World-class athletes use visualization as important part of their training.

Discuss

A simple exercise you can do alone, but is more effective with family and loved ones, is to talk about a recent crime in the news, and how you would have dealt with it.

Visualize

Visualize yourself in the situation, with all senses (sight, touch, sound, smell, taste) fully engaged as if you were the victim. The more real and detailed your imagined performance, the better your results will be.

Stimulate Your Mindsetting

Here are few questions to answer when mindsetting and visualizing:

• What could you have been thinking?
• How could you have dealt with fear?
• What could you say?
• How could it have been prevented or de-escalated?
• What possible actions can you have taken?
• What escape routes are available? Where would you go?
• How could you have attacked to stun to escape?
• How will you be injured? How will you act despite injury?

Frequency

As with any skill, you must practice mindsetting frequently to keep them sharp and available. No need to be obsessive about it, but frequent enough to program your mind.

Do it while reading the paper, during idle times such as in the car at a stoplight or in line. Do it while practicing the Color Codes of awareness.

Several Plans

The most important point of this exercise is to have several plans of response already programmed. When you are in a similar situation, you don’t have to think about what to do.

Mindsetting Benefits Others

This process also teaches your children and significant others to think and act for themselves, enhance communication, learning, empowerment, and prepare them for the reality of crime and violence.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

• Books Self-defense books covering the foundation of personal protection and security. Includes recommended books.
• Videos Self-defense DVDs and videos serve as excellent supplemental learning tools as you see self-defense techniques performed.
• Training Live self-defense training from qualified instructors allows more personalized training, technique correction, and practice with partners.
• Information Additional websites that provide self-defense and personal protection information.
• More Articles Read more general self-defense articles from our library.