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Awareness helps everyone, not just you

Beyond the Self Defense Tweets:
Taken randomly from my self defense tweets on Twitter.  I write super-short blog posts to go Beyond the Tweet, chosen from the archives.

The Tweet:be-aware

Vigilance Tip #13: More awareness by all makes criminals run. Your awareness could save a life & you wouldn’t know it.

Beyond the Tweet:

As I wrote about last summer, my husband’s intuition once made him look twice at a nondescript man standing outside a grocery store. My husband’s Inner Warrior told him, “Something is wrong.” Pausing to understand the arrival of this thought, my husband noticed a predatory –– not lustful –– look on the man’s face as he watched two young teenage girls strolling down the street.

The man seemed to be idling, perhaps to follow them at a distance. Suddenly the man felt my husband watching him, and turned to see who was there. My husband eyed the man as if to say, “I see who and what you are, and you better get the heck out of here.” No words were exchanged, but the man slunk out of there as if beaten and embarrassed.

When more of us are alert, aware, and assessing our environment, it’s like shining a light on cockroaches. Criminals tend to avoid scrutiny and scurry away — making it safer for all of us.


Lori Hoeck

Want to discover more on physical, mental, or emotional self defense? My most recent articles and blog posts can be found by clicking here.

I tweet here @LoriHoeck.

Photo: Gemma Longman

Comments on this entry are closed.

  • Barbara Swafford December 13, 2009, 4:22 am

    Hi Lori,

    This is so powerful. I find it amazing how just by the way we look at a person, we can send them a message.

    The look your husband gave that man undoubtedly saved those girls from “something”.

  • Lori Hoeck December 13, 2009, 10:11 am

    Hi Barbara,
    I’m sure glad he was there that day, too!

    I’ve noticed the “predatory” look in others as it was directed at someone else, and put on cop body language, including the “move along” eye contact, to mess with them. It’s quite empowering. (Just make sure you are safe when doing this.)

  • Betsy Wuebker December 13, 2009, 6:04 pm

    Hi Lori – A friend of mine’s husband noticed something similar happening at one our girls’ fastpitch games. I can’t remember now if it was a spectator or a coach, but I can remember feeling so grateful that Dad was alert. It makes me so angry when innocence is threatened. Thanks.

  • Lori Hoeck December 13, 2009, 8:35 pm

    Hi Betsy,
    It makes me angry, too, especially if people turn a blind eye to it when they can do something instead.

  • Davina December 14, 2009, 2:21 am

    Hi Lori.
    Eye contact is powerful isn’t it? I remember reading somewhere… maybe even here… that just making eye contact with someone you feel is following you and/or speaking directly to them will discourage an attack.

  • Lori Hoeck December 14, 2009, 12:16 pm

    Hi Davina,
    Eye contact can be powerful, and can be a last resort in the situation you mention. When facing serious criminals, perhaps as a prisoner of some escaped convicts, eye contact isn’t your best weapon. That’s the thing about self defense, it is as fluid as any relationship or situation.

  • Walter December 16, 2009, 11:08 pm

    Awareness is inherent in all of us. The only problem is we don’t exercise it in out everyday existence. If we only learn to use this gift, then we could see more. 🙂