75 Easy Self Defense Tips You and Your Loved Ones Can Do Today!

As we roll toward the end of December, feelings of festivity begin to arise 🎄

Holidays are just around the corner, but something else lurks in the shadows...

Dangers and evil.

While most of us are preparing for Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, criminals are plotting their seasonal activities.

There's never been a better time to refresh on some quick and easy personal safety and self defense reminders.

There are many things we can do, some being simple hacks, others being more mindful changes, that will 100% make us safer in life.

So read on, and pass along these tips to your loved ones so everyone can live a safer life and enjoy the holiday season!

1. Sleep Well - get a full night's rest and you'll be more alert and energetic!
2. Morning Positive Affirmations - empower yourself first thing in the morning with affirmations like "I am enough" ☀️
3. Structured Morning Routine - a healthy breakfast gives you energy for the day!
4. Give Yourself Extra Time - when you are rushing or frazzled, you are an easier target 🎯
5. Have a Personal Belongings Box - near your front door so you don't forget your wallet, keys, or self defense weapons!
6. Prep Your Self Defense Weapons Before You Leave - get comfortable with your personal safety devices 🔦
7. Download Smart Phone Apps for Self Defense - learn about smart apps like panic buttons and GPS tracking apps 📍
8. Be Mindful of Your Attire - rep your own style but always be mindful of the type of attention you'll receive 👚
9. Close and Lock Everything When You Leave - keep your home your safe haven 🏠
10. Smart Home Systems - technology, cameras, sensors, and lights make it easier than ever to deter unwanted guests 📹
11. Smart Door Bell Systems - Ring and other smart door bell systems help monitor your entrance area and deter criminals 🚪
12. Areas for Packages - prevent porch pirates by providing a safe space for couriers to leave packages 📦
13. Observe Your Surroundings - once you leave your home and enter a new environment, take note of your new surroundings!
14. Walk Confidently - confidence can be a big deterrent to assailants 🚶🏼‍♀️
15. Keep Your Head Up While Walking - to demonstrate confidence and to stay alert!
16. Keep Headphone Volume to an Appropriate Level - rock your jams but keep the volume at an appropriate level so you can hear everything from sirens to footsteps 🎧
17. Use Your Peripheral Vision - did you know that you can improve your peripheral vision just by using it more?
18. Make Assertive Eye Contact When Appropriate - make assertive eye contact with low-level threats
19. Avoid Eye Contact When Appropriate - avoid eye contact with unstable threats
20. Keep Your Hands Free - your hands are your first level of defense so keep them available and ready to act 👐
21. Be Aware of Your Surroundings - enjoy the present moment and be aware of surroundings - yes the bad but also the good!
22. Breathe Deeply - breathing deeply and regulating your breath can increase your reaction time, improve hand-eye coordination, and enhance motor skills 🫁
23. Look Behind You - every once in a while look behind you, not only to be aware, but also to reinforce that what you hear and sense is actually what's behind you 👀
24. Be Mindful of Flaunting Expensive Jewelry/Belongings - thieves specifically hunt for targets who are exposing expensive belongings 💎
25. Keep Your Purse/Bag In Front Of Your Body - it will make it harder for a thief to snatch it away 👜
26. Don't Flash Your Wallet in Public - it's all about the Benjamins but be discreet in public 💵
27. Don't Be Glued to Your Phone - a person with their head down and distracted by their screen is a prime target for many crimes 📱
28. Learn How to Speed Walk - casually quickening your pace and taking longer strides, while maintaining your composure, is a great tactic to use if you feel in danger!
29. Cross The Street - nonchalantly crossing the street as if you were on the wrong side can help you escape a dangerous situation or reveal an attacker's true intentions!
30. Change Your Routes - change up your routes so you're not too predictable whether that's your jogging paths, work commute, or dog walking routine!
31. Change Your Times - don't allow potential predators to learn your schedule 📅
32. Walk With Friends or Coworkers - especially when it's dark, late or desolate, try walking together with your friends or coworkers for as long as it's convenient!
33. Be Mindful of Closed Spaces - building vestibules, elevators, narrow hallways and restrooms are close proximity areas that make it easy for a predator to strike 🚻
34. Avoid Desolate Paths - predators scope out desolate areas and paths to look for easy opportunities!
35. Sit at the Front of Buses - sitting near the bus driver is the safest place to be and you'll also be close to the exit 🚌
36. Stay in Subway/Train Cars Where the Conductor is Present - the train conductor can contact authorities immediately, stop the subway, and open/close doors!
37. Stay in Subway/Train Cars with More People - while maintaining distance is important in our current pandemic, being around other people is the safest course of action to prevent danger 🚉
38. Don't Sit or Stand By The Exit Doors if Possible - prevent criminals from grabbing your valuables and running off the subway as the doors close 🚇
39. Lock Doors Immediately Upon Entering Your Car - the first thing you should do when entering your car is secure the entry points and turn your car on!
40. Use Your Mirrors to Stay Alert While Idle - check your mirrors to prevent carjacking or ambushes!
41. Leave Space In Front Of Your Car - your car is a powerful weapon so make sure to leave space in front of your car when stopped at a red light or in traffic so you can escape if danger arises 🚗
42. Don't Drive With Your Ego - there's absolutely nothing to gain from road rage and everything to lose!
43. Hide Anything of Value in Trunk or Floor of Back Seat - this tip can save you a large headache of having to report a theft, replace your property, and have your window fixed!
44. Learn to Identify Odd People/Behavior/Places - abnormal people and places stand out from the norm and should be avoided or at least handled with caution 🥷
45. Update Friends/Family on Whereabouts - share your itinerary, schedule and any changes to plans with family and friends!
46. Update Friends/Family on Dates or Meeting New People - tell your closest family or friends about new dates!
47. Always Meet In Public Spaces - if you're meeting up with people from online dating or other virtual spaces, always meet in a public setting 🏬
48. Power in Numbers - groups of people and numbers deters predators so adopt a herd mentality 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
49. Ignore As Necessary - if the person does not pose a physical threat, simply ignore them!
50. Verbally Deter As Necessary - if the person poses a potential physical threat like they are blocking your path, verbally defending yourself by speaking assertively may help deter them!
51. De-Escalate - if a situation has become dangerous, try to de-escalate it before confronting it!
52. Just Walk Away - there are some situations where your pride may take a hit but it's best to just walk away 🚶🏿‍♀️
53. Speak Assertively - speaking assertively, loudly, and clearly conveys confidence, power, and self-respect and can discourage aggressors!
54. Use Hand Gestures - using hand gestures communicates dominance and power which can discourage aggressors 🙋‍♀️
55. Fake Phone Call - a potential victim on the phone may deter a predator from attacking since the person on the phone can call for help 📞
56. Ask For Help - most people will help you or try to help you if you ask for it!
57. Be Sociable When Necessary - if you're traveling alone or performing solo activities, try to be sociable as this can help create a footprint of where you've been, what you were doing, what you're mood was, and who you were with 👨‍👩‍👦
58. Keep Your Self Defense Weapons Handy - whether that's in your bag, in your pocket, or on your hand, make sure that you know where your self defense weapons are and that they're accessible!
59. Keep Distance - maintaining distance from a potential threat is your friend in a dangerous situation whether that means crossing the street or telling them to not get any closer 🙅
60. Comply - if a burglar tells you to lie face down on the ground while they steal belongings, that will oftentimes be better than resisting and putting up a fight!
61. Relinquish Belongings - your life is worth more than your phone, wallet, purse, or car 👛
62. Appease - sometimes giving in and doing what the predator requests is better than resisting and losing your life but only you can make that decision!
63. Lie - nothing's off the table in a life or death situation, so lying about the police being on their way or anything that may help you escape the situation is acceptable 🚓
64. Act Crazy - predators prey on people who are easy targets and the last thing they want is for someone who is as crazy as they are!
65. Yell For People to Call Police - many people get a "deer in headlights" reaction when something dangerous happens, so verbally instructing them to call the police is a great solution 👮‍♀️
66. Use Your Environment and Objects in Your Environment - find objects that can be used as weapons, hide behind partitions, lock doors, and use whatever you can to escape the situation!
67. Fight Dirty - nails, eyes, sharp weapons... they're all on the table in a life or death situation 🍴
68. Know How to Punch - your arms and hands are one of your first lines of defense against an aggressor and learning how to deliver a strong, accurate punch is very easy to do in a self defense class. Click here to read about our Top 10 Best Self Defense Classes for Women 👊
69. Know How to Kick - your feet and legs are one of your strongest lines of defense in an attack. You can learn to deliver strong and fast kicks within the first month or two of taking a martial arts class 🦵🏼
70. Know Where to Punch - aim for the eyes, throat, or general face area 👁️
71. Know Where to Kick - aim for the groin and crotch area!
72. Know How to Use Your Self Defense Weapons Effectively - practice punching with your self defense ring and test your pepper spray by shooting it on the ground 💍
73. Run - escape a dangerous situation by running towards bystanders who can help or a secure space 🏃
74. Never Let An Attacker Kidnap You - once a victim is kidnapped, the chances of survival are dramatically decreased!
75. Fake Defeat - faking defeat or death can sometimes trick a predator into thinking you are no longer a threat, which is when you can escape 🪟

If you're taking one single thing away from this article, and all of our resources on self defense, it's this: don't be an easy target. Predators and criminals rarely want a challenge - they want easy marks. By making yourself more aware and more challenging, there's a greater chance they will pass you up for an easier victim.

While memorizing and internalizing all 75 reminders will take time, if you are mindful of your personal safety, you will be ahead of the game. And that's all it takes sometimes to escape danger - being one step ahead.

If you have any quick, easy reminders we forgot to add, please drop us a comment below!

Stay safe during the holidays!