When does it become evident that learning self-protection is in your best interest?

As an instructor in violence prevention strategies I share a common concern with many instructors regarding how few people place their safety as a high priority. You are your #1 priority in life.

So why is it so many choose not to value their personal safety? WHAT? Wait one damn minute! Am I now accusing people? Am I now victim blaming? NO. Do you blame a parent for teaching a child to look left and right before crossing the road? NO, you do not. Why? The parent is simply teaching their child how to be safe in the real world. Ah… now you get it. Self-Protection is taking a proactive approach by empowering others to take responsibility for their own safety. Should we have to? No, but that's life!

Like the child learning how to safely cross the road, learning to protect ourselves from those trying to harm us is also a positive thing. Should a car knock someone down crossing the road, the driver is in many cases at fault, but how does that help the person being knocked down at the time? It doesn’t! If someone is to physically assault another, then they are typically at fault (excluding unintentional violence), but again, how does that help the victim of violence at the time of violence? It doesn’t!

As much as we live in a reactive society and place many higher priorities over the personal safety of ourselves and those we love at times, being reactive to the aftermath of violence is one thing any victim of violence would prefer not to have had to deal with.

Many of us that educate in the field of self-protection, do not educate in this area to become rich. We do what we do, not because people want it, but because it is so desperately needed.

Please remember this. Self-Protection is not about taking a martial art. It is not about what belt colour you may have or how many competitions you have won. It is not about how fit you are or how technically gifted you may be. Self-Protection is about having the knowledge and skills to better identify, avoid and manage situations that can cause you harm. It is a positive thing that faces the realities of life and compliments the many other initiatives around the globe aimed at preventing violence. Does it include the physical defence of self? Of course it does, because that is facing the realities of violence. It shouldn’t happen, but it does!

Food for thought:

One of the biggest reasons people choose NOT to learn self-protection when they have NOT faced violence before, is the belief it will never happen to them. Hopefully it never will, but this is called denial!

One of the biggest reasons people choose TO learn self-protection is because they HAVE either personally faced violence in their life or know someone that HAS.

Predicting the future is not a skill many have, so isn't best to have the skills to protect yourself than not?

As the saying goes you can only lead a horse to water, but you can’t make them drink (No, I'm not calling anyone a horse!). My job is to educate those that see the importance of protecting themselves and those they love from potential harm.

Norton Arts is not in competition with anyone and our courses are always about those that take them. Should you be reading this and are looking for an authentic educator in self-protection, please reach out and I will do my upmost to connect you with someone in your area. This person will be someone that also believes in teaching life-skills versus solely reacting to a physical threat.

Thank you for your time and consideration. May you and those you love never have to face others trying to cause you harm.