Manage Fear for Self-Defense

An important topic of self defense

In this article, we’ll cover a crucial element of personal protection which is: Fear. You’ll also learn how to manage your fear during a self-defense situation.

Fear is your ally

At least, that’s what neuroscientists and experts on violent behavior always tell us. I sincerely agree, but with a couple of reservations:

Fear is indeed very useful most of the time. When we are afraid of something, a fight-or-flight response is triggered to get out of whatever dangerous situation we are in.

Absence of fear means that you don’t understand the danger and shouldn’t be trusted to deal with it.

Self-defense doesn’t teach you to be fearless, but to act the right way when scared and not to become overwhelmed by your own frightened mind.

Self-defense also teaches you to recognize danger, and thus avoid it

And so, does this following book… Very well, I might add!

“The Gift of Fear” (ad) gives you the tools to predict the impending danger with some certainty. Don’t freak out just because your date gets pushy, or there’s a stranger in a dark alley, or someone talks to you in an empty parking lot.

The world is filled with perpetually scared individuals who are overly suspicious of others, and blissful souls who are too trusting towards those who don’t deserve it.

As students and teachers of self-defense, we have to be neither.

But how can you learn to recognize it when someone really means you harm, apart from trial and error, which is often not an option?

Exercise common sense. And also, learn more on fear.

Make your fear work for you!

Self-defense is all about being prepared (ad), and even though knowing HOW to fight is useful, it’s knowing WHEN to do it that makes the difference!

Learn to recognize the threat before it becomes apparent, but don’t give in to paranoia. After all, that’s what being rational is all about; walking the fine line between blind trust and equally blind, sweeping distrust.

==> This book on fear management (ad) can teach you all of this and more.

From it, you will learn to distinguish a potentially dangerous situation from simply an uncomfortable one, to see past your fear and into other people’s actions towards you.

This way, you will always be prepared and know what to expect from others; this is definitely the most useful self-defense skill to have!

To wrap things up, “The Gift of Fear” is a curious read, it is a great lesson in human behavior, taught by someone who definitely knows their stuff.

It will not give you telepathic powers, but it will definitely reduce the occasions of irrational fear and suspicion in contacts with people and in situations when you’d rather retain a clear head.

This alone is worth the time and money you will invest in this great fear management book! Give it an honest try, and see how the newfound knowledge will change your vision of people and their behavior.

Don’t deny your fear, use it to your advantage!