S7-E155: Training in the Levels of Mental Awareness - a podcast by Heidi Lyn Rao

Situational awareness is keeping your head on a swivel, checking, and assessing your surroundings at all times. You never want to be in a position where your "guard" is let down, making you a "soft target" and not being mentally or physically prepared for a potential attack or encounter. It is important to know the four levels of awareness:

UNAWAREAWARE

ALERTALARM


Unaware: These are the people who are so distracted, head down and eyes glued to their phones, they walk into poles or fall down steps because they have no idea what is going on around them.Aware: This is the state we need to be in at all times. You are conscious of your surroundings, know who and what is around you, and have your "head in the game."

Alert: Now you are in a heightened state of awareness, identifying a potential threat or multiple threatsAlarm: At the level of alarm, the potential threat is now a real threat to the intended victim’s physical safety. Whatever action you had planned in the alert level - now must be implemented. It is best to avoid, if possible, a potentially violent situation once we become ALERTED.

Just as it is important to recognize these four levels of awareness, it is equally as important to TRAIN in these levels. Start visualizing your day, before you even leave your home. Mentally walk through your events and consider alternative options, looking for a secondary exit in a building or restaurant, and how you are going to get from point A to point B. Training through visualization is important to practice every day. Get out of the mindset "IF xxx happens, THEN I will do xxx. Rather, start thinking WHEN xxx happens, THEN I will do xxx.Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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