What do burglaries, assaults, murders, rapes, kidnappings, armed robberies, road rage, domestic disputes, angry confrontation, harassment, stalking, and other crimes have in common?  It can be summed up with three words:

Somebody Else’s Problem (SEP)

Let’s face it, that’s what most of us think.  Bad things happen to other people because “it couldn’t happen here” or “we live in a safe neighborhood” or some other rationalization.  That is, until it happens to us or somebody we know, then the problem quickly becomes real.

If you’re not prepared, when SEP suddenly becomes YOUR problem, it could end badly.

The first step in dealing with this mindset is to change it.  Don’t think that somebody else isn’t going to help you, prepare to help yourself instead.  This can take many forms but the most important action is to become more observant and develop situational awareness.  More than any other tool, the human mind is the most valuable one for dealing with a wide range of scenarios.  Train your mind and you will go a long way towards becoming your own first responder.