Every year, people make New Year’s Resolutions, a tradition that dates back to 46 B.C. Yes, you read that right. The tradition began when the Romans adopted the Babylonian new year, along with the practice of making resolutions or goals for the coming year. In 46 B. C., January 1st was made the beginning of the new year, and this was followed by making promises or resolutions.
New Year, New SKILLSETS
New Year’s resolutions are meant to improve ourselves and help us to be better people all around. Have you considered other types of resolutions? What ones will help you be safe in the new year? Why not resolve to be more vigilant in the new year, along with any other goals you may have?
Being vigilant and remaining situationally aware at all times is one of the best ways to start the new year.
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Here is a list of tactical and vigilant resolutions to consider adding to your New Year’s Resolution list.
Amp Up Home Security
Do you have enough home security? We live in uncertain times, and at the very least, you can protect your home. Home security doesn’t have to cost a ton of money or be a crazy setup. Home security can be as simple as locking your vehicle doors, locking windows at night or when you are not home, installing adequate outdoor lighting, setting timers when you are away, and installing easy-to-use security cameras that stream right to your phone.
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Some of these suggestions may sound like common sense, but you would be surprised how many people do not practice these home security measures. As many as 30 percent of drivers leave their car doors unlocked. That is an outstanding number; locking a vehicle door can be the difference between a stolen car and nothing happening at all. If you don’t already, make it a habit to lock your vehicles, ensure there are no valuables inside, and secure all windows.
Take a Self-Defense Class
Being able to protect yourself is one of the best skills to have in life. By taking a self-defense class, whether it’s a martial arts class or a general self-defense class, developing that skill may end up saving your life.
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Have you already taken one? You may want to consider taking another one, especially if it has been a while. The best way to keep those skills sharp is to practice them. Hopefully, you never have to practice them outside of the class itself, but by taking a class or even being part of a martial arts program where you can practice often, you can keep those skills honed in and be ready for whatever comes your way.
Brush Up on Your Firearm Skills
Knowing how to safely and properly handle a firearm is important. Hopefully, you never find yourself in a gunfight, but if you choose to have a CCW, it is important to be familiar with your firearm and to practice safe habits with it. In addition, if you are a hunter or an avid hiker who carries a firearm, it is equally important to be familiar with your chosen firearm and to use it safely at all times. Be sure you know how your firearm works, go target shooting to make sure you are comfortable with it, and understand its safety features. A large part of firearm handling is being safe with it as well.
Practice Self-Awareness
Many people are unaware of themselves and their surroundings. This is a skill that can be easily learned and will eventually become so ingrained that you won’t even think about it. Being self-aware combines situational awareness with being aware of your own actions. For instance, you can avoid theft by taking precautions and avoiding announcing personal information in public. Another way to be self-aware and avoid potential theft is to use your debit card only in certain places and to ensure no one can see you punch in your PIN.
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Again, these may seem like obvious ways to stay vigilant, but the truth is that too many people do not stop to consider taking small precautions that could prevent big consequences. It is also a good idea to consider keeping your debit and credit cards in protective sleeves that block RIFD Radio Frequency Identification. These are designed to protect your card from thieves who use digital scanners to read and retrieve card information. It is another small step that can help avoid large consequences.
Practice Situational Awareness
Self-awareness and situational awareness go hand in hand. However, when you practice both skills, you will be most vigilant. Situationally awareness refers to being aware of what is going on around you, who is around you, and how they are behaving. If you have a gut feeling that something about a person or situation is wrong, remove yourself from the situation and get to a safe place.
When you remain self-aware, guard your own actions, and pay attention to your surroundings, that is the best combination for staying vigilant. If you do not already practice situational awareness, make that one of your tactical resolutions this year. It is easy to practice, and once you have this skill down, it will become second nature. Start now by testing yourself in public places.
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For instance, next time you are in line at the grocery store, ask yourself where the exits are, who is in front of you or behind you, what is in their cart, and what they are wearing. Taking mental notes of these types of observations can help your mind to automatically do this in any situation. You already practice situational awareness and self-awareness while you drive.
Learn to Read Body Language
Reading body language is another great way to stay tactical and vigilant. It should be noted that body language should never be used to detect deception or pinpoint truth, but it can be used to navigate a conversation or provide a glimpse into what someone may be thinking. By observing the body language of people you interact with, you can get an idea of how a conversation is going, how they are feeling, or how they may react to a particular circumstance.
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How can reading body language be a tactical skill? Paying attention to how people are acting or reacting can help you avoid a dangerous incident, de-escalate a situation, or navigate a conversation better.
Practice Active Listening
There are great books to reference regarding this subject. For instance, former FBI Agent Joe Narvarro has numerous books that help sharpen, understand, and practice this skill. Active listening is a skill everyone needs to sharpen. Especially with the increase of social media use, busy schedules, and other life distractions, active listening is a skill that can also help you stay aware of your surroundings and what is going on; active listening, combined with body language, makes a great combination for a skill you can use in any situation. Active listening requires hearing the words someone is saying, listening to the emotion behind those words, and the tone of the situation, all at the same time.
In a tactical sense, if you encounter someone who is agitated and may not be outwardly threatening, but you begin to hear particular words, emotions, or notice their tone change, it would behoove you to remain vigilant and remove yourself from the situation.
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Take Up a New Tactical Hobby
Chances are, if you are reading this, you have at least one hobby that may be considered tactical. However, if you are a firearm enthusiast but are not an avid hunter, you may want to consider taking up hunting and learning the ins and outs of animal cleaning and preparation. If there is a tactical hobby you have not added to your list of skills, do so! The more familiar you are with these types of hobbies, the more you can have peace of mind.
If you are a hiker who does well on a trail off the beaten path but has not honed your navigation skills, that would be another tactical hobby to take up. And if you already practice several or all tactical hobbies, figure out which one of them you need to sharpen and make it your resolution to get better at the skills you already have.
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Set Up Your Family for Survival Success
Finally, make it your New Year’s resolution to get your family on board with tactical, practical, and vigilant living. Resolve to teach your loved ones what to do in certain situations and how to remain low risk when it comes to danger, and highly efficient when it comes to survival skills. Setting up your family for successful tactical living is one of the best resolutions you can make. Happy New Year!
