Confidence Matters!

Along with the physical tools that we teach in our trainings, KickStart Self-Defense emphasizes the importance of confidence in warding off attack. Walking with our head up and our shoulders back, making eye contact as we pass others, and setting boundaries quickly and firmly can all help to dissuade a potential attacker. It sends the message that we are ready, willing and able to defend ourselves if needed. Most attackers don't want a fight; they want an easy victim. I asked one of our lead instructors, a police investigator, if he knew of any statistics about the role of confidence in decreasing sexual and physical assault. What he said stayed with me: "It's really hard to measure an attack that never happened due to a person's confident demeanor."

This is not to suggest that projecting confidence will always prevent an attack, just as we can't guarantee that self-defense training will keep us safe. But it's such an easy tool. Stand tall, make eye contact, use a firm voice and walk with confidence. It's simple enough to remember, and it may just be the thing that keeps us safe!