Thanks for joining us for part two of our series on holiday travel and self defense. When it comes to personal safety, many holiday travelers should be putting a lot of thought into this, especially if you’re taking off to a strange and far away place.

If you’re just now joining us, part one discussed many tips on how you should go about keeping yourself and your loved ones safe. This included being smart and how to use a selfie stick as a weapon. Want to read part one? Click here to jump back. In today’s post we are going to focus more on the mental game and how you can diffuse situations and protect yourself just with body language and confidence. If you’re tired of the standard karate classes in Raleigh NC, step out of the box and call Gracie. You’ll love our complete MMA, BJJ, and muay thai programs.

Self Defense Tips for Holiday Travel

Just Smile – A strong piece of traveling advice we can give you is to always try to travel with a smile. This makes you appear friendly and non-threatening. Furthermore, smiling at people will often get those scary looking people to smile back. You’ll also notice that people will be a lot nicer to you, in general, when you smile at them instead of looking pissed off or angry.

However, be careful with the way that you smile. Smiling the wrong way could make you into a bigger target. Do not smile in a way that makes you look lost, scared, or in ways that suggest you might be offering certain services. Just look friendly and confident and smile naturally.

Use Your Voice – Words have power, and so does your tone. When we say use your voice, we’re not talking about screaming, yelling, or calling for help. What we are referring to is using your voice as way to gain respect from people so they will not mess with you.

Here’s an example. Say you’re walking down the street and two men approach. Do you turn and run or walk past them and hope they do not speak to you? What you should do is speak first. Being first gives you power. So instead of waiting for them speak, acknowledge them and just give a friendly “Hey guys, how’s it going today?” in a loud and confident voice and keep walking.

Speaking first, confidently, shows that you are in charge of your surroundings and not scared by the situation. This will make you appear to be an unworthy target and not easily harassed.

Be Confident – This might be your best weapon for self defense when traveling this holiday season, or anytime for that matter. Always carry yourself with confidence. This means walking with your head held high, shoulders back and chest out. Act as if you believe in yourself and that you belong wherever you are. Few people will ever mess with you.

You Belong – When you travel, do your best to fit in. Walk with a purpose and avoid constantly breaking out the big tourist map. Do not walk slow and turn your head a million times to stare at each building and tree. Act like you know where you’re going and that you belong, even if you do not. If you have to stop and get directions, find a policeman, church, or busy business owner.

Tired of Karate Classes in Raleigh? Call Gracie for a New Challenge!

If you’re interested in learning self defense then please call Gracie Raleigh today. Even though we do not offer traditional karate classes in Raleigh for self defense, we are the best jiu jitsu and muay thai gym in the Triangle! Training at Gracie Raleigh will help you build up your confidence by learning the right techniques that will work in real self defense situations. You’ll love the fact that you’ll always be able to defend yourself, and your loved ones, from attackers without a firearm. We even offer free classes for beginners so you can try without worrying about a commitment. For more information, please call us today!