Hi friends,
Wow! Who knew so many of you had bald eagles in your area! I loved hearing your stories about them. Thanks to:
Scott in Wisconson
Bre in Michigan
Karl near Arkansas River
Lynne in Kansas
I think it’s pretty cool that the eagles are making such a comeback. 🙂
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Your Voice as Self-Defense: Tip #14
This is a great self-defense tip for those who may feel shy and unsure of themselves. It doesn’t require any special skills and is easy to practice. Plus, if you can learn to project confidence when you speak, you can divert an attacker before the attack even happens.
You’ve probably all seen some type of karate practice where the students let out loud “kiai” cries as they punch and kick.
This yell serves a few purposes:
- helps them hit harder
- tightens their core muscles to protect against getting hit
- can intimidate their opponents
When I teach self-defense seminars, the girls and women often think it’s a bit silly to let out a karate yell. I remember a fit of giggling when I tried teaching a ‘kaia’ to a group of teenage girls.
So, we picked a compromise: a short direct phrase that lets an attacker know that you’re serious. Here are a few of their favorites:
- Back off!
- Jerk!
- No!
Pick one you like and practice it in the mirror. Meet the attacker’s eyes and bark out the command with as much force as possible.
You can combine the command with a strike if someone has already grabbed or attacked you. Or you can preempt an attack before it happens.
Example scenario: Heading to your car after a movie, you notice a man watching you from a bench. After you walk by, he stands and begins to follow you. You stop and turn to face him. He meets your gaze and you feel threatened. You quickly figure out the best path to get around him and back to the crowded movie theater.
Meeting his eyes, you lift up one hand and tell him to, “Back off!”
He looks startled, and his eyes go wide as he stops. He mumbles something and then with a shrug, he shakes his head and walks away.
Keeping an eye on your surroundings, you hurry back to the theatre and ask someone to accompany you to your car.
A confident voice and demeanor can discourage an attacker before he engages.
Stay safe out there and I hope you’re enjoying your summer!
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Misty’s Writing Update:
This week I dug into Amazon and Bookbub to find a bunch of authors who write similar post-apocalyptic fiction so I could send advertising to their readers.
I also brushed up on some of my image creation skills – thanks to my graphic design daughter – and designed a handful of advertising images. Hopefully they’ll grab people’s attention!
It’s quite a different skill set compared to the author side of the business.
It draws on my inner marketing and business persona, which I also enjoy.
So, we’ll see how well I can pull it off. In any case, I’m always learning!
Happy reading this week!
— Misty 🙂
P.S. If you’re on Bookbub, click below to follow me so you’ll be notified when my new books come out:
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