If you want to go out and enjoy life safely, like I encourage, you will most likely end up dealing with crowds. And even if your enjoyment is heading to the mountains were there are few people, you will still most likely be dealing with crowds at times because that’s just a part of life these days. In our fast paced lives, crowds are just about everywhere these days. Times are different than they used to be, and for some, these increasing crowds can be unsettling or scary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That’s easy to understand when we are bombarded with angry protesters, riots, active shooters, bombings, natural disasters, and vehicle attacks, all involving crowds of people being injured and killed, constantly in our news media. I can understand why some people choose to never go places where there are crowds of people. And that’s sad, because it is limiting what those people do, and they will miss out on some things that they might otherwise really enjoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want you to always be aware when you are out and about, especially in crowds, and take basic precautions, but I don’t want fear to keep you from enjoying life, or from your basic daily life activities. Here are a few strategies that can help you stay safe in crowds when things become dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leave at First Signs Something is Not Right.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n At the first sign of danger, leave the area immediately. This might seem obvious, but too many people rubber neck to get a better view to see what is happening, or worse these days, pull out their phones to video the ruckus. Getting to safety is much more important than seeing what’s going on or getting a video clip for YouTube. Especially if you are with others and are responsible for their safety too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This means pay attention to your “gut” feelings or intuition. If you have a feeling that trouble is brewing and something bad may happen, listen to those feelings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remain Calm.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With any dangerous situation, or in any emergency, keeping your cool and remaining calm will help you get through it easier. And yes, this is easier said than done for some. Your adrenaline and survival instincts kick in, and you will need to remember to breathe. This is why I teach Combat Breathing (Sometimes called box breathing) in all of my programs, and wrote about it in “Survive A Shooting.” This will help you remain calm and do what you need to in order to survive. Breath in for a count of four, hold for a count of four, breath out for a count of four, and hold for a count of four. Repeat, repeat, repeat… Practice this breathing so you can use it when you need to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n