I've been cultivating and practicing personal awareness to include a broader general situational awareness for years. I've been studying building layouts that I'm in, noting the closest exits, and sitting with my back to the wall everywhere I go.
More and more lately, for the last 5 years at least, I've been paying attention to the people around me and sizing them up, trying to determine who might pose a threat. Walmart will keep your neck on a swivel if you are practicing situational awareness like this. I've only encountered a few times over my whole life where there was a threat that I picked up on and avoided. It probably saved my ass a few times.
For example . . . When I first moved out into the woods, I quickly acquired a fear and respect for the trees all around me. I was down the road visiting a friend who lived on a lot with many very old, very large, white pines. We were outside near his shed. I was outside the shed by about three or four feet facing it and he was just outside at the doorway facing me. He was just joking about how jumpy I was earlier when I got there. We both heard a loud cracking and before either of us had time to look up, I had already jumped out of the way before a big limb came down between us. My buddy had to lean back to avoid getting hit because he looked up before reacting, I jumped instinctively. I was very aware of the danger of old trees, esp. white pine, and that awareness saved me that day when my buddy who laughed at me nearly got killed.
More and more lately, for the last 5 years at least, I've been paying attention to the people around me and sizing them up, trying to determine who might pose a threat. Walmart will keep your neck on a swivel if you are practicing situational awareness like this. I've only encountered a few times over my whole life where there was a threat that I picked up on and avoided. It probably saved my ass a few times.
For example . . . When I first moved out into the woods, I quickly acquired a fear and respect for the trees all around me. I was down the road visiting a friend who lived on a lot with many very old, very large, white pines. We were outside near his shed. I was outside the shed by about three or four feet facing it and he was just outside at the doorway facing me. He was just joking about how jumpy I was earlier when I got there. We both heard a loud cracking and before either of us had time to look up, I had already jumped out of the way before a big limb came down between us. My buddy had to lean back to avoid getting hit because he looked up before reacting, I jumped instinctively. I was very aware of the danger of old trees, esp. white pine, and that awareness saved me that day when my buddy who laughed at me nearly got killed.
A trail goes two ways and looks different in each direction - There is no such thing as a timid woodland creature - Whatever does not kill you leaves you a survivor - Jesus is NOT a bad word - MSB