The term "self-defense" is anything but warm and fuzzy though vital to know something about, even if it's only a little something. Amazingly enough, just knowing a little something can literally save your life or that of a loved one. This topic is extremely important for women because we tend to be the safety advocates for our families, friends and workplaces.

Self-Defense sounds like it has to do with defending ourselves from someone who is physically attacking us, doesn't it? The fact is, there are types of attacks we endure every day without notice. These wear us down until we physically appear to be good targets for physical attack, but physical attack is not where it starts.

I think January being National Personal Self-Defense Awareness Month is brilliant! It is a time for reflection and revisions and what could be a better time to learn to respect ourselves? The non-physical types of attack are verbal, mental and emotional. So, January, with it's renewal and new beginnings, is a perfect time to say, "Yes," to ourselves; "Yes," to our self-esteem; "Yes," to our self-awareness and "Yes," to our self-respect; improving both our mental and emotional well-being; while simultaneously repelling would-be attackers of all types, even physical!

Did you know that approximately 95% of crime can be easily prevented? And as a survivor of rape and domestic violence myself, I know that prevention is much easier than recovery.

So where do I begin for a safer 2009?

• You begin on the inside - How do you feel about yourself? Do you feel confident that you are just as good as anyone else or do you feel that other people are better than you?
• Then you look at people in your life - Who seems to weaken you when you spend time with them? Who strengthens you? Who is present when you feel best about yourself?
• Now look at how you treat yourself - Do you say "No," to others when appropriate and realize you're saying "Yes," to yourself? Or do you beat yourself up if you don't help everyone who asks?

That is where you begin for a Safer 2009. Stay tuned, as I go into more detail of where to go from here and you will notice improvements in all aspects of your life when you put these tips into action!

So...self-defense can warm and fuzzy once you learn what it really means and how to use it to your advantage; not just against someone else. The idea is to become so strong mentally and emotionally that no one can tear you down into exhibiting weak body language, the most common "visual" attackers use to select victims.