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Surviving the urban jungle

Having spent a lot of time in both the Urban Jungle and the Great Outdoors, I began to notice some similarities in the way life played out in both.   It is mostly about maintaining an awareness of the environment around you and also thinking ahead to prevent the worst possible case scenario from happening.  

An example of this in the outdoors is making sure I have cold weather gear in case a storm comes in, by thinking ahead I am making sure I don’t get cold and miserable.   When I am out in the city I make sure I always have a little bit of spare cash stashed somewhere in case my cards stop working or my purse gets stolen. I wear my handbag with the zipper or buckle towards my body so that it’s harder for anyone to grab anything out of and I never keep my phone or wallet in my back pocket where it’s easy for someone to snatch.  This way a little bit of prevention and forward thinking means I won’t lose my possessions.

Safety is also a big factor in the outdoors.  I am always looking out for predators and making sure I don’t end up as prey.  Human predators look for the same thing in their victims as animal predators do: an attitude of weakness.   An eagle isn’t going to attack a stalking cat. It will attack a nervous bunny. If you find yourself in a position where you are confronted with a human predator, a show of aggression or something that suggests you are fearless can deter an attack.   A majority of human predators are cowards and bullies and this assertive behaviour may confuse them long enough for you to get away.

Again, prevention and planning can prevent this kind of confrontation even taking place.  Park your car in well-lit areas. If you do need to walk to your car at night, ask for someone to walk with you and drop them back off where they need to be.  We live in a time where being independent is seen as being strong but remember being smart is not being weak and it’s ok to have someone walk you to where you need to be.

If you have to walk alone at night, I find being on the phone helps me.  I know that people say being on the phone can be distracting but if you do it for a reason, then it can be a great safety tool.  Tell the person you are speaking with where you are and what you see, keep describing what is going on and who you see. This will help you focus on potential threats but also means someone knows where you were and what you saw if something does happen to you.  And try to avoid giving eye contact to strangers. Eye contact allows people to feel like they can initiate contact with you, which is great if you are single at a bar but not so good if you are alone on the street after dark.

I love that these attitudes I use to survive extreme situations outside also help to keep me safe and happy in the city.     

 

About the author

Ky Furneaux

Ky Furneaux - Stunt Performer, Survival Expert, Author, TV Host, Motivational Speaker

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