Coffee with Alain discussing how a morning routine can help you start each day off right, and how safety habits allow you to enjoy life safely.

When creating a morning routine, make sure you include those things that will help you start your day off great and achieve your goals and dreams. A few things you might want to consider adding to your morning routine:

As you are creating routines and habits, be sure to include safety habits in your daily activities. These are simple habits that will increase your safety, such as wearing a seatbelt, locking doors, paying attention to exits, and being situationally aware of what is going on around you when you are out and about.

Coffee with Alain discussing life and your success. Why settle for good when great is attainable?

A few encouraging words to get out and make your own goals happen. Don't settle for being average when your goals are above average. Experience more!

Daughter actually met up with a guy at Penn that we saw with a Penn shirt when we were at Disneyworld last summer. It's a small world.

And Enjoy Life Safely, a couple ways to do so, including a little about Active Shooter Response.

Coffee with Alain discussing a crazy night at work in Riverside, CA. Might even be a lesson or two for the observant.

Safety Tip:

When followed, don't lead the person to your home. Go to a public place, preferably a police station. If not a police station, a hospital like I did that night, or a fire station can be a good place to go. People are there 24/7. When this happened, in 1995, we didn't all carry smart phones. It was awareness and recognizing the hospital signs that allowed us to go somewhere safe to call the police. Even though times have changed, and smart phones make it easier to call, situational awareness is still key and more important than ever.

Coffee with Alain discussing a life lesson for success. Also, did you know the government regulates the size of holes in Swiss Cheese?

In 2000 the government issued a new standard under which the minimum size of the holes in grade A Swiss was reduced to three eighths of an inch. Under the old standard, the holes had to be eleven sixteenths to thirteen sixteenths of an inch in diameter. Who says our tax money is wasted?

Sometimes you just have to do it. You might not like it, you might not enjoy it, but you have to do it. Doing it provides the avenue to enjoy the things you want. Like Jocko replied when asked how he gets up so early. Set the alarm and get up when it goes off. Sometimes it really is that easy. Sometimes You Just Have To Do It.

Coffee with Alain discussing items for your car when driving in cold and winter conditions. Phil saw his shadow, so six more weeks of winter.

Here are some items to consider having in your car for winter travel:

Coffee with Alain discussing a few cold weather survival tips from Cody Lundin's book "98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive."

The following is from 98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive by Cody Lundin:

The Cold-Weather Bottom Line

1. Produce heat. Exercise using the body's larger muscle groups (squats); eat calorie-dense foods, especially carbohydrates, frequently throughout the day; create fire in conjunction with space blankets or other reflectors if possible; locate south-facing microclimates for maximal sun exposure; hydrate using warm/hot fluids with dissolved hard candy or other sugars when available.

2. Decrease heat loss. Wear proper clothing especially in the head, neck, and torso areas; replace wet clothing with dry; create or find shelter from the elements; decrease surface area while increasing volume; avoid or insulate the body from cold surfaces.

3. Avoid becoming exhausted (60 percent rule). Working at 60 percent allows the body to burn fat reserves instead of using up glucose and glycogen stores. Get adequate sleep and rest.

4. Reduce internal and external constriction. Avoid ingesting vasoconstricting substances; tight clothing, equipment, and footwear.

5. Stay hydrated. Drink warm to hot liquids if possible; urine should appear "clear."

6. Stay aware of what's happening. Be conservative. Don't take unnecessary chances. Cultivate and maintain a "Party On" attitude.

Coffee with Alain discussing what it means to be prepared.

When preparing for something, whether a hiking or camping trip, a natural disaster, or something else, make sure your preparation includes:

1. Physical preparation: This includes fitness, health and hygiene.

2. Mental preparation: Having self-confidence through planning, training, and skill practice.

3. Materials or Equipment preparation: Have the right equipment accessible, in good working order, and know how to use it.

4. Scenario preparation: Go through scenarios of what might happen to be better prepared for what you would do.

Coffee with Alain discussing how to make every day amazing and how to stay safe doing it.

It's up to each and every one of us to define what an amazing day for us will be, and then to do the things needed to make it amazing. These can be big things or small things, but make every day amazing.

Stay safe while making your day amazing by living with a safety or personal protection mindset and practicing safe habits like I teach. A great way to gain more knowledge on safety is through the resources here at this website. Check out the 101 Safety and Self-Defense Tips books. But don't just read the books or watch the videos, actually put the information into practice. That's how you will stay safe while making each and every day amazing.

Coffee with Alain discussing a philosophical topic and life lesson from The Trial of Billy Jack.

Discussing the fact that we are all going to die. By truly understanding and accepting that, we can become detached from things that are not really that important and we can be more appreciative of everything.

Enjoy Life Safely and Make Every Day Count!

Coffee with Alain discussing safety strategies for when you, or your high school or college age student, are walking city streets or across campus. Learn how to stay safe when out and about.

According to the studies done by Betty Grayson and Morris Stein, predators almost universally chose their victims based on their level of awareness and body language. Essentially, you want to be aware of your surroundings, aware of yourself, and project yourself as a hard target, one predators don't want to mess with.

According to Grayson and Stein, these are some signs of weakness, which makes a person more attractive to a predator:

These are some signs that project someone the predator doesn't want to mess with because riskier for the criminal:

You want your posture and stride to make you look like someone who would be difficult to subdue or who would put up a fight. Be a Hard Target!

Another important consideration is to minimize distractions so you can be more aware of what is going on. Put the cell phone away and don't use headphones. Calling someone when you walk to make you feel more comfortable is not the best option. What can that person do? You are better off putting the phone away and being aware, and if you want something for reassurance, have something in your hand that you can defend yourself with, such as Reflex Protect or another defensive tool.

If you carry a tool for defending yourself, make sure you know how to use the tool (Practice and training are important!) Make sure the tool is accessible. It will do you no good in the bottom of your purse or backpack if you need it immediately. Have it in your hand or easily accessible.

A few more safety tips: