beBetter 

“I thought I was cool and knew my abbreviations but you’re proving me wrong!”  “#IDKWTHTI” “What does #YSL mean?” “Man, the millennial here is trying to figure out #WTH #YSL means? Ha!” “What is #YSL?” “I’m GenX so I’m googling your #... ha”; “Don’t know what #YSL is, but keep rollin!” “I am way not cool, what does #YSL mean???”

Just a few of the fun texts from my friends coming in after my Fourth of July text message to them. My original text was, “Happy 4^th! #YSL.”  This hashtag originated from a blog I wrote four years ago, You So Lucky, which you can click for a quick read on the origin of #YSL.

My wife, CeCe, and I just finished a home defense course which, like CPR, is simply great training and awareness. I started the course at the request of CeCe so I was a little skeptical of the overall value of the course. In the first afternoon, we learned the importance of three keywords to the foundation of good home and self-defense. Aware, was the first stage. As we walk to our car or answer the front door, we should be head up and alert to any possible dangers rather than head down, reading our last text message. Then, if you identify danger or a situation that could be dangerous, you immediately move into escape mode and look for the easiest ways to put distance or cover between you and the danger. Then if you are unable to avoid the danger, you confront it and defend yourself. Even yelling in a very loud voice that you see them or stop it can have a significant effect on the situation.