Burn with Kearns: Realtor Safety and College Awareness. Gut Instinct Your Best Self-Defense. – Kevin Kearns

by Coach Kevin Kearns, contributing writer on fitness and exercise 

September is Realtor Safety Month, and it’s also back-to-school season for millions of college students, many stepping onto campus for the first time. It’s the perfect moment to remember this:

🔥 “True fear is a gift.” — Gavin de Becker, The Gift of Fear

In other words, your instincts are never random. When something feels off, it probably is. And ignoring that feeling? That’s where danger lives.

Whether you’re showing homes as a real estate agent or attending your first college party, situational awareness isn’t optional—it’s your first line of defense.

🏠 Realtor Safety: Don’t Just Trust the System—Trust Yourself

There are over 1.5 million Realtors in the U.S., many of whom work alone, in unfamiliar homes, with strangers. That’s not fear-mongering—it’s fact.

Gavin de Becker puts it like this:

“When you feel fear, listen. It may be the only warning you get.”

You don’t have to be paranoid. But you do have to be prepared.

Real estate professionals need more than a license and a listing—they need a plan.

• Always tell someone where you’re going
• Don’t let a stranger walk behind you in a home
• Keep exits in view
• Don’t dismiss uneasy feelings just because “they seemed nice”
• Learn basic self-defense techniques

Our Self-Defense 4 U for Realtors workshops are designed to give you real-world tools that fit seamlessly into your professional life—because when you walk into a showing, you should feel confident, not vulnerable.

🎓 First-Year College Students: Trust Your Gut, Guard Your Space

Young women stepping onto college campuses are entering a time of freedom, fun—and serious risk. Most assaults on campus happen within the first 6 weeks of the semester. Why? Because predators look for those who are unaware, isolated, or unsure.

In The Gift of Fear, de Becker writes:

“Intuition is always right in at least two important ways:

Teach your daughters to:

• Trust that voice in their head when it says “this doesn’t feel right”
• Avoid isolation at parties—arrive and leave with trusted friends
• Watch their drinks, and never accept one they didn’t see poured
• Exit early when something feels off (no explanation required)
• Use the buddy system, especially in unfamiliar situations

And above all: Don’t be polite at the expense of personal safety. That’s a lesson that can save a life.

We work with student groups, sororities, and athletic programs to build awareness, confidence, and practical skills to handle real-world threats—not through fear, but through empowerment.

🧠 Awareness Is a Muscle — You Have to Train It

It’s easy to assume, “That won’t happen to me.” Until it does.

Safety isn’t just about knowing how to strike or escape. It’s about learning to recognize when a situation doesn’t feel right—and trusting that inner alarm.

That’s what we teach in every Burn with Kearns training:

• 💡 Situational awareness
• 💪 Verbal and physical boundary setting
• 🛡️ Escape and protection techniques
• 🧠 Mental preparedness under pressure

You don’t have to be a fighter to train like one—you just have to be willing to act.

💥 This September: Take the First Step

If you’re in real estate, on a college campus, or love someone who is—now is the time to prepare. Not later. Not “when you have time.”

Safety is not a luxury. It’s a necessity. It’s time we stop reacting to bad news and start preventing it.

We offer:

• 🏠 Realtor safety workshops (in-person or virtual)
• 🎓 College safety programs for student groups and families
• 💼 Corporate wellness and personal defense training
• 💻 Online tools and resources you can access anytime
• https://youtu.be/hxNRjL6EL1k?si=XyNOhGc2VKQr4mql
• https://youtube.com/shorts/i86I0fn3WiE?si=-d2JZ8e3QdYCrjeL
• https://youtube.com/shorts/GgKdrVu59PI?si=5F-l3srMb-hMl-u4
• https://open.spotify.com/episode/4UJ1JQXahC8adiuTdxY0Xv?si=Yy0bWLblR4-y8UuOKjqrZA

Let’s make safety a lifestyle, not a hashtag.

👊 Train Smart. Stay Ready. — Coach Kevin Kearns Burn With Kearns | Self-Defense 4 U www.BurnWithKearns.com

#RealtorSafetyMonth #CollegeAwareness #CampusSafety #TheGiftOfFear #SelfDefense4U #BurnWithKearns #SituationalAwareness #TrustYourGut #TrainSmartStayReady #CoachKevinKearns #LinkedInNewsletter #RealtorTraining #FirstSemesterSafety #SelfDefenseForWomen

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Read ALL articles by Kevin Kearns here: BURN WITH KEARNS

Coach Kevin Kearns is the founder of Burn with Kearns, a global training system with over 2,400 certified coaches. He has worked with UFC fighters, professional athletes, and everyday people for more than 30 years. At 59, he continues to teach and inspire people to live stronger, longer, and healthier lives.

Follow Coach Kearns: BurnWithKearns.com | #AlwaysAWhiteBelt