Observations and thoughts after 10 months of carrying

I've been carrying fairly regularly since November of 2016, and wanted to highlight a few things I've learned along the way.Switching to appendix carryAfter a few weeks of constantly worrying about exposing my firearm when out and about, I switched my Desantis IWB from 5 O'clock to appendix. Knowing for a fact that the weapon isn't exposed makes things way less stressful, and allows me to go about my day with minimal distraction from the gun. I also appreciate the additional speed appendix draw brings.It doesn't feel "cool" to carry concealed, and it shouldn'tI see a lot of excited first time posters who just received their license in the mail/just picked up their first gun. It's important to remember that there are significant risks and responsibilities that come with carrying (and not carrying...for that matter) and it's vital that you understand these before strapping up for the first time. Reading up on my local and state laws was sobering (for instance, I can't carry a weapon in an establishment that brings in more than 49% of it's income from alcohol sales) and forced me to begin planning ahead when putting on my gun. I feel strongly that concealed carry is a right and necessity in todays world, but encourage anyone planning to do so to fully educate themselves prior to pursuing it. You're not a fucking cowboy, so don't act like one.Committing to regular practice and intermittent trainingHaving a gun on your belt that you don't feel fully comfortable with is not only useless, it's dangerous. As the newness of the weapon wears off, it's easy to become complacent with practice and trainings. To combat this, I've input lane time into my personal calendar twice a month as a reminder to hit the range at least that often (though I usually wind up there more frequently). I also pursue instructor lead trainings on a quarterly basis to ensure I'm advancing in my understanding of proper defensive gun use. I promise that if you ever end up needing to draw and shoot, you're going to be happy you developed the muscle memory to do it properly.Carrying encourages you to avoid danger, and heightens awarenessPeople who don't support carry often times accuse CCWr's of looking for trouble, but I've found the truth to be the exact opposite. One of the first things I noticed when I began carrying in public was a very prominent "holy shit, I do not want to have to use this thing" feeling. As a result, I am far more aware of my surroundings and avoid potential danger in a more active way. I also find myself looking to deescalate situations rather than take a prideful stand when confronted, even when I don't have my gun on me. This is one of my favorite attributes of "CCW life" and has helped me avoid conflict and make it home safe each day.There's a lot more I could comment on, but want to give others a chance to chime in. Hopefully this thread will help give perspective to new carriers and provide a jumping off point for learnings. via /r/CCW http://ift.tt/2vtiRIu