Self defense decision tree: how do you decide what to learn first?

I’m 32F, living alone in a city, and I’ve started thinking more seriously about personal safety after a couple incidents in my neighborhood.

The problem is I keep getting completely different advice depending on who I ask.

Some people say start with awareness + pepper spray. Others recommend martial arts like BJJ or Krav Maga. Some say firearms. And some say you eventually need a mix of everything.

I don’t really have the time or budget to do all of it at once, so I’m trying to figure out if there’s any kind of order or framework people use when starting from zero.

What did you prioritize first, and why? Did you build layers over time, or focus on one thing until you felt solid?

Also curious what you wish you had done differently in hindsight.

Submitted June 27, 2026 at 03:15AM by Additional-Leg280 https://ift.tt/Y6QsP81