Playing through scenarios in your head is an important part of self-defense training, but that means taking those scenarios and implementing them in your in-person training. If you can get yourself the type of training that will get your adrenaline pumping, you’ll be ahead of most when it comes to reactions in an actual self-defense situation.
Additionally, watching videos like the one below, and really trying to put yourself in that situation in your mind, can go a long way and be very beneficial to your self-defense thought processes. It’s important for us to be able to recognize counter-ambush opportunities when they present themselves, and arming yourself with more knowledge is never a bad thing.