There’s a psychological concept called optimism bias. It’s the reason why most people are naturally inclined to think that bad things only happen to other people, not them. And to some extent, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s actually good for us. It’s the reason why most people are able to go through life without worrying about the worst possible thing happening. If we were all pessimistic, we’d probably never leave the house. The problem, of course, is that the same optimism bias also makes us less prepared for what could potentially happen. The problem, of course, is that while it’s easy to say “that won’t happen to me,” the statistics say otherwise. A fifth of all women will experience assault. We’re not all going to be the exception. The interesting thing, of course, is that we’re all already preparing for the unlikely event. You probably have a fire extinguisher in your kitchen. Not because you think your house is going to catch on fire, but because if it were to catch on fire, you’d want to be ready. You probably buckle your seatbelt every time you drive. Not because you think your car is going to crash, but because even though most times, your car will not crash, it’s good to be ready. You probably have some kind of first aid kit somewhere in your house, not because you think something’s going to go wrong, but because it’s good to be ready. None of those things make you paranoid. They make you prepared.
Personal safety should be included in this list. Yet, for some reason, it does not always receive the same consideration. There is this hesitation, this feeling that if you carry something for personal safety, something bad is going to happen.
It doesn’t.
It just means that you have thought things through.
It’s wonderful to feel safe. But feeling safe with a backup? That’s a different level of confidence. That’s a level where you can say that you are not relying on chance, timing, and someone else to help you out if things do go wrong.
The truth of the matter is, no one ever thinks that they are going to need a personal safety device. No one ever buys pepper spray and thinks to themselves, “Oh boy, can’t wait to get into a situation where I have to use this.” That’s not what this is about.
It’s about having it if you ever do need it.
It’s like having a first aid kit. You don’t get a first aid kit because you are expecting emergencies. You get a first aid kit because if ever there is an emergency, you don’t want to be caught flat-footed.
The optimism bias will always be there. You will always think to yourself, “That’s not going to happen to me.”
And hopefully, it won’t.
But being prepared for the possibility does not make you fearful. Being prepared for the possibility does not change who you are as a person. Being prepared for the possibility does not change the way you live your life.
It just makes you smart.
