Accept the reality of violence

Take a moment to contemplate the idea of being a victim of a violent act.
Imagine the worst thing that could happen to you.

Write down your immediate, subconscious objections and denials.
“Yeah, but I’m so careful.” “Yeah, but I live in a safe neighborhood with low crime rates.” “Yeah, but that kind of thing doesn’t happen here.”

Go through the list and remind yourself: violence is real, and it can happen to anyone, including me.
If you like, you can rip up the list as a way of saying: I will no longer live in denial.

Take a deep breath and acknowledge what you’ve learned.
This is not to scare you or put you off, but to get you to open your eyes, face the facts and prepare yourself.

If you need a further reminder, look up crime rates and statistics in your area.
Find a statistic that has some emotional impact on you, write it down and stick it somewhere you’ll see it regularly.