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Our Vulnerabilities
• Denial: Many people think, "It can't happen here." And if we hear what might possibly be gunshots, our denial (and our fear of looking foolish) might initially prevent us from shouting "gun" and running away. What if the noise were just backfires or popping balloons? Those missing moments before we react lead to a fatal hesitation.
• Lack of Readiness: We can't keep ourselves in a constant state of readiness because other stimuli enter our awareness and take precedence. Buying the groceries is more at the forefront of our minds than thoughts of an improbable mass shooting.
• Disregarding Valuable Knowledge: We are not particularly motivated to remember everything we've ever read or heard about protecting ourselves.
What Can We Do to Help Ourselves?
• Value Relevant Knowledge: We can help ourselves by learning about mass shooters. Several recent articles have described the similarities between the Islamic State and our white nationalists. Only 20% of shooters are psychotic. Many are lonely people who gain a sense of belonging by joining white nationalist groups that indoctrinate them with bizarre theories of clashes of civilization and spur them on to begin the "war." And it would behoove us to review the directions for how to protect ourselves if this becomes necessary. One source of information is: https://www.ready.gov/active-shooter
• Overcoming Denial and Maintaining Readiness: Use my complimentary Tool. In Step 3, instead of wishing to feel peaceful and calm, wish for a mental pathway that will be dedicated to helping you avoid danger by maintaining alertness regarding your surroundings and prompting you to take defensive action when necessary. Once you create this pathway by wishing for it, you don't need to continue wishing for it over and over. You can continue to use the Tool to give you moments of peacefulness and calm.
GET THE COMPLIMENTARY Tool
