Women are inherently more vulnerable to all types of attack based on gender alone so our personal safety requires that we avoid making the most common and easily correctable mistakes. We are physically weaker, more nurturing and have been brought up to care for everyone else before ourselves. If we are strong, confident and assertive, we often get called derogatory names by those who lack confidence, strength and assertiveness.

Common Mistake #1

Being nurturing to a fault - Taking care of everyone before and instead of yourself.

How to prevent:

Remember, just like flight attendants tell us, help yourself first and then those around you.Taking care of others is great but make sure you are safe and healthy first and foremost. Staying healthy not only helps us make better decisions, it keeps us strong enough to escape when necessary.

Common Mistake #2

Ignoring gut feelings - Glossing over our instincts to be polite or keep from hurting others' feelings puts us in danger.

How to prevent:

Trust your gut feelings. They are survival instincts you were born with and their job is to keep you alive. We are more in-tune with our gut feelings, which is why we hear a lot about "women's intuition." Call it what you want but always pay attention it!

Common Mistake #3

Disregarding the need for personal boundaries - We think everyone will treat us with respect and when they don't, we tend to think we deserve it.

How to prevent:

Establish and enforce personal boundaries for yourself with regard to friend, work and family situations. Establishment requires acknowledging your worthiness and determining what is acceptable and unacceptable to you. Enforcement is deciding what you will say and or do if someone violates the boundaries you've established for your mental, emotional and physical safety.

You will have greater personal safety, physically, emotionally and mentally when you stop making these mistakes.