#6: Don’t Risk It
As humans, we’re pretty terrible at weighing the risks that we take. People who are terrified of flying think nothing about getting in a car, even though you are statistically more likely to die in a car crash. Others panic about the dangers of extreme sports while blithely ignoring cheerleading despite the fact that it accounts for around 70% of female athletic injuries in schools.
Shark attacks are another one; some people are genuinely terrified to go in the ocean because they’re afraid they’ll be eaten by a shark, even though sitting on the beach and exposing your skin to the sun – and thus to skin cancer – is that much more dangerous for you.