09/11/2026
Sometimes our natural response isn’t actually the best response.
In self-defense, your instinct might be to pull away when someone grabs you. But sometimes the way out is actually in the opposite direction.
And I think we do this in life sometimes.
We have reactions that feel completely justified—getting defensive, pushing back, needing to prove our point…
But just because a reaction feels natural or justified doesn’t mean it’s helping us.
Sometimes we have to notice the instinct, pause, and train a different response.
And that takes practice.
Just like in martial arts, sometimes what feels unnatural at first is exactly what sets you free.