We may think we sound fierce! But we sound like a lion cub squeaking out a baby roar. We need to learn and practice in a safe place so that when some nasty person comes at us, we’re already taking charge and using our voice appropriately.

Kintsugi Company
We may think we sound fierce! But we sound like a lion cub squeaking out a baby roar. We need to learn and practice in a safe place so that when some nasty person comes at us, we’re already taking charge and using our voice appropriately.
We can’t even protect ourselves, let alone anyone else, if the situation creates a fear we can’t overcome. So we choose to do the hard work. We choose to walk into self-defense class again and again, and again.
I had no idea what to do with violence. So I hid and tried my best to keep everyone around me from getting mad at me. Co-dependency much? Oh yes. All day, every day. For years. I mean, if you’re small and weak, what else can you do? We’ll get to that. But first…
Do you believe you’re the one person who will never have to defend yourself?
I sure hope not. Because I really do care about you. The whole reason we’re here, our heart’s cry at Tigress’ Roar – is to empower women to stand their ground. To teach you how to drop into a strong stance, to take the fight back, and stop the violence right then and there.
For everyone’s sake.
Almost every time I walk into Women’s Self-Defense class, I’m dealing emotionally with whatever the day served me — usually a cocktail of fear, disappointment, maybe some grief or mental or physical pain, often a racing mind that just doesn’t want to calm down. Sometimes I don’t want to face whatever will be served up in class — but what can I say? I kind of have to be there. So unless I’m contagious or injured I show up and start preparing. I decide to set aside everything that doesn’t have to do with class for the next hour or so.
I really think this can be a metaphor for our lives. There’s so much we think we can control. But there really is so little we actually do control. All we can do is relax into things and let them happen. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t fight when we need to. I’m certainly not saying we should be passive. But when things are going out of control and there’s nothing we can do about it, instead of freaking out, getting upset, or throwing a fit, we should relax into it and let things happen as they will.