I'd rather be happy and healthy than right

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Health and happiness are more valuable than winning an argument or being right.

Some people are very set in their ways, and self-limiting as their thoughts and beliefs may be, I am not going to change their minds.

I have come to learn that defensiveness is a coping mechanism that often stems from maladaptive childhood events or a lack of self-esteem. It can be rooted in childhood experiences, such as controlling parenting styles, abuse, or neglect, which can lead to low self-esteem and a need to protect oneself from further emotional trauma.

Defensiveness can come across as a form of blame, but when triggered by ill-informed comments now, hard as it may be, I am more likely to let them go and show up with compassion and reassurance of safety.

During such divisive times, we have to do more to reunite. Sometimes we have to be the change we want to see in others.