The two most important things to do for self-defense are not to take a martial arts class or get a gun, but to think like the opposition and know where you're most at risk.
For me, the martial arts is a search for something inside. It's not just a physical discipline.
As a lifelong practitioner of martial arts, I'm trained to remain calm in the face of adversity and danger.
When I was in school, martial arts made you a dork, and I became self-conscious that I was too masculine. I was a 16-year-old girl with ringworm and cauliflower ears. People made fun of my arms and called me 'Miss Man.' It wasn't until I got older that I realized: These people are idiots. I'm fabulous.
We learn martial arts as helping weakness. You never fight for people to get hurt. You're always helping people.