This episode wasn’t planned. But it turned out to be exactly the one that needed to happen.

After Eric the Gentleman’s episode (Ep25), Jay had hoped to sit down with Nick for a follow-up — a chance to process some of the deeper things Eric shared about growth, emotional blocks, and nervous system safety. When they tried in Jay’s Failed Follow-Up (Ep26), it didn’t quite land. Jay showed up ready. Nick wasn’t in that space yet.

And then… a text from Nick:
 “I’m mad at u, but we will discuss it on the next podcast.”

What starts as a regular catch-up quietly becomes the follow-up Jay hoped for, but only Nick could decide to start. This time, Nick brings it forward on his own terms — naming the pattern he’s carried of leaning on humor or distraction when things get heavy… and choosing not to do that here.

Like Jiu-Jitsu, this wasn’t about forcing a breakthrough. It was about holding steady in the uncomfortable position long enough for the real shift to happen. The first attempt felt like resistance. But this time, Nick chose when to engage, how to engage — and because of that, the conversation unfolded honestly.

It’s the follow-up they couldn’t force — but the one that honors what Eric the Gentleman shared back in Ep25: the hard truth that healing, growth, and change can only happen at the pace your nervous system feels safe enough to allow.

Getting some hours in.