07/08/2025
The Third Try
I used to say I didn’t like sushi. No explanation, just a firm no. Something about the texture, the rawness, the unfamiliarity—it didn’t sit right with me. I tried it once, didn’t enjoy it, and that was enough to write it off.
But here’s the thing: I tried it again. Not because I suddenly changed my mind, but because life presented it again. A different place, a different day, different people. Still didn’t like it.
Then came the third time. No expectations. Just a quiet “why not.”
And that’s when everything shifted—not dramatically, not with fanfare, but subtly. I didn’t just tolerate it. I appreciated it. I noticed how one version felt balanced, how the rice wasn’t overpowering, how the flavor actually worked. I didn’t become a sushi lover overnight. But I stopped being a sushi avoider.
Funny, right? Same food. Different context. Different reaction.
That got me thinking: How many things in life do we dismiss too quickly? How many people, opportunities, or experiences have we labeled as “not for me” after a single exposure? Or two?
We’re quick to finalize our judgments. First impressions become verdicts. Discomfort becomes rejection. But maybe all we needed was a third try. A different setting. A more open mind.
I don’t think this post is really about sushi. It’s about realizing that you can’t always trust your first no. Sometimes, it’s not the thing that was wrong—it was just the timing, the delivery, the mindset you brought to the table.
So here’s to giving things space to surprise you. Even the ones you were sure you didn’t like.
