Imperfect Solutions

About Imperfect Solutions

Stop looking for a perfect solution, they don't exist! Instead, start simple and work to make that solution better. In this podcast we join a martial arts instructor and a personal trainer as they explore a variety of topics from self-defense and physical fitness to mental health and relationships. We may not have a perfect answer for everything, but we will share fresh perspectives that have been informed by our life experience, research and training martial arts. Join us as we develop skills, discuss concepts and refine ideas, giving you more tools for finding balance in your life.

Publisher

Nathan Skeen and Kimberly Koyle

Category

education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Sept 2026

Latest episode

30 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

8 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   30 Oct 2026

   Combatting Negativity - Part 2: External

   What should you do when other people are bringing negativity into your life? In this episode Nathan and Kim talk about what negativity from external sources looks like and how we can protect ourselves from allowing that negativity to bring us down. Nathan shares his personal experience with bullying and how he overcame the harm it did in his life. Kim shares her experience dealing with the aftermath of criticism and how it negatively impacted her mental health. We hope that as you listen, our experiences can help you with the difficult things you are going through. Source Links - APA Primer on Bullying https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/bullying (https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/primer/bullying) - Pew research statistics on social media https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/teens-experiences-on-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat/ (https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2026/04/15/teens-experiences-on-tiktok-instagram-and-snapchat/) https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/10/01/across-the-globe-people-increasingly-say-social-media-is-harming-democracy/ (https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2026/10/01/across-the-globe-people-increasingly-say-social-media-is-harming-democracy/) - CDC article on Intimate Partner Violence https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html (https://www.cdc.gov/intimate-partner-violence/about/index.html) - APA Stressor Definition https://dictionary.apa.org/stressor (https://dictionary.apa.org/stressor) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX) Podcast.⁠

2. 

   23 Oct 2026

   Combatting Negativity - Part 1: Internal

   Sometimes we are the biggest problem. In this first episode on combatting negativity, Nathan and Kim talk about the things our brain does to keep us thinking negatively. They share resources about our often-flawed thought patterns and how we can build our resilience. Source Links: - Georgetown University Ask a Professor: How to Help Manage Anxiety and Negative Thoughts https://www.georgetown.edu/news/ask-a-professor-negative-thoughts-mental-health/#:~:text=Our%20nervous%20systems%20are,negatively. (https://www.georgetown.edu/news/ask-a-professor-negative-thoughts-mental-health/#:~:text=Our%20nervous%20systems%20are,negatively.) - Encyclopedia Britannica - Cognitive Distortions https://www.britannica.com/science/cognitive-distortion (https://www.britannica.com/science/cognitive-distortion) - APA Definition: Resilience https://dictionary.apa.org/resilience (https://dictionary.apa.org/resilience) - APA Psychology Topic: Building Your Resilience https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/building-your-resilience (https://www.apa.org/topics/resilience/building-your-resilience) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX).⁠

3. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Foundations of Health

   Health is important! In this episode, we learn some basic guidelines to follow as we try to improve our physical fitness while protecting our mental health. As they discuss some research articles that highlight health concepts, Kim shares what she has learned from being a personal trainer and Nathan provides perspective from his personal experiences. Source Links: Effects of Sleep Deprivation on Physical and Mental Health Outcomes: An Umbrella Review https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12116485/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12116485/) Harvard University study: Exercise and Fitness https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/exercise-and-fitness (https://www.health.harvard.edu/topics/exercise-and-fitness) National Library of Medicine-Defining a Healthy Diet: Evidence for the Role of Contemporary Dietary Patterns in Health and Disease https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7071223/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7071223/) National Library of Medicine-Sinful Foods: Measuring Implicit Associations Between Food Categories and Moral Attributes in Anorexic, Orthorexic, and Healthy Subjects https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9234570/ (https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9234570/) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX)

4. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Honesty

   Is honesty really the best policy? In this episode, Kim and Nathan take a good, long look at honesty. Using research and personal experiences, they discuss the tendency we have as humans to lie to others and ourselves. Join us as we learn how honesty can enable us to strengthen our relationships and accelerate our personal growth. Source Links Honesty APA Definitionhttps://dictionary.apa.org/honesty (https://dictionary.apa.org/honesty) Honesty with Self: - Study 1 Be Happy, Be Honest: The Role of Self-Control, Self-Beliefs, and Satisfaction with Life in Honest Behaviorhttps://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-019-00956-x (https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10943-019-00956-x) - Self Regulation APA Definitionhttps://dictionary.apa.org/self-regulation (https://dictionary.apa.org/self-regulation) - Study 2 Self‐regulation in close relationships https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pere.12449 (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/pere.12449) Honesty with Others: - Study 1 Effectiveness of Apologizing Effectively Intervention among Married Couples: Enhancing Communication Patterns, Tolerance for Disagreement and Marital Quality https://journals.irapa.org/index.php/aessr/article/view/1052/537 (https://journals.irapa.org/index.php/aessr/article/view/1052/537) - Study 2 “I’m Sorry!”: The Relationship of Proclivity to Apologize and Parenting Quality https://journals.irapa.org/index.php/aessr/article/view/1052/5 (https://journals.irapa.org/index.php/aessr/article/view/1052/5)37 - Study 3 Expressed and Perceived Honesty Benefits Relationships Even When Couples Are Not Accuratehttps://labsites.rochester.edu/lelab/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Le-et-al.-2025-Expressed-and-perceived-honesty-benefits-relationships-even-when-couples-are-not-accurate.pdf (content/uploads/2025/01/Le-et-al.-2025-Expressed-and-perceived-honesty-benefits-relationships-even-when-couples-are-not-accurate.pdf) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter Podcast (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX).⁠

5. 

   2 Oct 2026

   Having a Heart at Peace

   When we think of conflict, we don’t always consider that it could start inside our hearts. Join Nathan and Kim as they discuss the idea of having a heart at peace as it is explained in the book The Anatomy of Peace. They apply their self-defense and parenting perspectives to help us learn how having a heart at peace could benefit our relationships. Source Links The Anatomy of Peace by the Arbinger Institute https://arbinger.com/anatomy-of-peace (https://arbinger.com/anatomy-of-peace) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX) podcast.⁠

6. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Self-Defense and AI

   When people think about self-defense, they usually think about fighting or martial arts. It turns out that self-defense is a little more complex than that. Join Nathan and Kim as they go toe-to-toe with AI, helping us to understand what things we should consider when we think about defending ourselves. Note: This is just an overview, there is so much more we could unpack here, so let us know if you want us to cover more about self-defense in future episodes. Source Links Cost-benefit analysis definition (https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/cost-benefit-analysis) The Gift of Fear - Gavin De Becker (https://giftoffear.com/book ) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX) Podcast.⁠

7. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Managing Emotions and Impulse Control

   Emotions are important and they can provide us with valuable information. In this episode, Nathan and Kim talk about what emotions are and how we should think about them. They also discuss how emotions lead to impulses and why we should be aware of those automatic responses. Along the way, they explore connections between emotional awareness, parenting and martial arts. At the end, they share a tool they use to help them develop impulse control. Source Links APA Dictionary Definitions: https://dictionary.apa.org/emotion (https://dictionary.apa.org/emotion) https://dictionary.apa.org/impulse (https://dictionary.apa.org/impulse) Dr. John Gottman’s book Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child: https://www.gottman.com/product/raising-an-emotionally-intelligent-child-book/ (https://www.gottman.com/product/raising-an-emotionally-intelligent-child-book/) If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (mailto:podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our⁠ Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter Podcast.⁠ (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX)

8. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Introduction to our Imperfection

   Have you ever met a martial arts instructor that is working to become a marriage and family therapist and has a background in software testing? What about a personal trainer who is trying to balance being a parent to her kids, working on improving education at the local school, and finding time for personal growth as well? Well now you can! In this introductory episode, we join our hosts, Nathan Skeen and Kim Koyle, as they outline what this podcast is all about. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions for topics we should cover or any other thoughts you would like to share, please email us at podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com (mailto:podcastinfo@strikeandflowma.com). We would love to hear from you! We know that religion can be a sensitive subject, so we avoid talking about it here. Instead, we decided to put it into a different podcast! If you want to learn more about our personal beliefs, check out our Rock and Sand - Foundations Matter Podcast. (https://open.spotify.com/show/0ggwWV0FdSsFwyGGmpM8KX)

Contact Imperfect Solutions

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.