[desertraven]

Could you elaborate more on governing oneself?

If you mean controlling ones thoughts and actions - does this rule out being impulsive/reflexive and thus not governing oneself?

[consilience]

I mean truly exercising freedom - which is the ability to govern oneself. All we can really control is ourselves. Sure, one could be impulsive/reflexive and even reactive, so long as it doesn’t impinge on anyone else’s freedom to govern themselves.