According to the Urban Dictionary, the definition of going against the grain is "when you make life difficult by going against the wishes of others."

I'm going to suggest here that going against the grain is when you make your own life difficult by trying to be someone or something you're not.

I’m home in Pennsylvania for a few days, to celebrate my mother n’ law’s birthday. Just long enough for me to slip back into my Western Pennsylvania slang, dropping the “th” from words and calling everyone yinz.

“Yinz wanna go up ‘ere and drink an Iron?”

I read a post yesterday from a life-long fitness guru who talked about finally realizing one day that he didn’t have to spend every waking moment trying to “move the needle forward.”