When things are going very well, we must remind ourselves that this can and will change.
We do this not to be sullen or morose, but so that we may enjoy our good fortune for what it is.
It is temporary.
No one is guaranteed all good days.
Nor is everyone guaranteed all bad.
Things change.
And, they often change quickly and without warning.
That is why we must learn to embrace and enjoy the moment we are in.
Good, bad, or indifferent, this moment is what we get and what we have to work with.
Furthermore, knowing and accepting that our current circumstances, relationships, and mood will change allows us to prepare for when it does.
By understanding preparing ourselves for the fact that this moment, this velocity, and this trajectory are temporary, we give ourselves room to pivot when things change.
It is easy to be blinded by a desire for or fear of permanency.
But, neither of these feelings help us to face or prepare for the truth.
The truth is that nothing stays the same forever.
Holistic Budo: As it is in budo, so too it is in life. As it is in life, so too it is in budo.
Robert Van Valkenburgh is co-founder of Kogen Dojo Self Defense Academy where he teaches Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
All photos by Robert Van Valkenburgh unless otherwise noted.
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