At some point, we have to decide what integrity looks like for us and then we must do our best to maintain it.
Integrity is not the same for all people.
We all have different values, ideals, and demeanors.
Integrity is about knowing who we are, who we want to be, and who we do not want to be.
It is about knowing what we are willing to live with and what we simply cannot tolerate or accept in ourselves and in others.
It means having a standard of conduct, a set of principles, and a moral code, and it means not violating these or allowing others to.
There will be times when we will have to fight for our integrity.
Other times, we may need to walk away in order to keep it.
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.*
*Robert Van Valkenburgh’s black and white photography can be seen at My Darkness To Light
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