Encouragement changes lives.
Discouragement does as well.
Both are tools.
As such, we get to choose which we will use.
We get to decide who we want to be to and for others.
And, we get to decide who we want to help others become through our influence.
Every decision matters.
Every choice matters.
Every interaction matters.
If we want a better, more positive world, this simple distinction between encouragement and discouragement is a good place to start.
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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