Ka Riu Aikido

Nintai 忍耐 (perseverance, endurance, fortitude) requires periods of discouragement if it is to be truly understood. In times of trial, we discover our real strength. Budō 武道 is Shugyō 修行 (austere practice). It is a path of challenge. One needs Konjō 根性 (guts, grit, determination) to remain on the path through doubt, uncertainty and hardship. There is no other way.
Discouragement is one of the martial artist’s greatest teachers.
Without it, many of us would simply quit because we would never come to appreciate the true value of the path. It keeps us humble, reveals what is genuinely important, and tests the strength of our resolve.
The most important thing to remember is that it is perfectly normal to become discouraged. Every martial artist experiences it. The real test is not whether discouragement appears, but whether we surrender to it or continue forward despite it.
It exposes our weaknesses, shows us where sincere effort is still required, and reminds us that growth is earned rather than given. It is not an obstacle to training—it is an essential part of it.
When we embrace hardship, it becomes bearable. When we resist it, it becomes suffering.
Learning to embrace hardship is precisely what the martial artist trains for.

Keep going.
頑張ってください

南虎