Can you Aikido?

Aikido is my favorite martial art. It differs from a lot of other martial arts because of its philosophical and spiritual components. I love its beauty and simplicity which can be summed up in two words:

Accept everything.

Aikido students are trained to accept being thrown by their attacker. They are trained to accept that they will fight 5 men at the same time. They are trained to welcome everything that happens, exactly as it happens. Any second that they spend resisting leads to injury or even death.

This principle of acceptance to life separates the great leaders from the rest. They waste no time complaining about what life should’ve been. They quickly and quietly accept what has happened and they come up with solutions. They “aikido” the situation and get the job done.

Are you the type that resists what is being thrown at you? When life hands you lemons, do you send them back saying you’d prefer oranges? Can you truly accept the situation that you’re in? Because contrary to popular belief, your wishes don’t change the situation. The situation is indifferent to your cares.