How goggles taught me acceptance (Uketamo)

photo of an athlete swimming underwater

I think I cursed myself with yesterday’s post. I went to the pool trying to ignore all the signs (which is impossible, I swear there’s more now). And when I was swimming, something that had never happened before happened.

My goggle strap split.

I had to abandon the swim then and there. I probably could have gone and asked for some spare goggles, however that would involve getting changed, and also, Japanese goggles don’t go well with my Caucasian nose (I recently bought some only to find they didn’t fit).

So, I accepted the situation for what it was, swam 100m head-up (waterpolo style) to finish my set, and got out.

I was shocked and disappointed. But I know that when you’re in a situation like that, it’s very easy to make things worse for yourself if you can’t control your emotions. When there’s truly nothing you can do, it’s best to Uketamo, to accept the situation without fuss, and move on.

But now I need a new pair of goggles...

ENJOYED THIS? HAVE MORE.

MOUNTAINS OF WISDOM

Subscribe to my yamabushi newsletter

RECENT BLOG POSTS

Life and the Barkley Marathon
Being the best
group of people playing rugby
The X-Factor

YAMABUSHI BLOG POSTS

adult man in brown and white striped button up shirt raising his hand
I did the thing
How Yamagata can Build Transformative Travel
person hiding behind a tree trunk
When things don’t go your way

RANDOM POSTS

Make mistakes early
Embrace the setbacks
Just don’t burn it: A lesson from Apples
Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Tim Bunting Kiwi Yamabushi

Get In Touch

Sakata City, Yamagata, Japan 

tim@timbunting.com

Share this:

Like this:

Like Loading...
Scroll to Top