May 10, 2010  

Monthly Fitness Journal

This Monthly Fitness Journal serves several purposes (which also tie in to the overall purpose of the Integral-in-action Article Series):

• To share what I’ve learned during the month; changes in my practice and mindset, ups and downs experienced along the way, and skills I have adopted to help support sustainable change.  You might want to apply some of these to your own practice.
  
• As a way to honor my responsibility to improve myself in service to others (and so that I do not get so easily winded walking up the stairs).  Also as a form of self-motivation, since publicly committing to a fitness practice is one way to help keep us on track!
  
• To demonstrate an integrally-informed approach to fitness.  Integral-in-action!

Month 4 - Connecting the strings

The Integral approach I follow has led me to some important findings this month - findings related to coaching as well as fitness.  This seems to be a good place to share some of these findings.

Various forms of "which came first, the chicken or the egg?" keeps presenting itself lately. For one thing, does the physical brain (in the upper-right quadrant) or the mind (in the upper-left quadrant) determine our ability to make and sustain change, or does mind and brain function interdependently? 

For example, say I want to begin (or continue) a regular workout routine, but I just can't get myself to show up on a regular basis.  Is it that I am just undisciplined (a function of mind), or could it be that my serotonin (or other neurotransmitter) levels are low (a function of the physical brain), causing my decreased interest in working out?  Or are there learned behaviors (UL and UR) that we need to "unlearn" before learning new ways of being in the world? 

In "Immunity to Change" Robert Kegan points out that each of us has a mechanism within us whose purpose is to resist change.  The good news is that by making this mechanism an object of awareness, we can learn new ways of being to grow fbeyond its limitation.  He says that there are three necessary ingredients to successfully take on the work of unlocking your immunity to change: a vital energy source of motivation for change, both cognitive and emotional aspects [of ourselves] working hand-in-hand, and action or behavioral work.  I do not question any of this, but I would add that sustainable change is more likely if one has sufficiently addressed the physical limitations of one's current way of being.

I am finding that not only is it important to address our "immunity to change" (which is actually a part of an Integral Coaching program), but there are also several systems in the body/mind which need to be relatively balanced in order to allow for sustainable change.  I believe that if one or more of these systems are imbalanced, this can impact the overall "change attempt".  This is just one reason why an Integral approach to change works so well - it includes aspects of body, mind, and spirit in its approach.

By now you are probably wondering how this relates to my monthly Fitness Journal.  Although I took a two-week vacation (it was a "working vacation" so I actually worked harder on vacation than normally), things are going well.  And I encourage you to start a fitness routine of your own.  Keep in mind that you don't have to suddenly start working out 5 days a week... you can  start slowly and gradually add to your routine as you go along... you can work with a group of like-minded friends or hire a coach to keep you motivated.  Anything is better than nothing at all. 

Until next month, stay fit, friend!