Prioritizing Perspective: Tools of Growth
Two questions that seem unlinked, but are really asking for the same thing:
How many should I do, and for how long?
How do I do what you do?
The wording is always a little different, but the inquiry is nearly the same over and again …
What’s the correct protocol?
As a young teacher I went to ALL the workshops. I did ALL the trainings. I read ALL the books … and asked ALL the questions.
I was looking for rules to follow.
Naturally … above all, the human mind likes relational data (do this like this and this will happen).
Students want to know the same. If I invest ___ amount of time doing this exercise, I can expect ___ result.
The problem with wellness-fitness-human-y protocols is that we’re dealing with … humans. Humans that have human variables like unique metabolisms / muscle composition / neurology / endurance / resilience / sleep habits / dietary habits / relationships (both beneficial and un-) / health history / family history / personal history / the world’s history / the news / work life / family life / stress / coping mechanisms to deal with the stress / expectations / patience thresholds around expectations / interest levels / and so on, and so on. So that even when the protocols are followed exactly correct (as if that happens) there is still psychologic, physiologic, and environmental input that sways results.
The point being: protocols don’t work.
Not as rules. Not as rules to follow for the sake of following rules.
Rules establish boundaries that predicate right and wrong behavior, bring up feelings of fear (being wrong), and activate the imposter experience (do I really know what I’m doing).
I’m just gonna say it: You’ve been bamboozled into thinking other people’s protocols hold the key to your wellness and happiness. You’ve been convinced that there’s a right and wrong way to move / exercise / posture / sit / walk / and so forth. You’ve been sold the idea that there’s a kept secret to untapping your inner wisdom. You’ve been made to believe that if you get curious … explore on your own … and play … incorrectly … failure looks like debilitating pain and permanent damage. You’ve bought into it because our sedentary lifestyle makes it appear that lacking a personal relationship with movement and wellness is normal.
Unfortunately what’s been left out of the protocols is YOU … and all your human-y-ness.
Likely you’re someone who was raised to believe movement (exercise) is used to get skinny / build muscle / for competition. You probably, at some point now or in the past, have held the belief that you don’t know the right rules that would allow you to be effectual at movement. You’ve never created a relationship with the experience of movement … or your experience has been limited by protocols that were labeled proper and safe.
Because that’s your experience with movement … if you teach it … you likely pass it along, and teach from the same lens.
What I’d like to inspire is a change of perspective.
Let’s reframe protocols, and the theories they are made from, as tools vs. rules.
I’d like to consider movement as space to cultivate experiential wisdom, guided by the tools you choose to use, with the recognition that rules (boundaries) are meant to be challenged and brushed up against … because they aren’t making you more successful or keeping you safe … they’re keeping you confined. The more tools you explore the more your knowledge increases, until the day you realize that you already have (more than) enough wisdom to navigate your world. Then stop going to workshops - it’ll save you money and sanity.
When that experiential wisdom is mixed with life history, values, and what is perceived as possible it develops into a unique point of view. It unfolds into personal expertise, self-esteem, and inner validation. The wisdom of perspective becomes your guiding light.
THAT, I believe, is what people are really looking for … more than rules.
The hurdle is helping people access their experiential self (mostly just because we’re told to not trust it) while helping them re-process their boundaries by exposing them to alternate potentials.
What!?
In short: Teach people it’s okay to feel (even the unpleasant stuff) … give them more tools and fewer rules (exercises and such) … and then support them in exploring all the ways they can possibly play with said movement as they challenge and expand their boundaries.
That’s how I do what I do … whether I’m teaching, or self-practicing movement.
In that way we invite the wholeness of a person into the process of movement and wellness.
We redefine what good movement means … not something to get right or wrong, but something that is in flux, and an emergent property of making harmonious choices with your reality.
We create possibility … and potential.
We prioritize perspective over protocols … wisdom over rules.
We stop searching for tools outside of our own Self.
We become Experts.
we find security & freedom in our own choices
… teacher and student alike.
HOMEWORK: What is one movement rule you follow? Maybe you always breath well. Maybe you hold perfect posture when ___. Maybe you only use ___ amount of weight ‘cause it’s the right one.
Pick an exercise that would normally require you to utilize that rule.
Then break the rule.
Don’t break it for the sake of rebelling. Break the rule for the sake of finding out if that rule is really as valuable as you’ve been told it is (by your teacher / by yourself).
Is your body resilient enough to organize around the new choice?
If not … connect with me and let’s strategize.
~ james CRADER
