Using Exercise to Explore Vulnerability
The depths of pain and vulnerability whether mental or physical are often feared by many. The picture above represents the culmination of over 4 years of training flirting with the fringes of discomfort and explorations of uncharted territory; which includes transitioning to a 100% plant based diet. Having a full time job as a physician with work and life obligations, as most of us do, has made this journey that much more arduous. In listening to my favorite podcast (The Rich Roll Podcast), a conversation with record setting ultrarunner Courtney Dauwalter piqued my interest when Rich asked her how exploring her proverbial “pain cave” as she called it helps her grapple with other challenging situations in her life. This question resonated deeply with me as I’ve always felt that working toward and achieving difficult physical goals have provided me with the confidence needed to manage struggles in other aspects of life.
As I’ve described in a previous article, the effects of serotonin can be impactful. Serotonin, a neurotransmitter, usually surges in our bodies when there is a notable feeling of accomplishment. Once we’ve had a taste, the appetite for this feeling can be insatiable. Whether we have goals in mind or not, serotonin can help provide that drive in us to accomplish them. This in turn becomes important in finding how we can continue this flow of serotonin and ultimately tap into the flow state (experiencing serotonin) where we find ourselves in a state of bliss. This feeling of being in the flow or in bliss is also one of aligning deeply with our core selves leading to spiritual and emotional transcendence. We all strive to find this state but it can be difficult to achieve with the demands of modern life. Many seek but ultimately do not find this kind of alignment with self and meaningful accomplishment via our professional careers. At the very least, our careers help to provide income to pay the bills, however, finding a career that can help you align with things you value (i.e. helping others, fostering creativity and innovation, diversity and inclusion, minimizing environmental impact, addressing the well being of animals to name a few) can help us deal with those situations where we find ourselves in the career doldrums and existential abyss. That is one way of finding alignment with the self (aka flow state).
The mental and emotional challenges of life can be quite taxing and difficult. We are not always able to be in careers that are aligned with our core selves which in turn allow us to achieve goals that are meaningful to us. Physical challenges can seem simpler to overcome as often the answer is much more straightforward (i.e. train more, get the right nutrition, get rest, stay hydrated, etc). Stressful mental challenges have often triggered migraines and anxiety for me. Early in life, I’ve feared and have avoided these situations as I lacked the tools to overcome them. It’s hard when you’re young trying to decipher which tools are the most valuable and relevant. People we trust, like our parents, relatives or friends are often people we confide in and seek help from. This may not always be the best option as they often want the best for us but may not truly understand which tools to provide. We often receive advice in these situations that appears easy to implement to the one providing it, however, this person may not fully understand the difficulty associated with how this advice needs to be implemented. This can result in frustration for the person on the receiving end leading them to spiral further down the existential abyss thinking that even their loved ones are incapable of helping them. A few explanations for this might be that the advisor may not have taken the time to listen to the situation, ask about what thoughts you might have, discuss what emotions you might be struggling with, and inquire about obstacles that you perceive.
When it comes to the more difficult mental and emotional challenges, we can summon the confidence that we’ve built with physical accomplishments and challenges. This will allow us to say to ourselves that, “I can do difficult things!” Next, find the space to think deeply about the challenge by way of mindfulness and meditation. These practices can be difficult at first, however, through follow up with a behavioral health provider or mindfulness practices such as journaling and meditation (apps like Headspace and Calm can help start a practice) we can start to experience relief. These practices will also help to start the process of self-realization and cultivate understanding of who we truly are and what makes us happy. Subsequently, making ordinary life more fulfilling. As Joseph Campbell once said, “Knowing who you are is the privilege of a lifetime.”
As Joseph Campbell once said, “Knowing who you are is the privilege of a lifetime.”
Lastly, an important factor for exploring vulnerability is to make sure we approach life’s challenges with love and without our egos. Too often our egos interject; a conversation becomes contentious and we find the cantankerous version of ourselves arise. This is when we often lose the opportunity to have that productive conversation and subsequently fail to arrive at a mutually beneficial outcome for all or simply aren’t present. In races, I employ this strategy by becoming present, reminding myself of my goals and focusing on my competition. My competition is always myself and not the person next to me. If we can have conversations in this manner reminding us of this mindset that focuses on the present, we set ourselves up for success. Being present can be another act of vulnerability, and its consistent implementation will lead to spiritual growth.
In the mental and emotional realm, there is an aspect of spirituality that plays into our existential challenges. The process of awakening and tapping into one’s inner well spring of life is unique for everyone but with some common elements. It takes a dose of humility to embark on this journey. I found the Rich Roll podcast episode with Dr. Lisa Miller, PhD useful because it highlighted techniques and key focuses. In Dr. Miller’ new book, the Awakened Brain, she shared the wisdom that we are all spiritual beings and if we can recognize one another within that scope, opportunities for success become exponential and they benefit every being. The process asks of you to drop your preconceived notions, ideas, defenses (ego) and become curious and receptive to your connection with that which is larger than yourself; these are acts of spirituality. Recognizing that spiritual being in yourself and within others reminds me of the meaning of Namaste which can be articulated as, “From the best part of me, I recognize and honor the best part of you.”
Namaste,
Akbar
