Malcolm Dunn:
Hi, it’s Malcolm Dunn here from the Global Leadership Wellness Academy and I’m the Dean of school and as you’re aware, we’ve been putting together a series on Quantum Thinking, Quantum Leadership. n the both of those we adopt a very holistic approach to how we think about human beings as individuals, as collectives and society, community, and even as part of a much bigger ecosystem. A lot of the stuff we’ve been talking about is from a logical perspective and understanding the system around us as a world. It’s just as important to understand who we are and the multifaceted makeup of ourselves from the psychological, the physiological perspective, so I’ve got Andrew McCombe with us who’s really been instrumental in forming this multi disciplinary perspective from a nutrition side of things, from the exercise energy usage point of view, from also just the stillness to be able to meditate. Andrew, how important is it to have this integrated person that can deal with the complex external world, that we’re facing?
Andrew McCombe:
Good question. I guess for me, I have a, an anagram I use, I guess it’s called an ease anagram and it’s basically means, (well before I get into that) my philosophy is that your external reality, be that everything that happens outside of your eyes, your physical body and your physical environment is actually a reflection of our internal environment. Be that our thoughts, our feelings and our beliefs that then create behaviors that then create the reality that we observe on a day to day basis. So in order to have the reality that we want, I have a anagram, it’s an EASE anagram. So “E” is for energetic or exercise, I guess is a good way to put it. “A” is for analytical, that’s the mental part of ourself. “S” is for spiritual, that’s our internal relationship with ourself. And then the another “E” is the emotional part of ourself. So when we have our energetic, our analytical, our spiritual, and our emotional selves in balance, everything willflow and we’ll see that in our external environment and hopefully in our body as well.
Malcolm Dunn:
Yeah. And it is interesting, Andrew, because the perspective that we create our own karma, but also by what we notice, we start to select and shape the external world around us as well. So if we just break that down to some of the components of that, because I guess what we’ve heard, you know, with the whole covid thing is the importance of the immune system. So it’s not just about, the biochemistry of the immune system. It’s a whole bunch of things prior to that then help you have it from a nutrition or from a sleep or exercise. What is it that’s helping us present our best self?
Andrew McCombe:
Well, good question. I guess in the short term with the stress levels go up right under an external influence, call it Corona virus, our internal self sees it as a threat and goes into a bit of a fight or flight scenario. So, what happens is our cortisol rises. That’s a stress hormone. And what we’ve got to do in the short term is try and, not alleviate, but get rid of that. So short sharp bursts of exercise, are fantastic as a stress relief. They talk about fight or flight or freeze. A lot of people freeze, do nothing. That’s not a great way of operating. At least with fight, you’ve got an energetic response, you’re gonna burn off some of that cortisol and also a flight. So flight as if you were to run away from something.
Andrew McCombe:
But that’s not a healthy thing, but it’s something in the short term that’s important to do. So a healthy way of doing that in my opinion would be short, sharp bursts of exercise. So high intensity exercise as opposed to long duration and then from a non short term or actually one other thing, there’s also the emotional, dealing with the emotional charge that’s going on for you. There’s a lot of people go into a reactive state when they’re under pressure or in a high state of stress. So I would highly recommend, and it’s quite new to a lot of people, is actually tuning into how you feel and actually allow yourself to feel it because it’s not natural to do that. Right? We want to get away from the feelings. So I suggest we tune into the feelings. We give ourselves 30 seconds to actually feel what’s going on and what actually happens over time as it dissipates and other feelings start coming up. So if you could follow that trail I guess, of emotional charge and stay with it very soon you’ll actually find the opposite feelings come up and out of that comes nice intuitional processes on how to operate more effectively.
Malcolm Dunn:
So step into the fear and the ability to reframe that as an opportunity for learning and for growth rather than being a bad thing invitation, rather an opportunity
Andrew McCombe:
Obviously that’s something we talk about as quantum thinkers in quantum leadership. That’s, that’s quite unique, right because our boy’s saying the opposite . It’s saying fight, flight or freeze. In the short term, let’s do the opposite. Let’s trial it. That’s why we offer around meditation, our service with Raamon as well as feel it cause feeling is actually healing and feelings want to be felt and they actually have a message for us. If we don’t or if we ignore the messages, they keep coming back until they get a resolution. Right?
Malcolm Dunn:
So, obviously mindfulness or meditation or stillness has been around for a couple of decades now. And sometimes we use it as the bandaid when we’re feeling anxious rather than having it as a, a way of life, you know, equanimity. Just being that we always as persons, even when that stimulus comes along, we say, Oh, that’s interesting. Rather than get enmeshed and feel like a victim.
Andrew McCombe:
That’s a good point. So it’s not a case of feeling it and then staying in it. It’s feeling it to be felt and seeing what message or how would I say, insight it has for us on a better way of operating. And a great way, a good combo with the feelings is the meditation or closing your eyes so you’re on an internal state, then breathing into it, identify where in your body you’re feeling it. So put your attention there and just allow it to be felt. And I have a whole process that I use in addition to that. But that’s a real short, sharp way of doing it. And then just allow it to be and then out of it will come the insight as to how you should act differently.
Malcolm Dunn:
Okay. So Andrew, that’s obviously if something has occurred, but I’m looking at then the preventative of who you are. So that actually nothing’s going to perturb you. The meditative state, but it’s because it’s multi disciplinary. I’d be really interested in your perspective on the nutrition part of energy balance. You’ve talked about the burst of energy, but what’s the burst of nutrition that helps you have that available to you when you need it?
Andrew McCombe:
Yeah, so what I was just addressing there is a short term thing for, let’s call it a pain that’s going on right now. The longer term, more preventative measure is obviously if we go back to the anagram of ease, so energetic. So what are we looking at? We’re looking at exercise, energetic, being energetic out. What’s our output? So exercise and in what energy are we putting in? So that’s nutrition. So obviously high quality nutrition that keeps our sugar levels at a more balanced state, so more higher protein, lower sugar is probably the quickest way to put that. Lower GI index food and Mogestri has obviously spoken about that in one of our other videos.
Malcolm Dunn:
I really encourage people to have a look at that video, which we go into the depth of the nutrition side. Why it’s good for us. And the right kind of food as well. So we don’t just have to starve ourself, but I guess, what were you trying to look is a holistic nature of that? Because if your starved or fasting then your mood state is not going to be that great either. So how is it that you in this stable situation, if we can just deal with stuff that is always going to come up.
Andrew McCombe:
Well it’s interesting too, under stress, our adrenal glands kick in like a turbo boost, right? But what they love for fuel is sugar. So it’s a really good way to know if you’re in a state of fight or flight is you’ll be craving more sugar. So two ways to alleviate that is one as I’ve already mentioned, is the feeling, the feelings that are going on. The other thing is a higher protein meal is going to reduce your sugar cravings and have a longer, or blood glucose will stay steady for longer. And then obviously just natural foods like seeds, nuts, fruit and vegetables, that sort of thing or minimize the fruit but more vegetable based.
Malcolm Dunn:
So Andrew I hear about the knowing yourself and how you present in the world. And often it’s going to be mirrored back to, but again, if you’re looking from a holistic perspective, yes we really want to work with ourselves, but when you with another person, you’re going to pick up their mood states and their stuff, the transference and countertransference is coming. I think there’s some people will call it protection to that, so you will stay by yourself. That feels a bit of a harsh word, but at least awareness and say, aaah, there’s something interesting occurring rather than denial and put up the barrier.
Andrew McCombe:
That’s a great point. I think anything that we feel physically in our body or in our environment, if something doesn’t feel right or something feels stressful or there’s something not quite right about that person. Use that as a mirror. Use it as a mirror for our self as opposed to putting a finger on that person or thing and say it’s them. It’s not them. They are having an impact on me. So how we address that is obviously that it’s a vibrational thing, right? If you get triggered or charged by someone else’s vibration of negativity or fear or stress or anger, if I’m triggered by that, let’s use it as a mirror to say, where is it in me that I’m feeling angry or stress or in fear or whatever. So that’s the S part, right? The spiritual turn inward, feel those feelings and see what’s really going on. So what could be going on with that guy that’s having a go at me, may actually be related to my fear in relation to something totally different over here or even at an age when I was at a totally different age. It’s just triggering for me.
Malcolm Dunn:
Different reaction and there’s a legacy impact on that last time this occurred. So this time I’ll present this way. So it’s interesting. Just presence is really important.
Andrew McCombe:
It’s about presence. So when we talk spiritual, we’re talking an internal quest to get in touch with ourselves. It’s not some woo woo, out there. Again, outside of us scenario or something, we’re putting our power into. The power is inside of us to be able to create the reality that we want both physically and environmentally when we tune in. So obviously with the meditation and meditation doesn’t have to be sitting on a rock with your fingers like this and eyes closed and that it could be surfing, it could be playing guitar, it’s whatever helps people tune into their inner self. And that’s that inner voice that starts talking when we’re in that silence space.
Malcolm Dunn:
So this is a really critical part for a person or a leader. Is to have that sense of equanimity and balance because otherwise they can’t bring that self to be a leader elsewhere in the organization. However Andrew. We know for leaders they’re not just responsible for themselves and when they step beyond the self actualization with self-transcendence and this really for yourself that you grow by supporting the growth of others and noticing them and helping them see themselves in the way that you’ve just described.
Andrew McCombe:
That’s a really good point too. From a leadership perspective. If you’re attracting a team or an environment that’s say out of coherence or out of alignment with who you are. The fastest way to get some results from the team is obviously work out what’s going on for you from a vibrational perspective but also a values perspective. So if you can look at your own personal values and look at the team values, if there’s a disconnect there, you will see that in your external environment. So obviously from a leadership and team perspective, it’s really important that everyone they talk about is on the same bus. But really what that means is everyone has the same values and they’re all, they’re all focusing on the same outcome.
Malcolm Dunn:
A key part of what we talk about is probably a sense of shared purpose, but diversity within that. So we can really embrace and welcome other people’s different thoughts because that’s what it allows us to continuously adapt to that world as well. But Andrew, what we’re seeing is many cases people are specialized. So it just creates the splitting or the silos. Here’s your lifestyle coach who will exercise you and here’s your nutrition coach and here’s your executive coach and here’s a wellbeing coach. And it seems to be fragmented. I guess what we’re really trying to do from the quantum perspective is look at the bigger external world, but also look at the internal world and how that interacts with it. And it’s always going to influence us and we can influence it. So it’s great that you’ve got this multidisciplinary perspective of that in a world and you can work within the part of us being leaders to shape the environment as well.
Andrew McCombe:
And again, it’s not a destination. It’s a journey. So it’s not like you get to a certain point and everything’s perfect because you will at some point again be triggered by something else in your external that you then need to turn inwards. It’s like there is no such thing as the fulfillment I guess, it’s only a temporary state that over time we then grow and push our comfort zone out and go to the next level. But we will at that level see other stimulus or triggers or whatever that might affect us.
Malcolm Dunn:
It’s great if we are authentic and we can be what’s called self authoring for that journey and I’ve found it very seldom happens and life has to happen or shit happens, or pertubating events for people to then change long-held behaviors. It’s a wake up call and helping them reframe that into the next stage of that journey as well. So thank you Andrew for that. Really great to have a chat to you. It’s great to both be able to offer these services to the world. And if you’d like to see more about this piece, look at the www.Leadwellglobal.com website. Andrew McCombe and Malcolm Dunn signing off.