The Chameleon Within – Series Three: An Adult’s Perspective

By Fiona Ware, Subject Area Lead for Higher Education Sport, South Gloucestershire and Stroud College

This third article explores physical literacy from an adult’s perspective. With a justly focus on supporting the physical literacy journey from birth and throughout childhood, Whitehead’s (2010, 2019) emphasis to recognise the importance across the lifecourse, the value and role into and throughout adulthood, must be equally appreciated and advocated. Surrounded by the knowledge and understanding for the importance of a physically active and healthy lifestyle, as adults, the motivation and confidence to explore, together with the affordances to seek new opportunities to learn and play, may be obscured. Nurturing physical literacy moves beyond competency, with belonging and meaningfulness, foundations to human flourishing.

Appreciating the value and benefits of physical activity, it is important to recognise the unique connection and relationship we have with being physically active. Like a chameleon changes its colours relative to the environment, to communicate and express emotions, our connection and relationship with physical activity too changes, through life stages, personal circumstances, experiences, and feelings.

As we evolve throughout life, reflecting upon and exploring our physical literacy journey, may support why, how and what physical activity pursuits will create our future. From understanding our foundations, experiences which have both challenged and afforded opportunities to thrive, we can find ourselves at an intersection – an opportunity for change.

Physical literacy recognises the uniqueness of our physical activity journey, supporting us to learn:

Upon recognising our physical activity journey, and acknowledging the chameleon within us, we are able to explore and appreciate our uniqueness, which will guide and support us to thrive and flourish.

However, whilst we learn to embrace our individuality in this context, know that you are not alone; and it is with this knowledge that communities can form. Understanding that, whilst we are creating our own metaphorical physical activity path, others are creating their own – in parallel or intertwined.

Appreciating this, we can help to support one another; to motivate; to build confidence; to shape positive behaviours; and to encourage the sharing of experiences.

Continuing your physical activity journey, there are key considerations related to physical literacy which are important; recognising our intentions and associated meaningfulness, building upon the foundations and guiding our choices to participate. Reflect upon your metaphorical physical activity path to date – What have you enjoyed, and why? What has challenged you, and how? What influences you, and how? Now, nurture the chameleon within you, embrace the unfamiliar path, to explore opportunities and the possibilities to seek something new; return to a challenge; connect with others; create and grasp new ventures and experiences. Looking forward, flourish, and be physically active for life.