Photo Credit: thechangeblog.com
It’s quite obvious that successful people are generally of the confident and charming variety. The problem with many of us is that all too often, we let our insecurities (and we all have them) get the better of us and we shy away from opportunities. It has been proven that people can sense levels of confidence from the moment someone steps into the room. How?
The way you stand, walk and even sit is one of the major tell-tailing signs that you’re a confident, go-getting individual. Good posture means that your body is aligned correctly and all body parts are well-supported. Not only does body language affect how other people you, but how you see yourself. Amy Cuddy’s studies show that “power posing” – standing in a posture of confidence, even when you don’t feel confident – affects the level of testosterone and cortisol in your brain, making you feel better about yourself. Her research concludes that changing your body positions does too influence how others see you and even alters your body chemistry.
Power Posing before an interview – or before any event where you are in need of a confidence boost – will improve how you feel and appear to others. But what if you have bad posture?
Here are ten tips to help improve and maintain your stance:
- When sitting, relax your shoulders and keep your forearms parallel to the ground
- When sitting, keep your feet on the floor or on a footrest if they don’t reach the floor
- When working at the computer, make sure that your screen, desk and keyboard are properly aligned
- When driving, adjust the seat forward so your knees are slightly higher than your hips and place a small cushion behind the lower part of your back
- Get up and move around, change positions frequently
- When standing, keep the majority of your weight on the balls of your feet and make sure your knees are slightly bent. Keep your feet about shoulder-width apart.
- When standing, pull your shoulders back and tuck your tummy in and make sure your head is kept in a level position.
- When lying, avoid sleeping on your stomach and sleep with a pillow.
- When lying, sleep on your side with your knees slightly bent.
- When lifting, let your legs do the work and bend from the knees, down to the object. Don’t bend your back down towards the object
Let OneShift know what you think about posture and confidence!
