Summary

The article discusses the concept of "power posing" as a method to improve confidence and mood by altering one's body language to influence the mind.

Abstract

The article "How To Push Start Your Mind — Let Your Body Do The Talking" suggests that when mental positivity is challenging, one can leverage physical cues to shift their psychological state. It emphasizes the power of body language in affecting both our own mindset and the perceptions of others. Citing research, including Amy Cuddy's work, it argues that adopting expansive postures, such as the "Wonder Woman" or "The Pride Pose," can boost confidence and mood by increasing testosterone and reducing cortisol levels, even when faced with stressful situations like performances or important meetings. The article encourages the reader to use these poses as a quick and effective way to change one's mental state when conventional positive thinking fails.

Opinions

The author believes in the mind-body connection, asserting that our bodies can influence our psychological state.
The article posits that our mindset can be improved through intentional body language, referencing scientific studies to support this claim.
It is suggested that traditional methods of mental preparation, like positive thinking, can sometimes be ineffective, and physical interventions can be more immediate and impactful.
The author endorses "power posing" as a practical tool for anyone needing a quick confidence boost before high-pressure situations.
The article implies that the reader can take control of their mental state and manipulate their hormone levels through deliberate physical actions, thus improving their chances of success.

How To Push Start Your Mind — Let Your Body Do The Talking

It’s simpler than this! (Source: Pixabay)

What to do when your mind stalls

I often bang on about the power of the mind to improve our well-being; how the language we use and the images we create drive what we hold to be true because the mind does what it thinks we want it to do.

If you believe you suck at (fill in the blank) then your mind will ensure you do — suck that is. Or that your business won’t succeed. Events will conspire to present the outcome you desire.

We all have moments when we backslide. The hill is too steep. We keep rolling back, unable to gain momentum.

We’re powerless. We try revving our engine with positive thoughts but we stall.

What to do?

Now’s the time to reverse engineer.

Stuck in your head? Use your body instead.

If you’re struggling to switch off the negative chatter, why not turbo boost your mood with your body?

What we pay attention to grows, so the secret is to create a temporary diversion by focusing on our body language.

Here’s why.

Our body language speaks to our state of mind and speaks to others — a nonverbal tool of communication.

Do you notice when you’re inadequate or stressed you make your body small? Your shoulders hunch, your back is bowed. You may not realise you’re doing it.

But when you’re confident, your body expands. You stand taller. You swagger.

In her famous 2012 TED Global Talk “Your Body Language May Shape Who You Are” Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist and Harvard Business School professor, says,

“We know that our non-verbals govern how other people think and feel about us. There’s a lot of evidence. But our question really was, do our non-verbals govern how we think and feel about ourselves?”

(This field of study includes over 46 studies from 96 researchers from university labs around the world, so the science is solid.)

We mindset improves when we exercise — whether it be jogging, walking, yoga or whatever your preferred method. Physical exercise stimulates the release of endorphins, dopamine, norepinephrine and serotonin. This cocktail of brain chemicals plays an important part in regulating our mood.

But what if we don’t have the time or motivation?

What if we’re about to go on stage to perform, or attend an important meeting or interview?

We need a quick fix — a jump start.

Power Posing

An expansive body posture offers a simple solution.

All it takes is two minutes!

Try one of these when your mind stalls and your confidence falters.

#1 Wonder Woman

(Despite its name, this is not gender specific.)

Stand tall with your feet planted wider than your hips, chin up and hands on hips.

#2 The Pride Pose

You can pretend you’re Usain Bolt having just won another gold medal.

Throw your arms up in the air in a V-shape with your eyes closed and savor the victory.

Amy Cuddy calls this pose The Performer in honor of Mick Jagger. You can strut your stuff and soak up the applause, if that works better for you.

(Do it before you go into that meeting or interview or you may come across as rather rude.)

Up with testosterone and down with cortisol! (Yes, women need testosterone too!)

Your body can change your mind

That negative chatter I spoke about earlier? That was me a week ago.

I was stuck and Wonder Woman came to the rescue.

I’m revved up and moving again. I hope you’re moving too.

Thanks for reading!