THE HAPPIEST POSTURE POSSIBLE
- Written by Eric North aka “The Happiness Warrior”
“Stand up straight and realize who you are, that you tower over your circumstances.” – Maya Angelou
I believe that good posture is the gateway to living a better life. When hold our heads up and know who we are, we can make anything possible, and our dreams really can come true. When we hold our heads up we’re able to see over life’s obstacles and detractors.
“Sit up straight!” was something I often heard from Grandmother in my early years. She came from an old New England family. She never showed or verbalized much outward emotion or affection, but I knew from her tone of voice and the look in her eyes that she loved me. She was constantly turning lamps on when I was reading, reminding me to speak properly, use good manners, and to sit up straight! She was often judgmental and stern, but her words had meaning, and I’ve lived by them all of my life. She was always my biggest supporter and saw who I really was, so pleasing her was important. To this day when I come into a room my posture is automatic, I sit tall, walk, and stand upright with a sense of confidence. Posture is something that others judge us by, consciously or unconsciously, and good posture is something everyone can achieve. Posture is elemental to living a happier, healthier, and more successful life. Good posture gets us noticed and helps us live longer!
Much later in life, a friend of mine asked me to take her son to the gym. He was just out of boarding school and ready to begin his journey into adulthood. Years of parental neglect had left him withdrawn and unsure of himself, and he walked into our first session with stooped shoulders and his head hanging down. His posture broke my heart and told me everything I needed to know about he felt about himself. The first thing we worked on that morning, was getting him to understand the importance of holding his head up and believing in himself. I was successful in helping him and always channeled my Grandmother to let him know that it came from a place of good intention. It’s been well over ten years, and he’s happily married, kind, confident, and successful.
GOOD POSTURE TELLS US WHO WE ARE
Posture is a nonverbal sign that tells others a lot about ourselves, how we wish to be perceived, and how we choose to engage with life. Poor posture rarely gets us what we want, but if someone is withdrawn or has gone through a lot of suffering, they may not realize the impression that can give from standing tall with confidence. If we want anything in life, good posture is the best way to be seen and taken seriously. Good posture leads to learning about the art of “showing up” and how hard first impressions are to live down.
1. Good Posture is empowering and boosts confidence! Studies have shown that those who sit and stand straight have greater personal belief in themselves and feel more strongly about their statements and thoughts.
2. Good posture is vital to physical health. Sitting for great lengths of time is damaging to the neck, back, and spine. Sitting up straight helps to alleviate this and makes us more mindful of the damage that comes from sitting too long. Back pain can cause collateral damage: missing work, chronic pain, depression, reliance on painkillers, and drug addiction.
3. Good posture helps us perform at a higher level. When our bodies are out of balance our performance will never be at it’s highest level. When we feel good, we’re happier, and we look good too!
4. Good posture affects others’ perception of us, and posture is a non-verbal sign of who we are. How we feel about ourselves is often mirrored in body language. Good posture allows others to see us with clarity and intention.
5. Good posture aids in mental health and thought processes. We think better when sitting up and breathing properly
6. Good posture is essential for making he Mind-Body connection. Without good posture we won’t be able to discover many of the amazing things our bodies are capable of!
IMPROVE POSTURE AND AGE BETTER
“I want to get old gracefully. I want to have good posture. I want to be healthy and be an example for my children”--Sting
Dynamic posture--how you hold yourself when you are moving.
Static posture--how you hold yourself when you are not moving such as sleeping, sitting, and at a desk.
Improving posture can dramatically affect our longevity, especially when we understand how quickly bad posture ages us mentally and physically. Our physical state affects not just our emotional state but our energy levels, as well. Good posture means better breathing, better thinking, and helps us be seen and heard. If every move we make increases and maintains our posture, our lives will expand, and we’ll feel better emotionally and physically. Good posture is essential for wellness.
Good posture helps people remain independent for many more years as they age.
MAKE THE MIND/BODY CONNECTION
“Never slouch, as doing so compresses the lungs, overcrowds other vital organs, rounds the back, and throws you off balance.” – Joseph H. Pilates
Mind-Body Connection is the belief that the causes, development and outcomes of a physical illness are determined from the interaction of psychological, social factors and biological factors. Emotional health includes our overall psychological well-being and our ability to manage our feelings.
1. Hold your head high. Hanging the head down creates feelings of shame and unworthiness. This is something everyone can do immediately to change their lives. Focus on removing shame from your vocabulary.
2. Stand and sit up straight. When we slouch are emotions tend to be more defensive and closed.
3. Focus on relaxing your hands. A tight fist is a sign of hurt or anger and opening the hands and massaging will create more peaceful thoughts.
4. Try to smile more, even if alone. Smiling softens tension and can shift us out of neutral or negative states. Smiling has a positive impact on everyone around you too.
POSTURE AND STRESS
Stress affects posture and posture affects stress. When we have a slumped posture with the head drooping forward the spine compresses and stress is multiplied (e.g. using cellphone with head down for extended periods). This is technically called the “Upper Cross Syndrome” and is very common in neck and shoulder pain. Becoming aware of how postural habits get in the way and cause pain and keep us from performing at optimal is the first step to a life with less pain, better thinking, independence, and more activity.
Bad posture can begin at any age, the longer we have the bad the posture the harder it is to correct and the more health implications. Bad posture can cause or exacerbate heartburn, incontinence, constipation, gut health, digestion, sleep, mood, and ability to exercise. But, it’s never too late to start developing good habits.
Maintaining good posture throughout life is a big part of our health and vitality. Good posture ensure that are bones are aligned and are muscles are less stressed and tense. Use good posture and discover a life with more movement, more vitality, better health, and greater happiness.