by Karen Karsten
Years ago, I saw Tony Robbins at a workshop he gave here in Minneapolis. He was the first person I saw using physical state change to influence behavior and attitude. He simply had the volunteer who came up on stage stand tall with head up and take a deep breath. It made an immediate difference in how he looked and felt.
I read an article in the New York Times recently about Ann Cuddy, who has done research on power poses. I was intrigued and listened to her very popular TED Talk “Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are.” If you haven’t seen it, get on out there–it is fascinating.
Just a bit about her research that I found enlightening. Two of the hormones involved in the feelings of power and resourcefulness are testosterone and cortisol. We feel capable, powerful and resourceful when testosterone is high and cortisol is low. AND fake it til you make it works!
We naturally produce these hormones. Certain body positions can cause the brain to produce more testosterone and less cortisol. Holding a power pose for as little as two minutes can result in your feeling more powerful. The Wonder Woman pose below is perfect-try it! Stand tall, hands on hips, legs firmly planted, head up, chest out. Oh, and smiling is good, too–it also makes small hormonal changes whether you mean it or not!
About Karen