Posture Up!
Your posture is never better than if you’re talking to somebody who is exactly your same height.
I’ve been working on my posture this week and frankly, you probably should too. Roll your shoulders back, lift your chin up a bit. Tuck your lower back in to be in line with your hips. Maybe sit up straight in your chair if you’re reading this at a desk or somewhere else. Once you start to notice it, it’s absolutely astonishing the amount of people around you who have terrible posture.
Just this week I saw a woman who made me think about my own posture. She caught my eye in the subway as I listened to some Dutch techno that my buddy recommended. This anonymous woman essentially glided out of her seat with her eyes locked onto her screen. I’m not sure what she was watching in the fluorescent lit station, but it must have been captivating as her spine settled. The train stopped and she coasted out of her seat, around the corner, up the escalator all without removing her gaze from the screen. I felt a little bit empathetic for her c1 & c2.
Look before you get all high and mighty on me, I’m not trying to criticize, but just observe and to make a point. I’m the first to admit I turn into an iPad kid every now and then (probably too often). I get a little entranced and hypnotized and my shoulders roll forward. I zone out and watch some brain rot YouTube video that is undoubtably shortening my attention span.
But that's not the point
I’ve found that discomfort—sometimes even a little healthy embarrassment—can be more motivating than admiration. I’ve noticed that when something genuinely bothers me, when I feel a real sense of discomfort, I’m much more likely to take action. So, I’d like to invite you to try a little thought exercise and see if the same holds true for you.
Think on it; what’s something you’d like to improve on or do. Some trait that you’d like to exhibit, mine for example is my posture. I can look at great leaders all day and try to mimic their behaviors. Commencement speakers behind podiums, rally leaders & activists, I mean true professionals!
With their shoulders cocked back and head up, they command respect from the audience emulate conviction & confidence before a word ever rolls off their tongue. Now I can pick apart body language as good as anybody, and tell you exactly how posture creates credibility, but I still won’t stand up straight.
But, when I saw that woman on the subway, my shoulders spring loaded back into place so fast I had a little bit of recoil.Why? Because I imagined how other’s saw me and felt a little bit of embarrassment. It might seem harsh, but it’s the truth and it’s a little blunt sometimes.
I was frustrated with myself for falling into those same habits. I mean I can describe the pattern of the bricks on my 20-minute walk to campus better than the buildings and their windows that I pass by. And that’s fine to notice your faults, but it’s not okay to just idly observe them.
It’s not that deep
I’m not saying you need to make some life changing decision, and I’m not going to either. Radical change rarely sticks, and consistency is much more important. What I’m saying is if you do want to make improvements or minor tweaks, try to think about it a little differently.
If you want to be more cleanly, put yourself in the situation of the extreme like a hoarder’s house and I’m willing to bet you’ll pick up the broom. Apply it to anything. You want to stop smoking? Notice other smokers and think about the implications that come with it, the smell the spend etc., you might think again.
If you want to be a better partner or friend, think about what a shitty one would do, or take a mental note when somebody is being a douche. You might change a little bit quicker.
