Welcome to HuffPost Canada’s (almost) daily guide to helping you pick up an easy, everyday ritual that can make your life a bit better, in a small but significant way.
Canadians are stressed out, anxious, and are feeling disconnected from each other. Every Monday through Friday, we’ll share a tiny tip to help you feel good. We’ve got your back.
Today’s Habit: The power pose (also known as the superhero pose).
For whenever you’re feeling: Nervous, small, insignificant.
Many of us feel tired or anxious when we get up in the morning, whether it’s because we got a bad night’s sleep, have to get up early, or are anxious about something — maybe you’ve got a job interview or have to do a big presentation at work.
What it is: The power pose involves standing up straight with your feet apart, hands on your hips, chin pointed up, and puffing out your chest. Stay in this position for one to two minutes.
How it can help: Studies have found that there are benefits to power posing, also referred to as expansive (or open) posturing. The main takeaway: It makes you feel more powerful. However, the science behind power posing is still being debated, as recent research has called into question whether it can affect hormone levels.
In 2012, Amy Cuddy, a social psychologist, delivered a TedTalk about the benefits of power posing, arguing that it boosts feelings of confidence and might have an effect on how successful we are.
A few years later, Cuddy’s co-author Dana Carney released a statement saying she didn’t “believe that ‘power pose’ effects are real.”
In 2018, Cuddy reclaimed her work in an academic paper for Psychological Science, which showed evidence that practising an open posture (Cuddy now calls the effect postural feedback) makes people feel more powerful.
Some people swear by the effects it has on their mood.
Natalie Borch, owner of The Pink Studio in Toronto, discussed the benefits of power posing during a segment on The Morning Show in August.
“You can almost temporarily trick yourself into feeling confident,” Borch said. “It’s like positive self-talk, but using your body.”
“Anybody can do it,” she continued. “It’s free, there’s no equipment, all you need is your body.”
Where you can do it: At home, at work, outside. Basically, anywhere you feel comfortable.
How it makes us feel: Stronger, more confident. Come on, you’re pretending to be a superhero, how can you not feel confident?
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And that’s your tip of the day.
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