Feel More Confident With Power Poses!

Think Wonder Woman – feet standing strong slightly apart, chest and head lifted, and hands on your hips. What comes to mind? A powerful, confident woman who is in control of everything, right?

That right there is a power pose, which are body postures designed to help you feel more powerful. By assuming a power pose, your body signals to your mind that you feel confident and ready to take on whatever challenges that come your way.

The idea of power poses was first introduced by author and Harvard Business School professor Amy Cuddy who wrote Presence: How to Bring Your Best Self to Your Boldest Challenges. She also has this TED Talk which you can check out to learn more about body language and confidence – we highly recommend watching it!

So how do power poses work? According to Cuddy and the research she did on power poses, by assuming strong, confident power poses, it has a unique biological impact on your body whereby testosterone (the hormone associated with dominance) increases while cortisol (the stress hormone) decreases. With the two in balance, your body becomes more assertive and confident. And when this happens, your mind automatically feels more confident! Disclaimer though: There have been studies to debunk this claim but new research shows that there is a connection between posture and confidence so don’t dismiss it just yet!

On top of that, when you assume a power pose, you’re also indirectly sending a message to others that you are feeling confident, strong and powerful – which is what body language is all about. That’s why power poses are so important to adopt whereby you literally fake it with body language and become it!

When’s a good time to use power poses? Anytime you want to give yourself a boost of confidence and help others perceive you as more self-assured! During a job interview, presenting to your boss and client, before a tough conversation. Better yet, do it first thing in the morning to get started on the right pose for the day.

Here are some power poses you can try. Tell us if it makes a difference!

The Victory Pose
You know the pose – where you raise your hands or fists above your head in a V shape because you’ve won! While you are not likely to hold this pose during a presentation or discussion, doing it first thing in the morning sets the mind straight for success during the day. Or maybe even do it before public speaking to give you the self-assurance for more confidence.

The Loomer
Say you’re wrapping up your presentation. You want to really get the audience on board for one last time. Do this power pose where you lean forward and support yourself on a table. Everyone’s looking at you and it shows you’re in command and confident. Try it!

The Straight Up
Super easy to do yet many of us forget it – stand up straight, pushing your shoulders slightly back, and open your chest! The opposite of this is slouching and it most definitely displays a lack of confidence and sincerity. But if you do The Straight Up, you convey a sense of interest and help you make instant connections.

The Boss
The power pose of all power poses. Obama does this a lot where he sits back in his chair, stretches his arms out and behind his head while putting his feet up on a table. It conveys the message that he’s in charge. You may not want to do this in front of your boss but it could be something you do while thinking of your presentation beforehand or in casual discussions with colleagues. It may put everyone in the mindset that you know what you’re talking about – and if you’re comfortable enough to do The Boss, then you most likely have what it takes to be one!

The Open Palm
Your hands can really say a lot during a presentation. If you keep them closed in a fist, it says you’re nervous and not too confident about what you’re presenting. But if you gesture with an open hand, palm facing up towards the content you’re presenting, it communicates cooperation, openness, and confidence. On the contrary, pointing can also be seen as aggressive and rude so avoid it!

Photo by Razvan Chisu on Unsplash.