Who wants to think about their posture?

Tedious, dull, and BORING are words that come to mind. I also sense something like “dutiful” – something you should pay attention to, but somehow you don’t. Good posture seems to have something to do with being a “good girl,” but wouldn’t being bad be more fun?

The benefits of “good posture,” however, have been getting a lot of press recently. We’re told that “sitting is the new smoking” and to beware of “text neck” and “iPosture” or the “iHunch!” As well as causing aches and pains, we now know that poor posture also negatively affects our mood, our confidence, the clarity of our thinking, and how energized we feel.

Unfortunately the simplistic, oft-heard advice to “stand up straight” and “pull your shoulders back” doesn’t really help – especially if you’re already dealing with excess tension and pain, stress or overwhelm.

This approach highlights another problem with the word posture, and that is how people often react when they want to model “good posture.” They get stiff, immobile and fixed – again “dull” springs to mind. They are putting on their posture armor.

Ask yourself how you think of “good posture?” What would you do?

When I help my clients with their posture I’m looking for a fluid quality – a person who is free to move. It’s a full body coordination that is natural, dynamic, authentic and, yes, even pleasurable. There’s a natural uprightness that is accompanied with ease. The body language projected is one of self-confidence and power (in a good way). It shows someone who is comfortable in their own skin – who’s authentic, and the armor is off.

Because of this, instead of posture, I am often choosing to use the word “poise,” as it conveys, I hope, more accurately what I’m after.

We can have poise whatever we do – even doing something as mundane as working at our computer.

Wouldn’t it be great if you felt good while you work and afterward?

It’s absolutely possible when you have “computer poise.”

Think how much more energy you would have if you’re not dragging yourself down every time you work. And that poise will stand you in good stead when you get up and move around, speak to clients, and present yourself in public.

To this end, I have finally launched a project I’ve been working on for some time (which you have may have noticed if you’ve been following my blog for a while!). I have put together an email seminar giving “12 Lessons in Computer Poise.” It’s completely free to sign up, and every other day a lesson will be delivered to your inbox for you to follow. You can click here to sign up now.

I firmly believe that small tweaks can lead to big changes. I also believe poise is available to all of us. I hope you will join me on this journey and say goodbye to boring old posture!

As always, I’d love to hear from you. As the comments function is still not working properly here on the blog, I’ve turned them off, until the problem is fixed. In the meantime, if you have an observation, question or comment for me, please hop over to my Facebook page and leave it there.

“Boring” image © fordzolo / 123RF Stock Photo