The way we stand, sit, and walk influences how people may see
and judge us. We all know that by changing our posture, we can change our
emotions and thoughts. Sitting in a curled up or regressed way helps promote
feelings of being small, inadequate and being unimportant. Walking with our
arms swinging, sitting in a spread out position or running with our arms out
wide promotes feelings of power and confidence.
I learned about body language through studying NLP (neuro-linguistic
programming). Our bodies have a wide repertoire of ways to communicate. By
changing or modifying gestures, skin tones, micro-muscle movements we can
convince others and ourselves that we are feeling happy or sad, powerful or
weak. Our nonverbal communication often speaks louder than our verbal
communication. When someone walks into a room that is what we all see and focus
on first. When we first speak to someone we are watching eye movements,
breathing patterns and we are studying their posture.
This is important to me as an Art Therapist. My clients come
to me because they want change. Change can’t happen if our body keeps repeating
the same body postures and micro-muscle movements that lock us into our
patterns of depressive thinking, angry emotions or fear. If we change our
postures, we can change our thinking and feeling. If one feels safe and
confident, one has to hold themselves in a body posture that convinces them
that they are in fact safe and confident. Looking and feeling powerful does
help give you an inner belief that you are powerful. We can change our body to
give others messages, but most importantly we can change our body to give
ourselves new messages.
In a group of people we are attracted to others who have
rhythms and body movements that we find comforting, stimulating or pleasant. We
can do the same thing for ourselves. I love being in my body when I am running.
I love watching strong runners cross the finish line with their arms spread
wide. I love feeling the strong muscles and strength. It gives me the message
that I am healthy and in shape. If there is something you want to change about
yourself, mimicking the body movements of a person who acts in the way you want
to, helps convince yourself that you can be like that person.
Amy Cuddy in this Ted Talk, brilliantly explains how your
body language shapes who you are.
Try this Art Therapy Exercise for changing Body Patterns.
First, take some time to calm your mind. Do some deep
breathing. Now think of a pattern in your life you would like to change. It
could be a fear, a way of responding or a thought you have about yourself. Take
a few minutes to write or draw this. Now notice your body. How are you sitting?
How are you holding yourself? Note what your body posture is when you are
focusing on this thought or emotion that you would like to alter.
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Now think of someone who you believe does not have this
problem or issue. Take some time to stand and walk around the room with the
belief that this issue or problem is no longer with you. How are you standing
or walking? What is different? Are you looser, more fluid, standing taller? Now
draw this image of yourself. Remind yourself to walk or stand in this position
often so you can internalize it.
4 comments:
So true that our body language speaks volumes about us and we may not even be aware of the messages we are sending out...
As a dancer, I am aware of my body almost all the time and I try to pay attention to the messages it is sending to ME from one moment to the next =-)
Thanks for your comment. Yes our bodies speak for us. Hugs
What a cool post. I hadn't seriously given thought to body language and posture before, but it's so true. And yes, standing up straighter (and smiling) makes me FEEL happier! How odd and wonderful.
Ladaisi Blog
Oh so very true! Good post!
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