Blog Post: Boost your Confidence through Body Language
Recent research into body language, and what it can mean in terms of having a better life outlook has turned up a very interesting notion. Body language is more than just a nonverbal form of communication it may also be a form of self realization. We all know that body language speaks volumes about things left unsaid. But in a recent TED Talk, social scientist Amy Cuddy describes how her research demonstrates that body language not only influences how others see us but how we see ourselves and possibly even what we ourselves can become.
Cuddy used a variety of measures to test body language and concluded that body language alters body chemistry- specifically testerone the power hormone and cortisol the stress hormone. Her motto a twist on the old maxim “fake it till you make it” is “fake it till you become it.”
Cuddy notes that when faced with stressful situations or difficult challenges, such as a job interview or a public speaking event, striking a powerful pose for 2 minutes will set off actual changes in body chemistry and may help someone to exude a more confident, charismatic and powerful image.
If your student needs a confidence boost perhaps daily power posing exercises may be beneficial. Below are some common high power and low power poses. Click for more details about Cuddy’s research and to view Amy Cuddy’s TED Talk
