Age old question
Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
As a child, after hearing this the first time, I filed the question away next to the one, ‘does the tree falling in the forest make any noise if no one is there to hear it?’
There’s an extension to this line of wondering about physical laws involving mind and body. Does the mind lead the body, or does the body lead the mind?
Another “hmmm.”
I’ve long been a proponent of the leadership of the mind; but hearing Hal Elrod, of the Miracle Morning fame, address my author group recently, I came to appreciate how changing behavior first can lead the mind into new ways of thinking.
One can argue, the body will not move without the mind telling it to move. But in consistent movements that we initiate, new thought patterns can emerge that can boost not only thinking, but bodily health. Hal Elrod has stories to tell about his early survival of a head on car crash and in his surmounting a rare and aggressive form of cancer to become a bestselling author using such an approach.
As I sit in the Denver airport this morning, nursing a sinus infection and lacking quality sleep, I will be seeking a bit of privacy to meditatively revisit a practice I shared on a previous post about Amy Cuddy, who also embraces the concept of the body leading the mind. Here are excerpts from that post:
Amy Cuddy’s book, Presence, puts science into what I’ve known all along. While we have long been stoked in the ‘mind over matter’ dogma – which is certainly well documented – and I know can work miracles, Cuddy’s proven approach, however, shows that the body can LEAD the mind.
Her tale of personal transformation is also beautifully told in her TED talk which is the 2nd most viewed TED talk and can be FOUND HERE:
In her book, Cuddy shares studies she and others have conducted as she gently peels away each application of how we view ourselves, present ourselves, and how others perceive us because of our presence.
The studies Cuddy shares, demonstrate that body positions of strength, (Wonder Woman, Superman, more expansive sitting positions with arms away from the body and legs not intertwined), result not only in a mindset of strength, but produce positive brain chemistry changes.
The ‘victory stance’ is genetically ingrained. People around the world, across cultures, and even the blind who have never seen a victory stance, naturally assume that pose after great personal accomplishments – feet apart, chin slightly elevated, with hands thrown up in the air outstretched.
It’s universal.
Looking forward to a challenging day? In private, assume your Victory Stance and hold it for two minutes. Claiming that victory – in advance – helps assure a more positive approach on your part and sets up those you are working with or influencing to see you as a person of strength.
The very act of smiling and standing with confidence redirects the body’s chemistry to a positive flow. Why not boost your confidence by holding a power pose for 2 minutes at the start of the day?
I don’t feel like Super Woman at all right now, but here I go to assume my power pose for two minutes. I need all the help I can get! Maybe I’ll be feeling more energetic for my next flight.
In health –
Deidre
PS – It helped. Two minute Victory Stance poses done twice during my long layover in Denver seemed to help me over the hump of fatigue and my next flight was restful and relaxed. Where did I do these poses? Ahem. In the privacy of a women’s restroom stall! My hands were not thrust in the air over the stall walls, they rested on my hips – just to be discreet.
NOTE: Okay, I can manage a lot of things, but finding a picture of a pair of hands over top a bathroom stall is, well, a wee bit above my purview. I just decided on a pretty picture instead. Use your imaginations here. You can thank me later. Sheree
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