Your emotions react to your body

We are emotional creatures, spending most of our days inside our own heads. This is especially true in the information age, as we spend on average 10 hours a day consuming content. We seem to forget about our bodies, or at least our connection to them.

When we are happy we smile, when we are frustrated we frown. When we are depressed we collapse inward and when we are victorious we celebrate by spreading out. When a gymnast finishes their routine, they shoot arms towards the sky in celebration. When a kid in class feels alienated they curl up, hunch over, and hold their arms close to their body.

These various ways of holding ourselves all have evolutionary purposes. When we are in danger we might curl up to protect vital organs. When we needed to look big and show our dominance towards predators we would spread ourselves out, boosting our confidence in case of physical distress.

While we see these physical positions as reactions to emotions, the opposite is true. Our emotions are effected by the way we hold our bodies. When we spread ourselves out, our minds react in order to make us to be more powerful. We produce more testosterone and lower our levels of cortisol, which improves our assertiveness. When we curl in, our bodies suspect self defense and produce more stress hormones, making us less likely to step out of our comfort zones.

Amy Cuddy’s TED talk beautifully explains this concept in more detail. And her new book “Presence” is an even more in depth read on the subject of not only body language, but how we can use body language along we other tactics to be more present in our everyday lives.

The mind and body are both very closely connected. Next time you’re feeling down just take a moment to hold your body in a positive way. Fake a smile, hold your shoulders back, stretch out towards the sky, and/or reach upwards like you just crossed a finish line. Do this for a minute or two, take a few deep breaths, and I bet you’ll notice the difference.