Member-only story
Our Posture Says a Lot More About Us Than We Think
Our posture can give a lot away about us, perhaps even more than our words.
How many times did you hear “stop slouching” or “sit up straight” as a child?
Probably hundreds of times. We are the text-neck generation — and COVID-19 hasn’t helped the situation, unfortunately.
But our bad posture might have less to do with not “sitting up straight” and a lot more to do with our stress levels, our stored traumas, or our lack of self-esteem.
When we see someone with good posture, the qualities that probably come to mind are someone who is confident, open-minded, and positive. On the contrary, someone with poor posture might send off signals that they’re depressed, anxious, and unapproachable.
When we’re feeling stressed, we usually feel the tension in our necks and shoulders. Our emotions get stored in our physical bodies. Similarly, when we feel shame, sadness, or a lack of zest for life, our upper bodies naturally crumple. Our bodies reflect our inner state of mind.
“We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body.” ~ Bessel A. van der Kolk, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain…
