_________ Fake It Until You Make It - Does That Really Work? Minimal exposure to sport psychology reveals Body poses that reduce our size signal weakness something we intuitively know: Our minds can change our bodies. Lots of research verifies the reality that a change in an athlete’s thinking – from negative to positive or the other way around -- can cause a physical change in performance levels. But here’s an interesting question: Do our bodies change our minds? Does it work the other way around? According to Harvard social psychologist Amy Cuddy, the answer is "yes", and we may want to let our children know what her research has revealed. It seems that our body language not only communicates to others, but also communicates to ourselves. Feelings of power, confidence, assertiveness, and optimism are associated with higher levels of the hormone testosterone, while feelings of powerlessness, doubt, risk-aversion, and pessimism are associated with higher levels of the stress reactor hormone cortisol.
and pessimism to the brain. Posing like Superman or Superwoman is mentally beneficial because of the shift in hormones that is generated. Those who interviewed the subjects in Cuddy’s study reported that a two minute power pose prior to the interview produced an authentic "presence" of enthusiasm, passion, and a comfort level not found in the subjects that were no t asked to assume a power pose before the interview.
We’ve always known that strong leaders in any field have higher testosterone and lower cortisol in stressful situations than most people. What we didn’t know is that assuming certain body postures for as little as two minutes can actually increase testosterone and decrease cortisol in the body. Body poses that expand our size produce greater feelings of confidence and optimism.
Dr. Rob Gilbert, a sport psychologist from Montclair, New Jersey made it most clear when he said, "Act the way you want to become, until you become the way you act." It’s easier to act your way into a feeling than to feel your way into an action! Show your child how to use two minutes in the privacy of their room to take advantage of the body-mind connection.
The phrase "fake it until you make it" contains more truth than just wishful thinking. The practical application is that any of us, including our children, can increase the chances of performing confidently and ultimately becoming more of what we were meant to be by managing our body language. Cuddy’s research confirms that all we need is our body and two minutes of time. The good news is that by consistently using our bodies AND our minds we can do more than fake it; we can become it.
by David Benzel SoccerDroid eMagazine - May 2015