How to Understand How Body Posture Affects Emotions

Many people do not realize that the way in which you hold your body can accurately portray the type of emotions that you are currently feeling. Even if they are not accurately portraying how you feel, others may still make assumptions about your emotions based off of the way you position your body. This is why, regardless of what field you are in, you should understand the basics of posture and emotions.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Slouching is one of the most common forms of emotional body posture positioning. When you slouch you make yourself look smaller. Slouching is allowing your body to collapse on itself, similar to the way animals in the wild react when they are scared or insecure. Many humans either feel or portray that they also feel insecure or scared when slouching in this position. Slouching may also portray that you do not care, or you are not engaged in what is currently happening. This can severely hurt your career advancement opportunities in job interviews, or even in regular meetings with your employers.

2. Standing too straight and tall can also portray emotions. In the wild, many animals straighten up their spines to make themselves look taller than they really are. This can be both a protective instinct, or can be a display of dominance and confidence. Keeping your spine straight when in conversation can portray that you are emotionally confident in your abilities, as well as that you are alert to what is happening around you.

3. Crossed arms are another posture related action that can portray the emotions you are currently feeling. Crossed arms are usually seen as closing yourself off. This can come across in an employment setting where you are bored or may not want to be there. It may also come across in dating scenes where you are not interested in someone and so you close yourself off to them by crossing your arms.

4. Talking with your hands is a great way to use your overall posture to both clarify yourself and give the look of confidence as you speak. However, using your hands too much, or constantly fidgeting with your hands can show that you are emotionally nervous in your current environment or situation. If you have a hard time controlling your hands, try interlocking them and placing them in your lap.

[Marilynda]

on 5/2/2009 Interesting article about the way posture affects emotions. Who would have thought!