Consider Arms Up (#SquareUp Day 25)

Posted on by Prior...

Happy Monday Readers

As we move into the final week of the month of January – let’s consider lifting our arms up more, lifting our chins up more, and making sure we are not sitting too much or for too long. Today’s square up photos connect to this consideration – maybe we can use small “power poses” to help our health.

 

Question – can you guess which celeb donated (or sold) this dress to go on display at the Guitar Hotel in Florida?  (answer is at the end of the post)
What do you think BB?
Okay – so this photo was taken because this man reminded me of our blogger friend Equinoxio (here) and doesn’t it fit into this post a little? Here is how: Maybe we can chat it up and also turn a little – perhaps bring the arm around for a gentle spinal twist? Perhaps?

Closing Thoughts

Author and researcher Amy Cuddy coined the term “Power Pose” to describe body postures that contribute to improved health. Cuddy’s  various research, spawned by her own recovery from a head injury, adds more support for “the way we hold our body and the posture we keep impacts wellness.”

To have a physical and mental boost, we can stand like a starfish or stand with arms out and chin lifted.

Cuddy (2015) called this giving ourselves a nudge.

We could also stand with arms UP in victory pose or place the hands on the hips. See the video below for a bit more info.

Sure, this is not necessarily “new” news for us.

Many folks over the years have suggested postures for confidence and empowerment  – “nothing new under the sun,” eh? However, we humans still need to be reminded of these basic things – and one of my favorite things to do for a quick pick me up – is the executive pose: fingers clasped and hands held behind the head:

 

Answer to question – this was Britney Spears old white dress on display at the guitar hotel in florida 

So what do you think? Have any confidence poses to add? How are you doing with sitting while making time to get that body moving? 

#SquareUp Day 25

Cuddy, A. (2015). Presence: Bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges. Hachette

 

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49 thoughts on “Consider Arms Up (#SquareUp Day 25)”

    1. well should I say it ? “great minds…. stand up and get that body moving” ha
      and whew – it is all too easy for hours to pass whilst sitting – eh?
      cheers to an uplifting month with the up theme – still a week left 😉

      Liked by 1 person

    1. hey BB
      i thought of you every time i looked at that photo and so had to finally add the caption before in posted it
      guess some pics just remind me of certain folks
      and i can totally see a younger TS in that

      Liked by 1 person

    1. yes – i think you are right – wry similar –
      and Cuddy also mentions wonder woman and super heroes at some point.
      so a lot of recycled ideas 😉

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  6. I remember seeing Amy Cuddy’s TED talk and enjoying her point of view. She makes a good case for taking your alignment seriously. That being said, I could do better at that. This year at home I’ve been more online than in the past and that has taken a toll on my power poses. Hunched over screens not good.

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    1. hi ally – i completely missed her ted talk but i guess her 2012 one is one of the most viewed videos of the Ted talks and it is partly what led to her book (go figure)
      and one of my favorite ted talks (of the many) is jeff iliff’s one on sleep
      —
      wheee and here is to all of us monitoring the way we approach our screen time ((and i assume your wireless keyboard has helped?))

      Liked by 1 person

  7. A sport psychologist that was working with the Canadian Dressage Team for the 2016 Olympics told them to put their arms up in a V for Victory. Obviously they cannot do this while riding but they would practice it off the horse and say “I am Canada” while holding their arms in the V. Then when they entered the ring and halted the horse to salute the judge at the start of their test they would mentally say “I am Canada” and the feeling of the V would be in their minds as they rode the test. I have been told by two people who rode in those Olympics that it worked!

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    1. oh thanks for that awesome tip!!
      and it sounds like it would work – and i could
      imagine the folks doing that!
      and reminds me again how we can be intuitional about creating helpful conditioned responses as ooosed to letting life just happen to us
      🏇🐎🐴

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  9. Love it… Yes, we gotta keep moving Yvette like you know so well!
    Love the pics and great minds think alike. …. I used the same ocean post today for my poem in an entirely different way! ❤️

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      1. Yes, and tho…. it’s the challenge for writers which I now understand and hate about desk jobs! I have a lot of empathy now for those who have to sit all day!
        My post is not so exciting today but then life does that to us sometimes. I will and you do the same. See you later! ❤️

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  10. I can feel myself sitting straighter after watching that video. 🙂 🙂 Doesn’t she have lovely posture? I’m a slumper, but I do get up and move about a lot. A friend always carries a weighted backpack to keep her shoulders back when walking. Relates to a back issue.

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    1. wow – the backpack is interesting – they sell a lot of different back trainers and supports these days – and hopefully we can all find what works for us

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      1. MY Ray-Bahns are a personal trademark. The ones on my Gravatar, I had for 40 years. Not a scratch. Even after skydiving. Lost them 2 years ago in Paris. Fell somewhere. I didn’t notice. I bought the – almost – exact same pair again… 😎

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  13. I had no idea about the dress because I’m not much into celebrities and don’t know much about them. AND I don’t mind. 🙂 My suggestion for a power pose would be to stand tall, pull your shoulders back a bit, and hold your stomach in. Actually if you elongate your posture, you tend to bring your stomach more in line and you look thinner as well.

    janet

    Liked by 1 person

    1. thanks for the tio janet – sounds like a good one
      —
      and i am nkt that aware of the celeb culture – enough and sometimes stories find their way to me / but for example i only now learned that Spears spelled her first name “brit ney” –
      quite unusual

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  16. It is very difficult when you are very busy and sit in Zoom meetings for 3/4 of the day to find time for walking around, Yvette. It leaves so little time for proper work for starters. I am really trying to walk for at least 20 minutes a day. It’s not long enough, but it’s better than nothing.

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    1. well in my view – 10 and 20 minutes can have really awesome benefits – and sometimes the cardio junkie misunderstanding is that we have to get an hour or more
      and my hubs is a believer in micro workouts and short walks have a lot of umph!

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  17. Power pose, love it. I do need to move more. I have found myself sitting in front of my computer way to much during these covid days. Thanks for the reminder to move!

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  18. Pingback: Swimming upstream this month – The life of B

  19. Just as I was bending my neck to view my phone and thinking about how stiff my neck and shoulders get, I read this. These things your mother told you, like keeping your head up and straightening your shoulders were for a reason!

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    1. Hi – thanks for the comment – and you are so right – some of that early instruction had reasons and layers we might not have realized
      cheers for finding ways to combat too much sitting and bending : )

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