+1: #600 Ballet, Anyone?

In our last couple +1s, we talked about the lead-up to a recent keynote talk I gave and some wisdom gleaned in the process—including practicing the “Bring it on!” and “I’m excited!” tools THE MOMENT I experienced doubt/fear/etc. and… Hanging towels over mirrors to reduce the ol' self-consciousness.

 

Today I want to talk about being a ballet dancer. (Hah.)

 

Well, actually, I want to talk about some of my favorite feedback from the event. I had some great conversations with the people at the event but one nice little comment really stuck.

 

Short story: While I was holding Eleanor while Alexandra and Emerson were enjoying a quick little hot tub session at the hotel on Friday night, a woman who attended the event strolled by. We had a nice little Love 2.0 moment. 

 

She told me that she was trained in Russian ballet and that one of the first things she noticed when I started talking was my posture. 

 

She said that in her ballet training, she was taught to simultaneously go up AND go down. And that, apparently, I did that really well. 

 

She said I looked like I could be a ballet dancer. I said, “That’s AWESOME. Thank you!”

 

But, as awesome as that is (lol), that’s not quite the point of Today’s +1.

 

Today I want to talk about three things: Head Threads + Power Poses + Thor’s Hammer.

 

I take my posture/gait kinda seriously. (I think it was Phil Maffetone who says that how we hold ourselves (how we stand/walk/etc.) is, essentially, the sum total of our overall well-being and communicates to everyone around us.)

 

So… During my meditation this morning, the essence of this +1 bubbled up and I actually got up to capture the ideas (which is a very rare thing for me to do).

 

There are three essential things I think we want to have in mind posture-wise.

 

First, Head Threads. Quick recap: As per the Alexander Technique training I did on a tiny little island in Greece back in the day, imagine having a thread that runs from the top of your head down through your spine. Gently pull it up—lengthening (and widening) your spine. When you sit. When you stand. When you walk. All day every day. Experts in that method say that’s one of the keys to grace and poise.

 

Then we have Power Poses: I also like to think of Amy Cuddy’s research on the power of our posture. As it turns out, Amy was actually a ballet dancer as well. Recall her research on how to cultivate Presence. One of her big things, of course, is to strike a power pose. Channel your inner Superman or Wonder Woman. When you sit. When you stand. When you walk. All day every day. Experts in this field of research say this is one of the most effective ways to cultivate our presence and power.

 

Finally we have Thor’s Hammer: Eric Goodman is one of the world’s leading biomechanic experts. He wrote a book called True to Form. You know who wrote the foreword to his book? Thor!! Well, technically, it was Chris Helmsworth but he attributes his superpowers to Eric’s wisdom. The key tip from Eric I have in my mind often throughout the day? “Chest up. Chin down.” Try it. Chest up. Chin down. All day. Every day. Thor says: It does a body good.

 

That’s Today’s +1.

 

Let’s (literally!) embody the idea of buoyancy by simultaneously having levity AND gravity.

 

Remember: Head Threads. Power Poses. Thor’s Hammer.

 

Simultaneously UP and DOWN.

 

And, most importantly: Let’s dance!