In nature, animals often use power poses to display dominance and intimidation. Maybe you’ve heard of humans using similar power poses (like hands on the hips) to display strength. Power poses have become a self-help trend to override feelings of insecurity and reprogram people’s minds to be less submissive and more confident. People of all backgrounds and in all kinds of industries are being taught power posing and how to become more aware of one’s posture.

For example, a person can unconsciously slouch, carry their head low, shy their eyes away from others or cross their arms over their chest, all of which exhibit an insecurity of some kind. These postures are considered “Low Power Poses”, while “High Power Poses” are usually expansive, like exposing the chest (similar to a gorilla showing strength by pushing its chest out).

There are many articles and posts out there giving the idea that people can assume power poses for short periods of time (like before a meeting or in their own private time) to increase their effectiveness in business and in life. Power poses can supposedly help rewire the brain to feel more confident. By feeling more confident, one can often become more competent, effective and successful. Putting your hands on your hips, putting your hands behind your head with fingers laced or reaching for the stars, may bring about more confidence, but we feel these poses can also encourage dominance, inflation of the ego and short-sightedness.

Instead of forcing or assuming power poses in our own time or in front of others to sway people’s impression of us, the two of us prefer to display our confidence and strength through acceptance, mindfulness, care, love, happiness and peacefulness. We exercise these things through our conversations and our body language.

Body language is the language many people are not aware of because everyone is busy speaking. Body language allows us to see past what is being said verbally and observe the energy behind the words. Every thought, word and movement makes an impression and affects everything around us. Since focusing on our body language, our conversations have evolved and we can now say more, by saying less.