Zoom for Better Posture: Focusing for Positive Change

Do you ever feel like you'd have to pay attention to you posture all the time to change it?  That would be exhausting and possibly not even effective.

Paying attention is key, but what do you pay attention to and how often?

Here's one place to start...pay attention to your attention...to how you focus.

Quite a lot of positive change can happen simply by changing how you focus, but in order to change it, it might work best to start by noticing where your focus goes in the first place.  To help you get started, here are a few things you might notice...and a few tips to begin to make some changes.

1.  You're often focusing downward.  This might include looking down at your phone or computer or looking at the ground when you're walking. 
TIP:  If you are scanning the ground in front of youso that you don't trip, just scan a little farther ahead.

2.  Your attention is drawn to what you see.  Naturally we would focus on what we see in front of us.  Not a bad thing!  If all of your attention is forward or if you find yourself rushing in a forceful way, you might be pushing your face forward, lifting your chest, tilting your pelvis, or reaching really far out in front of you with your feet to pull yourself forward (when actually the back leg should naturally propell you).  TIP:  Whether you're in a rush or taking a leisurely strole, working at your computer, or responding to a text...tune in to the sounds around you and whatever else your sense pick up to help center you and bring you back to the present.

3.  You focus inward.  We might do this when thinking, planning, concentrating, or daydreaming and it is very useful at times, but if you tend toward an inward focus, notice if you also find yourself sinking down in your body, slouching, getting stiff, or breathing shallowly.  
TIP:  Make a point to observe what's around you to avoid staying in your head.  Tap the top of your head and bring your attention up to the point you tapped to remind yourself where the top of you is.  Make sure to keep breathing while you do this.