WALK the Talk

Do you ever enter into a room feeling a bit slouchy? One of the factors that can affect how you take up your space is literally how you walk into the room and walking habits aren't always conscious.

Also, the #1 postural issue that I see when people walk may not be what you think.

Most people, even if they slouch and roll their shoulders forward, tend to lean backwards in order to take a step. By "lean back", I meant tip the upper body back and arching the lower back or sitting into the hips. To compound matters, efforts to lift the chest and "straighten up" compound the problem and actually cause more backwards leaning.

Many people habitually lean back when they stand without realizing it and when they walk they lean back even more. Leaning back then becomes associated with transfering weight from one foot to another to take a step.

With so much focus on posture being centered around the shoulders, what's often missed is the impact of the rest of the body on how you stand and move and being able to sense what's actually going on.

One of the first things I teach in my classes is how you can practice sensing better, so that you know what your body is doing and how to correct it.

Here's a compare and contrast exercise that you can try with your walking to help you sense how you walk and to help you walk a little taller.

You can try this in an indoor or outdoor space. Just make sure you have a little room.

• Start by making sure you are looking out and staying present, not dropping your head, as that will immediately affect your gait.

• Next walk around and notice the feeling of each foot as it comes forward and lands on the ground. Do this for about 30 seconds or so. Don't actively try to do anyting. Just notice the feeling of focusing on that part of your gait.

• Next, switch your focus to sensing each leg as it moves back and straightens. Again, simply sense it. Don't try and manipulate your walk.

• You could try each version a few times and notice if anything feels different.

Focusing on the legs in the "going back" phase is often the subtle cue that is needed to help people stay more upright and avoid leaning backwards.

Why?

Because the leaning back is a response to reaching the foot way out in front of you. Try exaggerating that, and I expect you'll feel that you lean back. If you're not sure, look in a mirror.

Your gait involves your feet moving behind you as much as it's about putting your feet in front of you, but we get so front-focused when we rush around, that we often overdo the forward part with the legs, which makes the upper body tip back to counter-balance.

In running, this is called overstriding, but it happens just as easily with walking.

As for the shoulders --I often say how much the head and neck affect them, but how you coordinate what's under the shoulders also impacts how easily you can keep them relaxed and balanced.

The walking pattern I described doesn't apply to everyone, but it applies to most people. Try the exercise above and see what you observe and if anything changes.

And think about it next time you walk into a room for a meeting. Do you feel a little taller and more present? Even if it's a Zoom meeting, you could take a walk to your kitchen and back and think about your walking as you approach your desk.

Want to learn more? Click here to learn more about my classes for women. Click here to read more about classes for everyone.

Let's Talk About Posture

Do you ever find that when you talk in front of people (like in groups, meetings, or giving a presentation) that your voice feels strained or you feel like you're constantly running out of air?

It can be hard to feel and project confidence when you're straining to speak.

So why does this happen?

People are often surprised to learn that the Alexander Technique was developed to solve a vocal problem. The technique is about making physical changes. What does that have to do your voice?

Well, your voice comes from your body. Your physical state (ie. posture and breathing) are the main factors that affect the quaility of your voice.

What I think can get confusing for people is that they think that need to do something directly to their voice to fix it. Vocal exercises are great and I do teach some of them in my clasess, but simply doing the exercises doesn't necessarily solve the problem of getting choked up or hoarse when you want to come across well and be heard.

The problem actually begins before any speaking even occurs. It happens in the moments just before you speak and has more to do with your thinking/emotions, breathing, and posture. I'll break this down for you.

Thinking and Emotions:

• Perhaps you're nervous about being on the spot or how others will respond to your ideas.

• Or you may not be nervous, but maybe (let's say in a group conversation) you're rushing to jump in to have your turn to speak or avoid being interrupted

• Or...you might be thinking of what you're going to say and trying really hard to hold onto that idea to get it right.

Breathing:

• You take in a giant breath (and hold it) to try to hold your thought or make it clear that you're about to speak. Then when you speak, you're still partially holding your breath.

• Or your breathing becomes shallow as a result of feeling self-conscious. You feel like you have less room to breathe.

Posture:

• Your breathing habits can affect your posture and vice versa.

• If your posture is slouched or stiff, this will interfere with your breathing. You may find that you strain to speak simply because of poor everyday posture (at the computer and such.)

• Your breathing and voice may also be impacted if you have the common habit of over-correcting your posture.

The bottom line? Breathing affects posture and posture affects breathing. Thinking affects both posture and breathing. They ALL affect the voice because if your breathing is restricted, you'll strain to speak.

As an exploration, see if you can notice any changes in your posture or breathing in the moments before you speak? If you do notice, see if those habits always occur when you speak, or only in certain contexts.

Interested in learning more on this topic? Click here to learn more about my classes for women. Click here to read more about classes for everyone.

Does my posture make my belly stick out?

Yes, it definitely can be a key contributor!


This is one of the most common questions I've heard and yes, poor posture can make the belly stick out. Good posture, on the other hand, can have a slimming effect.

The biggest mistake that people make in trying to hide their belly is to actively pull it in. It doesn't feel great and will make your posture worse in the long run.

Getting your overall posture in balance is the key to the slimming effect. And by overall, I mean looking at how the whole body is working together...the head, neck, shoulders, pelvis, feet... All of these things affect whether or not we can acheive a natural, neutral way of holding ourselves up.

If you do it right, you don't even feel like you're holding yourself up. You feel relaxed and upright.

There are 2 main factors related to posture that make the belly stick out:

1) Leaning back - Meaning lifting the chest and tipping the back backward. Sometimes people do this actively to try to stand up straighter. (The are actually slouching backward!) The leaning back can also be a way the body compensates for the neck and shoulders going forward (often goes unnoticed!) Either way, it makes the belly stick out.

2) Tilting the pelvis - If you hold your pelvis in a position that creates a big arch in your lower back, this can also cause the belly to stick out. Remember your belly is simply the front of your lower back.

We've narrowed the "posture belly" down to two main culprits, but nonetheless, there are no shortcuts to improving your posture. Resolving either or both of these two issues still involves getting your overall posture back into balance as other areas are often the source of the problem.

The good news is that once you start looking at the big picture, you'll likely find that it's much easier and quicker to deal with those specific things.

You'll actually save time and look trimmer by giving attention to the root causes!

Here's what one of my clients said after taking a series of lessons:

Interestingly, after 10 or so lessons several people who hadn’t seen me for a while thought I had lost weight. It was simply the better posture that made me look slimmer and taller!
— Katri Touri, Global Accounts Manager

Want to start working on your posture now? Try my free audio guide for a mindful floor exercise that helps you feel more relaxed and aligned. Use gravity to help release tension and compression in your back and pelvis that may be causing your belly to stick out.

Notice if it's naturally easier to stand or sit taller after spending some time lying on your back, letting gravity work for you.

Want to learn more? Click here for information on individual online sessions.

My Workspace Set-Up (including cat elevator)

When the pandemic hit and I started teaching more on Zoom, I reaIized that one of the benefits of this format was that I could actually see and work with my clients in their own workspaces.

People also get a chance to see my workspace and often ask me what I use and how I set it up.

Check out the video above and get a glimpse into my workspace, including my adjustable desk, the uncommon chair that I use, and my favorite accessory. If you're interested in looking into any of these items for yourself, here's what they are and where to find them.

Height-adjustable standing desk by Flexispot - Using an adjustable desk not only gives me the option to stand, but I can make smaller adjustments to accommodate the work I'm doing (ie. typing, in a meeting, or writing on paper). Click here to check out their website. Flexispot also offers standing desk converters that you can place on top of an existing desk.

As you'll see in the video, it also doubles as a cat elevator (cat not included with desk).

Wooden chair with adjustable upper back support - With so much focus on lumbar support, often much-needed upper back support is lacking. The backs of most desk chairs tilt back. Many people don't work leaning back (especially women).

This chair is great if you tend to sit more forward to be closer to your work or don't want to look like you're lounging while on Zoom. The support is high and farther forward so that you can still lean on something while maintaining active sitting. The seat also angles down, which brings the hips above the knees, gives you more support from the ground, and helps to take strain off of the back.

This type of chair is a limited edition designed by an engineer in Finland. If you are interested in learning more about them and possibly ordering one, email my friend Jyri. He designed the chair and can let you know more about features, pricing, and shipping.

Wedge Cushion - I love wedge cushions because they help me to sit up taller with less effort, by getting my hips above my knees and putting more weight into my feet. I can sit actively and comfortably. The seat on my chair is already tilted, but a cushion can give you a little extra lift on a flat chair or if the seat is angled back.

There are many versions of wedge cushions available. I advise getting one on the firmer side (not memory foam). Click here for an example of a wedge cushion.

And here's one more accessory that I don't use personally, but I often recommend it. This seat cushion by BackJoy is ideal for people who tend to lean back and slide down their chair. It can help you sit taller and provides a little friction so that you're less likely to slide.

Ultimately, I recommend setting up your desk to suit how you like to sit and work. There isn't just one corect way. Consider the following:

Do you tend to lean forward or back?
Do you slouch or slide?
What kind of work do you do? (For example, are you spending most of your time coding, on the phone, writing emails, drawing on a tablet, writing on paper, or bouncing around between various types of tasks?)

In my lessons and classes, I can help you determine how to nuance your set-up to best suit your working style and to figure out what cues and exercises will help you to best improve your posture and maintain it throughout the day.

If you are interested in working with me on your posture in your daily life at home and at work, check out info on individual sessions and my next group class sessions open to all.

How my Puppy Fixed My Posture

Millie the Cockapoo burst into our lives in mid-November and a few weeks later I shared with you my trials and tribulations as I observed my new puppy ruining my posture!

I was focused on Millie at the expense of everything else...making sure she didn't pee on the carpet or suffer an attack from a jealous cat...

Fast forward 6 weeks and she's as big as the cats and getting better at choosing snow over carpets. I've also gotten more used to having her around, so I'm aware of her, but she's not as much of a distraction.

She's even helps me with one of the simplest cues I use to avoid slouching!

This simple cue is...get ready...listen behind you. Yep, that simple. Try it out. It's a easy way to start becoming more aware of your body and noticing subtle habits that affect posture.

Slouching at the computer often happens gradually as we draw ourselves closer and closer to the screen...as if the screen itself were the only thing in the universe. Everything else gets shut out...your body awareness, your environment.

So to listen behind you --

If you hear sounds, tune into them. Even if you don't hear anything, just listen in the background as you use your computer. Tune in just enough so that your listening isn't distracting you from what you're doing.

See if this helps you stay more balanced and check out the 1-minute video tutorial above!

If you'd like more posture cues and a personalized practice plan check out what's coming up!

Classes for Everyone

Online Courses for Women

From Cluless to Competent

I had a very perceptive teacher in college who looked at me thoughtfully, paused, and stated matter-of-factly, "You learn backwards."

She suggested a different approach to the same material and suddenly I had my hook...a way in that I wouldn't have figured out if I'd just kept trying in the same way.

Around that same time, I took my first Alexander Technique class, which gave me a new perspective on my struggles with my posture, voice, and how I moved. I wasn't solving the issues by doing the usual vocal or movement exercises, so I assume that the problem was me.

But the problem wasn't an inherant problem with me. The problem was something else that was sabotaging all of my efforts: poor body awareness.

Who knew that body awareness could be improved? I didn't even know it was a thing, but it is and improving it turned my world upside down (or more like right side up!) I went from clueless to competent in one semester!

What I was learning was to accurately sense my body in space -- and this gave me a sense of command over myself and confidence that I'd never experienced.

Fast forward to this week when I took my first cross-country skiing lesson. As I mentioned in my last post, I've been stumbling through learning to cross-country ski on my own with a few tips from my husband.

Last Thursday I began lessons with an experienced instructor. We started based on how I'd learn best. I put my poles down and just practiced balancing and gliding. I've been ice skating for years, so the idea of gliding on one foot made sense to my brain, but add in the poles and I got confused.

This is exactly the approach I use with my students to help them improve their posture. Start with where you are to help you get where you need to go.

My instructor was super excited to find out that I'm an Alexander Technique teacher and as he watched me follow his instructions and practice balancing.

He told me that I'd learn in one ski season what it takes most people to learn in 5 years. Even if he was slightly exaggerating, I could tell I was getting a sense of it by the end of the lesson...and I don't have any special skiing ability. I'm a total newbie and I'm terrified of even small hills.

What he was referring to was my keen ability to take an instruction, and to embody it quickly and accurately...exactly what I used to be terrible at.

"Most people keep the instructions at a cerebral level." he said. They're bodies don't know how to interpret the words and it takes a lot more time. "It's like the missing piece," he explained. The piece that most people don't even know about.

What's the missing piece? Body awareness -- a clear connection between your body and your brain. In a nutshell, my experience with the Alexander Technique has made me more coachable beyond the average beginner skiier.

I'm more coachable when I'm learning a new skill from another person and I can coach myself through my day-to-day activities like sitting, standing, walking, and speaking.

And I don't "just have" good body awareness, like it was something I was born with. Back when I was a theatre student in college, I was really struggling and I didn't understand that it was a problem I could solve.

I thought that I was just stiff and ackward, my voice was inherenly high and squeaky, and that I felt restless and uncomfortable all the time. Since none of the exercises I was doing helped, I felt bad about myself and assumed that these were somehow character traits.

I'm sure you're not as clueless about your body as I was, but the more clued-in you are, the more confident and competent you'll feel -- in addition to feeling more relaxed and reducing everyday pain and strain.

To sum, up the two key lessons here are:

1) Body awareness is key for getting out of pain and unlocking your potential: The Alexander classes helped me get out of my 24/7 discomfort and gave me the accurate body sense to be able to practice all of those movement, voice, and acting execerises correctly. I had evolved from clueless to competant during one semester.

2) You can get unstuck by embracing your unique learning style: My perceptive teacher who told me I "learned backwards" showed me that there isn't just one way to absorb and apply information, even if it's the most typical way. I finally felt seen, understood and, so relieved when she said that.

Having been teaching now for 15 years, I think in some ways everyone "learns backwards"...meaning they have their own way of learning that works best for them. I teach a clear system, but I approach it from many angles.

I'm dedicated to helping you disocver the best approach for you based on how you learn best. Don't know how you learn best? We'll figure that out too!

These two lessons serve as the foundation for my new 8-week course for women: Interact with Impact: Kick Poor Posture to the Curb and that's why I think it's the best program I've ever created.

This online course is for women who want to feel more relaxed, confident, and less burned out when they have to be "on". Posture has a signifiant impact on how you feel and what you convey. You'll learn self-care strategies to set you on a new course of taking charge of how you feel in your body.

This course...

• Fits into your busy schedule - Live Zoom classes will be small and scheduled based on the availability of the participants.

• Includes group & individual sessions: I find that doing both accellerates learning.

• Provides individualized practice plans: You'll get and individualized practice plan and method for tracking your progress - It is my mission to make sure that you know what to practice and when and that it fits in with your lifestyle.

• Gives you access to online materials - You'll have unlimited access to audio guides, video guides, and step-by-step instructions. I will help you figure out which ones work best for you. I know how frustrating it can be to wade through materials not knowing how to organize them.

• Includes workspace evaluations - Interact with Impact is about being able to feel good and put your best foot forward and huge part of that is making sure you don't get crunched when your working.

When: Feb 6 - April 3 (You don't need to be avaiable on all of these days. Live classes will be scheduled according to your availability and you can watch recorded material on your own time)
How to register: Click here to for all of the details including everything you get, cost & payment plans, frequently asked questions, testimonials, and the risk-free guarentee.

Grab a spot while you can. Space is limited to keep class sizes small and registration closes on January 31!

My Winter of Skiing Badly

My Winter of Skiing Badly

I've taken up cross-country skiing and I'm not very good at it yet!  I'm now living in Montreal where a lot of folks grew up on skis.  Both the young and old zip by me, leaving me in the dust!

Last week I was going up a gentle hill and I kept cyclying through a few a few points in my head.
- Keep the polls more behind me 
- Push off and glide
- Keep my shoulders relaxed

What kept jumping to the forefront in my brain was, "don't fall," and "don't crash into anyone", to which I'd react by tightening my shoulders and putting the polls in front of me.

Heading back downhill, my fear of falling tripled.  My husband suggested I try bending my knees and hips a bit to lower my center of gravity.

Great idea...but I was also having another problem.  I kept vering left toward the edge of the path where there was a 2-foot drop into a rocky ditch. 

At first I panicked, not sure what was sending me to certain injury, but then I paid closer attention to my body and realized that my left foot was rotating slightly, pointing my toes (and the ski) to the left. 

It took me a moment to feel it, but once I did I redirected my foot, the problem was solved. 

So I pointed my ski straight, but then I forgot about all bending my knees and staying low, and keeping my poles back, and relaxing my shoulders.

I focused on the other points again, one at a time, but then the ski headed left toward the ditch.

This juggling act of stopping and starting and reminding my body of a list of things to do continued down the mountain.  

The thing is, it was neither frustrating to me, nor unexpected.  It seems normal to me that it might take some time to put all of the pieces together when learning a new skill, particularly one that involves balance and a bit of fear! 

You may have had a similar experience learning a new skill (playing an instrument, riding a bike, driving a car, learning to type without looking at the keys).  First it felt ackward and like a million things to focus on and keep track of, but after awhile, it came together and felt natural and like you didn't have to keep going through a list of things to remember.

New drivers often feel like they have a million things to pay attention to during first driving lesson, but they soon are able to hold a conversation or make a mental grocery list as they drive.

Learning curves are normal.  Even if we get impatient, we're usually not surprised by them...but sometimes people find it surprising when it comes to improving posture and day to day physical habits. 

Here's why:

Most people don't thinkt of everyday stuff they do as a skills.  They already know how to sit, stand, walk, and speak.  They might assume that improving these things shouldn't take the kind of thoughtful attention that learning to ski, play an instrument, or drive a car would...but they do!

Think about why you decide to pick up a new skill (like skiiing).  There's probably some element in there of wanting to have fun, right?  To sense your body moving through space in new ways. 

My lessons and classes (all based on the principles of the Alexander Technique) teach you how to approach everyday activities with a sense of curiosity, fun, and of enjoying being in your body and feeling present. 

Sometimes people don't like being beginners.  They want to know and get it right...and might feel silly thinking they have to be a beginner at something like sitting or walking.

If you allow yourself to put aside what you know and start fresh, going through the steps, giving yourself time, not trying to hard to get it right or be perfect, you'll actually be on the path toward creating lasting change...and it can be a lot of fun!

My next group class open to all, including beginners, starts next Tuesday, Jan 11 and there are a few spots left!  Click here for all dates times and how to register (or read below).

My 8-week online course for women, Interact with Impact:  Kick Poor Posture to the Curb begins February 6 and registration opens Jan. 15.  

My Puppy Ruined My Posture!!!

I love cats...

I like dogs, but I'm not a dog person.

but..................I agreed with my pleading family to get a puppy after consulting with several also "non-dog" people with dogs who assured me that I would become "a dog person"!

After week one with the puppy, I felt sleep-deprived and that my nerves were fried. My shoulders and neck felt tense and I generally felt irritable and out of it, like I was jet lagged.

Given my state, you might imagine that Millie (the puppy) is a wild, untamable beast who barks all night and has chewed the legs off of all of the furniture.

Not even close. I've actually only heard her bark once and we've had her for a month. After a week, she started putting herself to bed when told it's "bedtime". She's playful, sleeps a lot, and is generally good natured. There have been challenges with territorial cats and that she only wants to pee outside when there's snow on the ground. (The snow melted Sunday!)

But is there really a big problem? No. Nonetheless, the puppy is a trigger. She needs constant supervision and this experience reminds me a bit of having small children. She's not doing anything alarming or out of the ordinary, but her presence exhausts me.

Or more like I exhaust myself in her presence. I realize after awhile that I've become unconsious in my body...so I look for what exactly I'm doing that's triggering all of this.

My conclusion is that when I'm observing her -- wondering what she's chewing on or looking for her if she's wandered off to another room where an attack cat might be waiting -- I become overwhelmed by what I'm taking in visually and I stop sensing my body.

The thing is though that most poeple go through the day not sensing their bodies much at all. Their awareness is mainly tuned into what they see, hear, and think until hours spent with unconscious poor posture set off alarm bells and they feel pain.

This used to be me. Now when I encouter a new trigger (aka a puppy), the alarm bells start ringing way sooner. That's how I know when I need to reset.

Posture doesn't magically fix itself by doing a few exercies or holding a position, but if you learn how to be more aware of your body and what adjustments to make in the moment, you can actually start to change things...like really change habits that you might have thought were unchangeable.

Want to learn more about how to reset your body and change ingrained habits? Learn more about my 1:1 sessions and group classes.

42 = the answer to good posture

At age 16 I read the sci-fi classic, The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy and learned, to my surprise, that the answer to life, the universe, and everything is 42.

Alhough this number has become the subject of facination and scrutiny, it was apparently picked at random by the author, Douglass Adams.

I turned 42 this year and I'm grateful that I've come across some much less random solutions to some confusing puzzles. Particular the posture puzzle.

In my early 20s, I was desparely trying to fix my tense shoulders, stiff walking, shallow breathing, and squeaky voice.

I was a college student studying acting and I repeated detailed physical and vocal exercises regularly, but nothing seemed to help.

I felt like I was repeating a random laundry list. Random, like the number 42.

Was the problem the exercises or was I simply a hopeless case?

The answer? The problem was neither me nor the exercises. There was in fact a third option that I was totally obilvious to--

My body awareness

You might think that good body awareness is something have if you play sports or dance, but you don't need to do these types of things to improve how well you sense your body.

If I wanted to actually correct the postural issues I struggled with, I had to become more mindful in my own body. By mindful, I mean actually using my mind to connect to my body...not just repeating exercises.

Last week I talked about the importance of getting the sequence right when trying to relearn how to move with good posture. That's one aspect of making your approach to posture "not random".

What's equally important to avoiding random attempts at posture correction is to develop accurate body awareness...and that's actually a real thing that you can learn.

You'll improve how you sit at the computer, command the room during a talk or interview, exercise without injury, and move through life with more enjoyment.

My improved body awareness helped me get to the bottom of the physical and vocal issues I was experiencing. It also helped me improve how I was doing my exercises and start to get some real benefit from them. What I discovered was that I'd been repeating them incorrectly and reinforcing all of my bad habits!

Want to start working on your body awareness? It first involves taking moments to pause and reconnect with your body.

To get you started, I'm going to give you a non-random suggestion by inviting you to take the 42-minute posture challenge, using this 6-minute audio guide each time you take a break.

Why 42? Because it's a good idea to pause every 45 min-1 hour...and that number has been stuck in my head ever since I read that book! Here's how it works:

1. Set an alarms on your phone to alert you every 42 minutes for one day (or another amount of time if you'd prefer! Adjust to accomodate your schedule.)

2. When the alarm goes off, sit all the way back in your chair, put your feet on the floor, close your eyes for a moment, and re-open them without straining your eyes, head or neck toward whatever you’re looking at. Want a longer reset? Check out the resources tab at the top of my website and try one of my audio guides.

Maintain this schedule for one day and see if you feel more aware of your body. Afterwards, use the guide a little less each day until you're using it 2 times per day by the end of two weeks.

If you go ahead with this challenge, feel free to share the results in the comments below!

5 ways to improve posture and exude confidence

You may be aware that your posture has something to do with how you feel and how you come across to others, but how to change these habits might not be obvious.

Here are 5 ways that you can start changing your posture throughout the day so that you can feel composed, present, and confident when it matters most.

1. Don't over-correct your posture. Have you ever heard the expression "fake it til you make it?" It doesn't apply to your posture. Trying to hard to stand up straight by lifting your chest and holding your shoulders back looks...well...fake (and is also pretty uncomfortable!) Try maintaining an open body position without straining so that your confidence looks natural. More subtle adjustments are more effective and sustainable.

2. Don't rush your words. Often postural issues are tied to habits of how we speak and breathe. Try slowing down and see if you feel more centered and less tense. I'm not talking about big pauses. Just try not to rush and allow yourself moments to breathe. In addition to feeling more calm and confident, you'll also give your listeners time to absorb what you're saying.

3. Avoid "tech neck". Screen time-induced postural habits may be putting a damper on how you come across. Set reminders for yourself to do a posture check-in when you're using your computer, phone, or tablet for an extended period. Make sure you're set up comfortably and if you catch yourself straining to look at the screen, bring it closer to you or increase the size of the font.

4. Be present. Practice being truely present with yourself and your surroundings more often so that during moments when you want to be at your best, you feel more calm and focused. We tend to unconsciously take on poor posture when we're busy with a task. You might notice that your shoulders are tight, for example, but the tightness snuck up on you and now you're not sure how to let the shoulders go. See if you can notice when they just being to tighten and then check out #5.

5. Reset. Take time to get away from whatever you're focused on to reset your posture. Here are two resources on my website that you can use as guides. Have a meeting, interview, or talk coming up? Try one of these audio guides beforehand and see if you feel more calm and confident...and a little more upright.
Guided floor exercise
Audio guide for sitting posture

Interested in booking an online 1:1 sesssion? Click here.

Posture & Pumpkin Bread - Recipes for Success

Anyone ever tell you to "just" stand up straight?

"Just" implies "no big deal". Snap your fingers and it's done.

Odds are that you couldn't "just" do it...maybe you tried, but then quickly returned to slouching.

I know I don't feel so great if I'm told to "just" do something, but the "how" isn't really evident.

Most people try to hard when they try to have good posture. They pull their shoulders back and then feel stiff and unnatural. Hoisting yourself up like this "just" feels uncomfortable or even painful.

The good news is that there is a method to this posture madness.

I like to bake pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving. I've baked it enough times, that I can usually do it from memory, but the first few times, if I'd "just" put it together without a recipe, I wouldn't have known what ingredients to put in, how much, or in what order.

Improving your posture is like baking. Forget "Just do it". You have to know what to do, how much of it to do, and in what order. If I'd "just" baked some pumpkin bread before I'd learned the recipe, I probably wouldn't have made something very edible.

So here's some food for thought to keep your shoulders from slouching this Thanksgiving...

1. When you reach for the mashed potatoes: Extend your hand and let your arm and then your shoulder follow. Don't tighen your shoulder to move your hand and arm. Do it in this order and you can start to train your shoulders not to overwork.

2. When you text your friends and family to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving: Look at your phone with your eyes first and then let your head follow. Don't just drop your head (thunk!). Dropping your head pulls your neck and shoulders down with it.

3. If your relatives tell you to stop slouching and just stand up straight: Resist jamming your shoulders back. Instead, visualize where the very top of your head is.

4. If you need something to bring to Thanksgiving dinner: If you'd just prefer that people notice the delcious, sweet bread you baked that's so good that they forget to comment on your posture, click here for my great grandmother's recipe!

Have a great Thanksgiving and if you try out any of my suggestions above at your Thanksgiving dinner, feel free to reply to this email and let me know how it went in the comments below.

Want to learn more? Click here to find out about online lessons.

Posture Lemons

Imagine what you'd feel like if you were sucking the juice out of a lemon.

Not the taste, but how your body would feel. Something like the image above? Tense neck shoulders, face and shoulders pulling foward?

I think I just described the state of most people when they're sitting at the computer. Look at the picture again and imagine that the lemon is gone and the person's eyes are open...staring intently at a screen.

You might be working intensely at the computer or you might be rushing around a lot. At times you might not "feel" stressed, but you could still be reacting with a stressed response to things in your environment, like a bright computer screen, squinting to read small print, loud city noises, or long to-do-lists.

This can all add up to a tight neck and tense shoulders.

Try being mindful of noticing how your body reacts to even seemingly little things throughout the day.

If you've been told to "just sit up straight" and have found that frustrating or hard to accomplish, it's totally normal.

It would be like if the guy in the picture tried to stand up straight and relax his shoulders, but was completely unaware of the lemon.

If you start to notice the "lemons" that are making you tense or slouched throughout the day, you've covered the first step toward improving your posture, which is awareness.

Start noticing what you do with your head, neck, shoulders and back when you look at your computer or phone, when you do the dishes, or pick up a bag. If you notice and just slow down a little bit, can you do the action with a little less strain?

Want to learn more? Click here to find out about online lessons.

Don't Bug Me About My Posture

Yesterday my 12-year old daughter asked me if her posture is important when playing the drums.

I was surprised since she usually doesn't ask me for this sort of advice.

She then thanked me for not bugging her about her posture...and then asked me why I don't bug her about it.

My answer was that I'd be happy to show her some things if she'd like, but that there's no point in me just telling her to "sit up straight".

Periodically telling someone to sit up straight is a little like saying "go play the drums" without any further instruction. The person might go make some noise, but without any strategy or skill.

A problem with posture is that it gets miscategorized.

It ends up on the list of chores or things that parents say to their kids as they're getting ready for school in the morning...
Brush your hair
Finish your breakfast
Don't forget your lunch
Stand up straight

The kid does some kind of movement like lifting the chest, holds it for 5 seconds and then slouches again. A little like banging on the drums with no lessons or practice. We adapt to our habits, so we may need some time and targeted instruction to undo poor habits and create new ones that will stick.

Also, posture isn't just physical. Screen time and shoulder bags can affect posture, but so can emotions. Slouching, might be a protective stance that can't simply be tossed off like a jacket on a warm day.

My daughter is realizing that playing the drums takes some focus and attention before it becomes second nature. It requires thought and practice.

Adults can get stuck in the mindset that, "Posture is a chore, but it's good for me, so I have to do it even if it's uncomfortable."

Sitting up straight is something that our bodies naturally want to do if we can practice giving ourselves the right cues.

The right cues create sustainable, good posture and it should feel comfortable.

Here's a challenge for this week to start to get you on the right track. To get on the "right" path, see if you can stop trying to "get it right". Get into an observational mode. Notice what you do to try to fix your posture.

Example: You're at the computer and notice you're slouching.
1) Just notice the feeling of the slouch.
2) Now do whatever you do to fix it and take note of what you're doing.
3) The next time you fix it, do it more slowly so that you can feel it even more clearly. As you slow down your "fixing" movement, see if you observe anything further. Notice which parts of you are moving, how your weight is shifting. Does anything feel tense or compressed? Does observing cause you to change the movement in subtle ways?
4) Look around you. Notice what other people do to fix their posture. Is it like what you do or different?

Observing is a crucial first step to changing habits.

Want to learn more and move on to step 2 (personalized cues to help you mantain good posture)? Check out info on 1:1 online sessions and group classes.

Posture is Money

Image by Thomas Skirde from Pixabay

You're probably familiar with the expression, "Time is Money".

I get a little knot in my stomach when I hear it because it evokes feelings of being rushed and stressed.

If you go about your day thinking that there aren't enough hours to get everything done, you might feel stressed.

Your posture is a physical reflection of your state of being (mental and physical) and if you're spending that time stressed you just might be devaluing those precious hours.

If you're always feeling behind, pushing ahead, or it seems like you have an endless to-do list, you'll blindly lead your body into a crunched shape. This shows up as rounded shoulders, a tense neck, stiff hips, or a swayed lower back.

Are you only aware of your posture once you start to get some pain or discomfort? Where were you during the time that lead up to that?

Maybe you were really tense, collapsed, or breathing shallowly while working at your computer, for example. (Yes, breathing habits affect posture too!)

You only notice there's a problem when you feel you're really exhausted and have lost your focus and then get frustrated that you're not being more productive.

Posture (good or bad) is a reliable indication of the quality of a person's presence. It's not about holding your body in a certain position. In fact, trying to hold yourself in the "right position" can do more harm than good.

The quality of your presence throughout the day will help you stay more effortlessly upright, so you can go about your day with a sense of ease.

You'll feel better, look better, and you might just get MORE done!

Start right now by simply being more mindful. If you're sitting on a chair now, sense the feeling of the chair under you and touching your back.

If your feet are on the floor, sense that contact. Notice your suroundings without having to look around. Just be vaguely aware of the space behind you, in front of you and to your sides, even as you focus on these words.

Notice if your breathing is shallow and see if you can relax a little and allow for fuller breaths.

Do this every now and then and you might notice if you've started slouching, if you've stiffened your neck, or if your face is glued to your screen. Taking even a brief instant to think about being present can help your posture.

Also, if you're working, realize when you need to take a break to improve the quality of your time working. Take a walk or lie on the floor and listen to my audio guide.

Your time is valuable and is worth more when you're really present.

Even though improving posture does take time, my classes offer personalized strategies and exercises that address your specific needs and fit into your lifestyle so that you can get on track as quickly as possible.

Interested in learning more? Click here to book a lesson.

Solving Your Posture Puzzle

As I meandered through a corn maze for two hours on Saturday, wandering around the paths, getting lost, and finding my way to end of the puzzle, I realized that people see their posture in one of two ways...

1. It's something you fix quickly by lifting up your chest, pulling your shoulders back and keeping them there.

2. Constant adjustments, almost like chasing tension around the body...a bit like being lost in a maze.

The first example over simplifies the posture problem. The second one overcomplicates it.

I used to fall into category two. I restlessly adjusted my body, but no position felt right.

The corn maze was fun, but it was harder than it looked. There were a lot of dead ends, but some areas that appeared to be dead ends were actually fake walls that we had to walk around to reach the exit.

No one told us as we entered the maze that we should expect to walk around walls or roped off areas. I initially figured that these areas were blocked off for a reason...like maybe there was something dangerous in the path ahead....

...but we saw some other people go through, so we gave it a try.

Oh, I can go THAT way! If I hadn't taken a closer look or seen someeone else do it, I would have dismissed it.

Trying to fix my posture used to feel like wandering around in a maze in my own body with no clear direction. When I finally learned a different approach, it was like going around a barrier in the maze.

A solution that wasn't obvious got me on the right path.

I had been told for a long time that I needed to deal with my shoulder tension, so I had tried really hard to hold my shoulders down and just ended up in pain. Little did I know at the time that my head was crucial to solving my shoulder problem.

Most people just let their heads go wherever their eyes go...and heads are heavy, so they can create a lot of downward pressure in the body when they are pushed forward or pulled down.

Start to notice how much you either drop your head to look down or push your face forward to look at something in front of you.

Instead, see if you can just look with your eyes and make smaller adjustments with you head rather than big sudden movements or drops. Notice if you feel different.

You might be a quick fixer or a maze wanderer. Either way, starting with your head should bring you closer to sitting up straighter and feeling a lot more relaxed while doing it...and it can even be fun once you figure out how to get on the right path!

Interested in learning more? Click here to book a lesson or class.

Having trouble maintaining good posture?

Do you flipflop between slumping and holding yourself up straight?

You pull yourself up for a minute or two...and then slouch again?

You might have even tried core strengthening exercises and you still catch yourself in this flip flop between slouching and sitting bolt upright....

So what's the problem?

1. If you have to "hold" the position, you're not really improving your posture. You're just trading a collapsed position for a tense one. Neither is good.

2. You might be trying really hard, but not really making the right adjustment.
Do hold your chest up and pull your shoulders back? This is what most people do and it doesn't get to the root of the problem.

If you keep trying the "wrong" thing to try and fix your posture, it might seems exhausting and impossible to maintain. Or you might wonder how "good posture" can be heathly if it feels stiff. (It shouldn't feel stiff.)

In my lessons and classes, you'll learn simple, effective adjustments that you can make throughout the day. You'll feel more relaxed, energized, and like you're putting your best foot forward.

Speaking of feet, here's a quick suggestion that you can put into practice right now...Did you know that your feet are part of what support your back, neck, and head when you're sitting? Make sure your feet can fully touch the floor at your desk and if not, adjust your set-up and use a foot rest if necessary.

Just to sum up here...If you find that it's hard to maintain good posture, it doesn't mean that you can't do it. You just need a different approach.

Check info on 1:1 sessions and group classes and feel free to leave a comment or question below.

My story of being "braced" And how it didn't help my posture

When I was a teen, I wore back brace. It was basically a hard, plastic corset with velcro straps. It was so tight and rigid that I couldn't bend and I often felt short of breath. I was supposed to wear it 18 hours per day and it was so uncomfortable that often I just wanted to lie down.

I wore the brace for 5 years. Maybe it helped my scolisis from getting worse, but it sent my already poor posture into significant decline. All I knew how to do was hold myself up like I still had a brace on, or collapse into a heap. No inbetween. I was uncomfortable all the time. I was finally able to improve things (a lot) when I started taking Alexander Technique lessons at age 20.

Take a moment to think about what you might do to fix your posture. Try it. Stay there for a moment and notice how you feel.

Do you feel rigid or relaxed?

Does your breathing feel easy or restricted?

How long do you think you could hold this posture?

The thing about posture is that people tend to be lookiing for the right position, but that can get you into trouble and actually make your posture worse.

If it's not sustainable it's not good posture.

If you feel rigid and like you have to hold the position or else you'll collapse, it's not good posture.

If it makes you feel like you're wearing a corset and don't have much room to breathe, it's not good posture.

Neither wearing a brace, nor actively bracing yourself with your muscles will improve your posture.

So what will?

Body awareness - Often our sense of where are body parts are and just how we're moving or positioning them isn't accurate...like operating with a compass that isn't pointing north. You can learn to change your sense of your body.

Improving Range of Motion - This is the opposite of holding a position. If your joints can move in their full ranges, your body will more naturally want to reset into a more centered position when you're sitting and standing.

Learning to make subtle adjustments - Subtle changes in how you move your eyes, head and neck are much more effective than pulling your shoulders back and lifting your chest. Changing subtle breathing habits can have a positive impact on your posture as well . You can help your body rebalance so that it can feel like it's support itself without "efforting".

And what should you expect as the result?

Feeling more relaxed, confident, and better able to deal with stress...
like you can breath more easily...
and that you don't have to "hold" a position

The OPPOSITE of bracing yourself.

You may have heard that good posture is good for your health...so reverse that and tell yourself that if it doesn't feel healthy (relaxed, stress free), it's not good posture.

Want to learn more? Check out my online lessons and classes.

How to "Magically" Improve Your Posture

Is there one "magic" way to improve your posture? Yes, but it depends on you. One person's magic solution might not appear to be the same as someone else's, even if they are both essentially learning the same thing.

What do I mean by "magic"?
I'm a Harry Potter fan and I can't wait for Season 4 of Stranger Things, but I'm not referring to magic wands or telekenesis. What I mean by magic has more to do with personal learning styles than the supernatural.

I'm talking about the kind of magic that brings about a sense of wonder or excitement. An ah-ha moment of realization.

What's interesting about teaching more-or-less the same skill to diferent people is that the routes to get to that first "ah-ha" moment (where it feels like something magical is happening) can be quite varied depending on who I'm teaching.

Here a consideration to get yourself on the track that's right for you...

Is it easier for you to be aware of your posture/observe your body positon when you are still or moving?

When I first started the process of improving my posture, I initially found it easier to be still and it was harder to notice what I was doing when I was moving. Eventually, I could do both. I've worked with clients who, unlike me, progress more quickly if they start with more movement. I find it's most effective to begin with what works best for you initially and then move into the areas that are more challenging.

When I'm teaching 1:1 lessons, this is one of the first things I aim to figure out.
Will the person I'm working with learn faster if we start with movement or with being still? In group classes, I take both approaches and acknowledge different learning styles amongst participants.

Try this: See if you can notice where you place or move your head when you are sitting or standing relatively still for a few mintues verses while you are walking? In which context is it easier to keep track of. There are other factors involed here such as whether you're in a hurry, if you're looking at a screen, if you're tired...but see if you can notice a pattern...Is it easier to be aware of your body in movement or when still?

Another consideration...If you are thinking about taking private lessons or group classes, ask yourself if you learn best in a 1:1 situation with a teacher or with others. People who tend to get the most out of group classes are people who's learning accelerates when they are able to observe other folks learning at the same time. For some people, observation and participation help to clarify concepts. For others, the presence of other participants might distract them from their own process and they might need more 1:1 interaction.

If you are looking for the "magic" solution to good posture, try taking some lessons or classes to find the best route to your "ah-ha" moments.

Can Your Posture be TOO Good?

I'm often told what great posture I have...a good thing one would think for an Alexander Technique teacher...

But there's a catch...

Sometimes my posture is too good...

Say what?

Yes, really. There's mindset that people get into sometimes that goes something like this...I am just this way...I can never be as good at his or that thing as so-and-so is.

...or I can never have as good posture as my posture teacher does!

Hold on...The posture teacher didn't just wake up this way one glorious day.

By age 7, my posture was going downhill. I was diagnosed with scoliosis at age 9 and wore a back brace from ages 13-17. By 18 I was restless and uncomfortable most of the time and riddled with shoulder and jaw tension. I was on auto-pilot headed off course and I had no idea how to turn myself around...until I took Alexander Technique classes. Then I gained the skills to start to take control of my body and get ustuck. My posture changed because I'd learn a process for how to change ingrained habits...not because of luck, genetics, or one magical exercise.

If I could get out of my posture rut, there's a pretty good chance you will be able to as well!

Interested in learning more? Click here for information on online sessions.

Posture Fact and Fiction

Do you get frustrated trying to fix your posture?

I hear lots of excuses...
I'm too old to change...I've been trying for years and it doesn't work...I'm just like this because my mother stands the same way...it's always uncomfortable and I can't maintain it.

Have you ever thought any of these things?  If so, consider for a moment that maybe the problem isn't YOU at all. 

The problem might simply be your APPROACH or MINDSET...the way you're thinking about posture.

What does "good posture" mean to you?  What do you think is necessary to have it?

Here are some common misconceptions about posture:

• There's one correct position that must be held as much as possible

• You must pull your shoulders back

• Good posture requires willpower

• It something you're born with or not

• It's genetic

• You need to be a dancer or althlete to have it

• Past a certain age, posture can't be changed

And here are some perhaps lesser-known facts...

Improving posture entails...

• Staying relaxed and breathing easily

• The whole body in balance, (not just adjusting the shoulders, chest, or head)

• Heightened mindfulness, body awarness, and presence

• A mindset in which you believe you can change habits (much more important than age or fitness level)

• Staying process-oriented (Not looking for a "quick fix").

• An approach that personalized (not one-size-fits-all)

And here's something you can try today to help get you into a mindset that's condusive to changing your posture...The best way to start is to begin observing what's going on.

If you're involved in an activity for an extended period of time...let's say working at the computer (or phone/tablet), talking on the phone, going for a walk, or preparing a meal...

Set timers to alert you every 10, 15, or 30 minutes to see what you notice about how you're holding your body or moving.

Here are a few things to observe when the alarm goes off.

1. Are you sensing your body at all? Are you totally absorbed in your thoughts or engrossed in an activity or your surroundings?
2. Notice the position of your head (the head weighs 10-12 lbs and has a significant influence on posture.
3. Where has your weight shifted? Is it mostly to one side of your body? Forward? Back?
4. Does your breathing feel easy or restricted?
5. Do you notice excess tension anywhere?
6. What's your general mood?

If you start to notice what's happening in the first place, you'll be better prepared to start to make changes. If you find it's hard to notice at all, then that's a very useful thing to observe and isn't cause for dispair...

You'll likely progress more quickly if you begin with a curious attitude and avoid the trap of trying to get it right. Trying too hard to get things right is actually one of the number one causes of poor posture!

Want to learn more and start getting some personalized instruction? Click here to learn more.