Is it truly possible to improve your chances of acing your next job interview by spending just two minutes preparing for it? Quite possibly according to the findings of Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy, an Associate Professor at the Harvard Business School, who has discovered a correlation between a person’s body language and whether they get hired or not.One of the first steps that I take when working with a new client is to assess the manner in which they use their body, language and focus to control their mood.  The fact is that most people drift through life without being aware of the powerful effect that their use of physiology, language and focus has upon their state of emotions and their enjoyment of life.

Change Your Focus, Change Your Life:

The simple concept of “change your focus, change your life” is one of the most powerful gifts that I can share with a client.  Whatever we focus upon creates the foundation of our belief system and thus shapes the very nature of our lives.  If you focus on all of the amazing gifts and experiences which are present in your life, you are more likely to be happy and enjoy life more than a person who tends to focus on all of the negative things which occur.  I am sure that you realize this on an intellectual level, but it is an entirely different thing to experience this concept by living it in the form of daily practice.

Talk to Yourself Like a Friend:

The language which you use when you communicate with other people has a definite impact upon the nature of your relationship with them and whether they will like you or not. Likewise the language which you use when you speak with yourself, whether you talk to yourself out loud it is simply inner dialogue makes a tremendous difference in how you feel about yourself.  If you walk around saying things like “that was stupid” or “I’m so fat and ugly” to yourself, you will begin to believe it on a subconscious level and the same holds true if you are kind, supportive and understanding when you talk to yourself.  It’s natural to condemn some of the things which we do, we tend to hold ourselves to some pretty high standards, but we must also learn to be as nice to ourselves as would be to a friend or a complete stranger with regards to the things which we say… would you tell a friend that she is fat, stupid and ugly?  Of course not, you would focus on their more positive attributes and this is exactly what you need to do with yourself… instead of focusing on the negative, focus on your positive traits and you will begin to recognize yourself for the wonderful person who you are.

Our Minds Change Our Bodies and Our Bodies Change Our Minds!

The manner in which we use our physiology, how we hold and move our bodies has an amazing affect upon how we feel and the state of our emotions.  This is simple to demonstrate, picture for a moment a person who is depressed… how are they standing or sitting? Do they look alert and upright or are they looking downward and slouching? Now picture a person who is happy and excited… the picture in your mind is probably the exact polar opposite of how the depressed person is holding themselves.

This TED video featuring Social Psychologist Amy Cuddy provides us with insight into the science behind how our use of our bodies and physiology can affect our mood and change the state of our emotions.

It is very nice to have this visual representation and scientific theory which helps to support the practice which we teach our clients with regards to how to use the triad of Focus, Language and Physiology to control their emotional state.

This photograph taken by Anja Niedringhaus of the Associated Press, demonstrates an example of a winning power pose which is commonly expressed by people who have just accomplished a victory.  This is a good example of positive state control and is one which can be easily implemented for two minutes per day as a step towards empowering yourself to maintain a positive mental and physical state.  Other examples are provided in the video featured above and work extremely well when combined with a positive mental outlook and focus.