Feel Sexy. Power Pose in the Nude.

Wonder Woman Knows How to Pose

I recently watched a TED talk on body language, specifically power posing, and the effect it can have on the body.  Amy Cuddy gave the talk and you can watch it here. 

Her final point turned out to be that just like our mood and mindset can determine our body language, the opposite is also true.  Our conscious body language will have a profound effect on our state of mind and self-image.  Smiling when we are sad will put us in a better mood.  Standing tall and proud when we feel insecure will give our self-esteem a boost.

I would like to take it one step further and recommend power posing in the nude.  Yes, you read that right: practice standing tall and proud in your birthday suit.

Powerful People Have Powerful Poses 

In an age of Photoshopped perfection, women especially can feel the pressure to reach impossible standards of beauty.  Even if we intellectually know that magazine covers, paparazzi shots and even movies are all retouched, the images still affect the way we see our world and ourselves, even if only in our subconscious mind.

 High- and Low-Power Poses

I recently started going to a women’s only day spa.  Women of all shapes, sizes, colors and levels of “perfection” walk around in their nude bodies, relaxed from saunas, mineral pools and body scrubs.  The first time I went, I was uncomfortable.  I giggled a lot with my girlfriend out of nervousness and insecurity.  I stayed for 5 hours that visit, and by the end, I was completely comfortable and had a feeling I can only express as healing. 

For the first time in my 30 years, instead of being bombarded with images of supermodels and celebrities, I was flooded with images of real women in real bodies.  By the end of the day, I could see the beauty in every woman, in every body, that I saw.  Being exposed to the variety of women around me made it really sink in that every single woman’s body is beautiful.  Really.  I’m not saying this to be politically correct or even to inspire you.  I’m saying it because it is true.

Women’s bodies curve and dip.  They are soft and strong.  Older women have battle scars to be proud of, which have their own unique and powerful beauty.  Breasts are beautiful.  They can be large, small, perky, sag from children, have small nipples or large.  It doesn’t matter.  Breasts are beautiful.  So are our behinds, our legs, and the curves in our spines.  It’s the way we move and walk.  It’s our presence. 

Cuddy demonstrates a power pose

For the first time, I could finally understand why men say that they really do like women of all shapes and sizes, not just the glorified image of beauty we see every day in the media.  Men, more than most women, experience a variety of women in their lives.  And the variety makes women even more desirable.  Who doesn’t want to try all 31 flavors?

The healing experience of the day spa started to influence the way I look at my own body.  I have started to love my body more.  I’ve started to appreciate my body more.  I look at my body as an outsider, and see it as beautiful, even with my “imperfections.”

Recently, after a shower, I stood naked in my bathroom examining my body in the mirror.  I was being critical of myself, noticing all of my flaws, wishing I could fix this or that.  Then the TED talk on power posing came to mind and I realized I was doing anything but a power pose.  As I criticized my body, my posture expressed my dissatisfaction.  I was not slouching but I wasn’t standing tall and proud either.  My shoulders slumped just a little.  I was making myself shorter. 

Now conscious of my posture, I intuitively started to stand straighter.  I threw my shoulders back, which lifted up my breasts.  I elongated my spine and stood as tall as possible, which flattened my stomach.  I stretched out and took up space.  I smiled.  And just like that, I liked what I saw in the mirror.  My proud stance made me feel sexy, flaws and all.

Beyonce: The Master of the Power Pose

In her talk, Cuddy recommends power posing before job interviews or important meetings to boost your chances in competitive life situations.  I recommend power posing every morning, in the nude, after your shower.  Start your day feeling proud and sexy.  Start your day loving your unique, perfectly flawed body.  Stand as if you are the most beautiful woman in the room.  Know that you are.  Use this tool, power posing, to consciously improve your self-image in a world that attempts to destroy it.