Improve Your Posture: Simple Exercise #1The exercise that follows can release tension, build muscle, and give you energy and an instantly taller, slimmer-looking physique. I will post 4 more exercises in the following days so that you can keep adding something that can make your back & shoulders feel better every day. In the end you will have a complete circuit that you should repeat twice every day to start feeling better. Shoulder Rolls If your shoulders are tight, shoulder rolls work wonders to increase flexibility, diminish stiffness and improve balance and posture. Stand or sit in a relaxed position. As you inhale, raise your shoulders and shoulder blades to your ears. On the exhale, pull your shoulder blades down and together. Repeat 5 to 10 times. Improve Your Posture: Simple Exercise #2 Upright Side Bend This exercise will teach you to stretch the whole side of your body giving more flexibility to your spine. I’m sure you will feel the benefits if you add this to your daily routine of simple exercises for the benefit of your back. Touch your left hand to the side of your head (also on the left side). Ground both feet and gently take your head to the right until you feel a stretch along the left side of your body and shoulder. Take three to five breaths. Switch sides. Improve Your Posture: Simple Exercise #3 Pyramid Pose Not as simple as the other two but doing this exercise you will feel positive effects on strength and flexibility of your legs and back. This pose is an intense elasticity exercise for the entire body. Your legs will secure you firmly to the ground as you take your back to fall forward. Step your left foot back so it rests completely on the floor. Square your hips. With your legs straight, hook your forearms behind your back. Before moving your chest down, open the shoulders, lengthen the spine as you look upward. Now exhale, and lean forward from your hips (don’t round your spine). Take three to five breaths and rise. Switch sides. This requires both balance and concentration. Improve Your Posture: Simple Exercise #4 Stand Tall
The final exercise I recommend for your daily routine of taking better care of your back will help you fight the effects of the ‘hanging shoulders’ resultant from sitting at the desk for so many hours, and remind your body what it feels like to really stand up straight. Stand against a wall, with your heels touching it, try to extend the spine like you are not affected by gravity. Make sure that your bottom and shoulder blades are in contact with the wall. There should be a space between your lower back and the wall, to save its natural arch. Now try to place the back of your head against the wall by tilting your chin downwards slightly. Imagine a piece of string pulling the back of your hair up. Stand here for 30 seconds and then step away. Keep in mind the ‘stand tall’ feeling.
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Somehow I can’t believe that there are any heights that can’t be scaled by a man who knows the secrets of making dreams come true. This special secret, it seems to me, can be summarized in four C s. They are curiosity, confidence, courage, and constancy, and the greatest of all is confidence. When you believe in a thing, believe in it all the way, implicitly and unquestionable.
Walt Disney Your posture determines other people’s perceptions of you.
A human body is a set of interconnected components and an adjustment in one part of the body will affect others. This means that your posture will affect the way your stomach appears, and the underlying strength in your muscles will naturally affect the way you stand. So start by improving the way your belly looks by focusing on standing and sitting straight. Just by doing that you will be strengthening your abdominal muscles giving a firmer, more toned appearance. Does this make any sense to you? If it doesn’t try to have a look at how your stomach looks when you are not worried at all with your spine. Now, isn’t that a sad picture? START TODAY - STAND STRAIGHT! If you think you can’t, you will most likely fail.
Stay focused on your next victory and build the image of yourself conquering success. That will push your mind, body and heart into giving your best to make it possible. Next step? Work hard. With an expectation of triumph the hard work will bring you joy: you will be able to try new things, form new partnerships, and see every small step like a big move towards your personal goals. Start by thinking that you have inside you exactly what you need. Go for it! You are a winner and the winner takes it all! Do you sit in an office chair for more than six hours a day?
If your work requires you to spend most of the time sitting you should keep in mind how to have a proper and healthy posture: When you're sitting, good posture means both feet on the floor, under your knees, weight evenly distributed. Your shoulders should be relaxed, straight down, but your spine should be lifted. Take care of your back! You will feel much better Good posture can make you look thinner, taller and younger.
Who doesn’t want that? Besides, it usually gets you to seem and feel more confidente. As you can easily figure out: slouching makes you look tired and feel worn-out. Keeping good posture also helps you stay alert and focused so you will be able to get more done each day. So how can you work on your posture? 1. Keep your shoulders down and relaxed; 2. Pull your shoulder blades together; 3. Make sure your ears are centered over the shoulders, shoulders over ribs, ribs over hips, hips over knees and knees over ankles. Tip: you should be able to draw an imaginary ‘straight’ line connecting your ear down to your shoulder, hip, knee and ankle. Good Job! Now don’t forget to do this again tomorrow! [Bad posture stresses joints and muscles which can cause back pain, headaches and long-term injuries so I’m sure you will feel the benefits of this little ‘exercise’ instantly!] At the end of the day I always feel more confident if I get the general sense that I was productive. That gives me the comfortable feeling of 'mission accomplished'.
I have a hunch that being more productive will also help you to feel more confident. Each and every day! Here's a free tip: First thing in the morning, write down the top3 things you want to get done that day. This should be done before starting to deal with your inbox so that you can have a fresh start, define your own path and decide what is it that you want to complete on this day. Focus on what is important for you! Even if you end up mixing a little bit of personal issues with business obligations... That's who you are! And that will keep you motivated to advance at a good rhythm day after day. BEING YOURSELF IS YOUR BEST ASSET. MAKE IT WORK! Start by making yourself productive/happy: accomplish 3 goals each day. |
ABOUT MEMy name is T. S. Coelho and I live in Lisbon, Portugal, with my husband and three kids. I work in the asset management industry, managing an equities fund. Archives
January 2021
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