TED Talk of the Week: Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are

ATTENTION: ALL SELF-PROCLAIMED NERDS WHO LOVE WATCHING (OR LISTENING TO) TED TALKS

As a student who commutes from Lincoln Park to River North, the Loop, and Cinespace in my average week, I spend a lot of time walking and riding the El. I’ve calculated that I spend roughly 5 hours and 20 minutes a week commuting. Once I’ve out-listened my favorite playlist at the moment, I’ll turn to TED talks. There are so many options hosted by a wide variety of speakers in every field.

A particular talk that really stood out to me was conducted by social psychologist, Amy Cuddy. It explores the impact of forced and intentional body language. She explains that your body language actually changes your body chemistry. Your testosterone and cortisol levels increase and decrease based on whether one exhibits “high power poses” (i.e. making yourself larger) or “low power poses” (i.e. making yourself smaller).

Since listening to this TED talk, I’ve definitely become more aware of what my body is communicating to others as well as how it’s effecting what I’m feeling. It is a really intriguing study that affects every single one of us. In addition, as young females, it is especially important that we exude confidence and proficiency (even if you’re faking it at first!) through our body language as well as our words and make sure that we are being heard.

VIDEO: https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are

• body language
• commuting
• psychology
• ted talk