I have never had fantastic posture, I spend a lot of my time feeling tense and unconsciously having my shoulders higher than desired, but I have been making a constant effort to improve my posture.
I always feel a little pompous walking like that, but it’s about owning the space you have. I was ashamed of the space I was taking up, thinking it was too much space, not wanting to intrude, subconsciously wanting to shrink into myself.
It’s been partly a mental battle to take back the space. To expand, not to shrink. To use the space, to own up to the space I take. I can stand out, it’s not bad. I used to think standing out in that way was dangerous. It seemed outrageous, outgoing, and dangerous, to be noticed and in the spotlight. I envied women who walked around confident, and it was something I didn’t posses.
But I am trying, consciously deciding to expand into the space, walk with confidence, with my shoulders back, my eyes upwards from the ground, and to grow into the space I occupy.
I also notice that a lot of people don’t have that great posture. Did slouching become cool? Maybe so, but there is a definite mental confidence dimension as well.
And I’m trying to learn, to appreciate the person I am and have my walk reflect that.