The Posture of a Champion

Samantha Fox Olson

I was recently approached by Dr. Cheri Toledo of Illinois who said, “I love your work with mindset and would like to interview you for my upcoming telesummit, Power Up Your Mindset: How thinking like a champion will help you achieve your goals and equip you to live a wildly successful life!”

Having been following me in social media and a reader of my bimonthly newsletter she mentioned, “I service competitive women who want to leverage their skills and talents to achieve the life of their dreams. Your coaching approaches are a perfect fit.”

I was happy to share some personal strategies that have given myself, as well as my clients, rock star results in accomplishing their goals with a champion spirit. Our interview went great. I mention it because today I will be sharing a piece to powering up your mindset that I didn’t share with her global audience.

It is yet another proven method for creating quick shifts in transforming your state from something that isn’t serving your highest good (such as fear, hesitation or sluggishness) into confident action.

This is a simple tool, yet so profound! However, if you watch, you’ll see clearly the vast majority of people are not utilizing this powerful tip. And everyone has the potential to refine this one thing that would reap huge benefits in their body, mindset, emotional state and energy.

In other words, this one thing can help them up level their champion inside.

So lets get to it: Change your posture and you transform your state. Change your physiology and change how you feel.

Let me give you an example: Whether you are sitting or standing right now, slouch over. Shorten your torso and round your shoulders forward. Tune in, feel into your body and energy.

How do you feel?

Open your eyes and shake that posture out for a moment.

Now try this: Inhale and lift up through your side waistline and heart. Then, keep your breath flowing and take your upper arm bones and shoulders back some. Position your head over your spine and continuing to breathe. Feel the contrast of this alignment in your body.

How do you feel now? Do you feel tired or alive, sad or happy? Do you feel afraid or like a champion?

The example I just shared is so basic, but there is no doubt the contrast is real and the shift immediate.

I love how a past private client of mine — in her 70s with a frozen shoulder and other limitations — expressed how this new alignment in her upper body felt. She sang out with enthusiasm, “I feel optimistic!” How cool is that?

Samantha Fox Olson

Imagine taking ownership of your posture and your alignment in your daily activities. Imagine having instant access to shift fear into confidence, tiredness into alert, dullness into optimism!

Next time you are feeling less than your champion self, check your posture. Stand up tall, lift your heart and take your shoulders back.

Alignment and technique is something I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching to my clients. It changes our lives. It makes us feel amazing, and when we feel amazing we live life more fully and more courageously.

It helps athletes take their game to the next level and elderly people feel more confidently alive. It will also enhance your life on so many levels and effortlessly bring your champion spirit to the forefront too.

• Samantha Fox Olson teaches yoga and fitness classes, private lessons and retreats on the North Shore of Kaua‘i as well as online to a global audience. Visit www.kauaiyogaandfitness.com for more information.