Like your Mom said…
STAND UP STRAIGHT - You’ll appear taller & more confident.
Sitting
Knees and ankles together. It has only been a more recent change that even allowed women to cross their legs. It was previously seen as strictly a male position. It is now more generally accepted, but knees and ankles together is far more feminine. Good support for the spine, and spine gently in line.
Standing
Too often when someone shouts “shoulders back” we overcorrect and in a matter of minutes start feeling sore muscle tension. I recently tried this exercise for straightening my shoulders with much success. Take a basic ruler and slide it underneath the straps of your shirt, sleeveless works best. With only 20-30 minutes a day I have found it very beneficial in straightening my should blades without causing undue strain.
Another excellent way to improve your posture as a lady is to have a fellow “posture enthusiast” record on a video camera your mobility during the day. Watching yourself can be very enlightening.
Walking
Lets give you a new firm backbone in place of the few pieces of spaghetti you’ve been getting along with till now. Shoulders back, head high, facing the world! No more of this Slouching Sam or Potted Penelope!
Most women, when walking, are subconsciously looking down at the ground. Partly because we want to avoid tripping on anything, but the majority of the time it’s just habitual. If you can keep your head at eye level your stance will be improved dramatically. A fun way to check on your gait is to watch your mirrored image in store windows as you walk by. Check if you appear hunched forward (especially a tendency when wearing heels) or bent at the waist.
Standing up straight while walking is something I really need to work on. Thanks for the tip about the ruler, I’ve never heard of doing that but I’m going to try it.
I tend to slouch a lot, and one thing I’ve found helps (I learned this in chorale) is just sort of rolling my shoulders back. Stand up straight and bring your arms into an arch over your head (it looks, imo, like a ballerina pose). Then gently bring your arms down to your sides but maintain that slight stretch across the front of your chest, and you won’t be slouching anymore…lol, not sure if that describes it well enough, but it does work!
My mom may be petite (under 5ft!) but she has always seemed Big in my eyes =) She has always told me to “hold you head high”- good words of wisdom.
Posture is so important! Thanks for all the great tips. I always try to sit up straight, but often catch myself slouching… I’m definitely going to give your ruler trick a shot