Our parents told it to us growing up, yet it’s one of those things that as a kid seems like such a chore… “stand up straight.”
My mom used to tell me to imagine a string stuck in my head that was being pulled directly upward. It always felt weird and cocky to me, like “oh look at me standing up so straight because I think I’m so amazing.” I always wanted to be short anyway, so I was fine with a slightly concave slump. Consequently, the posture debate between me and my mother continued for years to come, usually with her telling me I’d be happy I had good posture later on and with me groaning and rolling my eyes and slumping even more like a true rebel.
Cut to 15 years later, here I am wanting to focus on my posture. I got a massage on my birthday and you know what I told the lady? “My goal with massages is to IMPROVE MY POSTURE.” WTF, am I 45?
Oh well, if it means something to you it means something to you and that’s all that matters. And for right now, having good posture means something to me.
I’ve been doing a bit of research on posture and as it turns out, good posture not only promotes bodily benefits but psychological and emotional ones as well, including lower stress, increased confidence, and more balanced thinking. As physical therapist/psychotherapist Rob Holcroft puts it, “Empowering posture will empower your thoughts and feelings.”
My current program I’m using to work on posture is adjusting when I feel myself slouching, using my laptop in places where it’s more at eye level, stretching, and getting neck/back massages when I can. I’ve gotta say, just by focusing on my posture and knowing I want to improve it, I’ve been able to notice how often I have poor posture and adjust it accordingly.
Do you have good posture or bad posture? If it’s bad, do you have a desire to improve it? What do you think your posture says about you?
Looking forward to your thoughts,
JM
LINKS:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
I think J Mac is brave and kind to respond at all. Most celebs are all caught up in themselves and don’t talk at all to the “little people.” She has a lot on her plate right now on various projects.
I don’t think Jenns going to reply to us on this and I know she’s been sick but I wish maybe when she replies to the new post she’d reply to this one. It’s kinda messed up if she’s looking forward to our thoughts and then never even looks at this page.
Posture promotes health and displays confidence. Proper posture prevents back issues, leg issues and head/neck issues. Proper posture gives off the image of power and confidence to yourself and people who watch you.
I find a good diet, planking and proper sleep and movement helps promote proper posture.
BTW Jenn I found out I got a job at Disney this morning. Hope I get to see you there sometime.
It’s a common issue for almost everyone. Especially these days, when we are all hunched over our devices and it can certainly lead to back problems, in the future. Years ago, I had the ” hanging boots”. The boots went around your ankles, then hang,inverted, from a bar. Great way to stretch your back, plus do inverted sit-ups and lifts. Been wanting to get back to it. However, these days I will spent more time laying on the floor, while reading, on the iPad, or watching TV. It might seem odd, for person of my age to do this. But… Read more »
Actually my mom told me we have two free Disney World massages to use. I’ll give mine to you Jenn if you come down and visit me.
No one has ever talked to me about postures in my life. I do not know if it’s something good or bad. In fact, you are the first person to talk about this topic. (I do not know why, but I feel bad). You will think, “What have you done with your life !?”. I promise that I will inform more on this subject, because deep down I find it interesting and even very healthy for the body !! Anyway, I think my posture is bad because I go to bent when I write (like right now). But I try… Read more »
Jenn why’d you delete your post on Flow? I’d a long well thought out reply to it & I wrote it for nothing. Ive had bad posture since I became self conscious & have been trying to undo the damage ive done the past few years. I wish I could have massages all the time like you do. I’ve only had a free quick one once. the thing is I don’t get to sign a contract with canvas media & make thousands like you do Jenn. I had a few thousand until my mom needed to borrow 75% of it… Read more »
hi Jennette, love the blog! I always ask you questions that aren’t about your blog topic but this is the last one (i make no promises) can I expect new music? please make some!
No offense..But I think you said that in the last topic she made..
I do not have good standing, sitting or lying down. Am I going to do something to improve my posture? I doubt it Right now everything in me is wrong It’s not cool
I edited my first comment but the changes were not saved, then I wrote another comment with an emoticon but I don’t see anything, everything goes wrong :v
First of all, self degradation is a horrible thing to have and continue. So get out of that vortex. Secondly, the emoticon you used is probably not supported by wordpress. Thirdly, there’s a sort of “timer” to editing one’s post. So if you go past that timer, you can no longer edit your post. I don’t like it, but that’s what I’ve noticed, and thus how it is.
A horrible thing for someone who has done horrible things.
DOesn’t mean you should dwell in it. I know that this sounds cliche, but it’s true. You’ve done something, ok, now, you move past it. That’s the only way to really finish. Only once you’ve forgiven yourself can you move on.
It would be hypocritical to forgive myself when I feel no remorse. Nor is it that I care to be forgiven.
Ok, until you find something or someone that will make you feel something, you are going to be stuck in a vortex. I would suggest something spiritual, but I don’t know if you have a religion.
That’s already happened my friend… just forget it, it’s not that important, I just fail in love, in life and God.
I’m sorry to hear this. I hope you find peace in something and/or someone. God bless.
Anyway thanks for the good advice.
“This comment will delete it because I wrote it below” :v
Hey Jennette! Finally you did another post 🙂 . Your habit to talk with your fans is great! I think the posture is a problem for the people that use too much the computer… 🙂 I know we can do yoga to solve this problem, and of course the mental habit to stay straight. I thought you were a person that practice yoga in the morning, before the breakfast, in your living room 🙂 , I remember a pic of you doing splits on the wall :O I thougt you were an acrobatic girl and the future matrix trinity 😀… Read more »
It’s been a while, good to see you back 🙂 I’m a bit of too tall, so always looking at people shorter than me made me have a bad posture. One day, I noticed that, and my solution was simple. I’m trying to look at the sky when I’m walking, sitting at somewhere, or whenever I can. Not only fixed my posture, its also nice to look at clouds, fixes my mood out of nowhere. I also recommend you strengthen your core, waist and back muscles. If you are not used to stand straight all the time, you might get… Read more »
When i was a kid my mom would say don’t slouch cause you’ll get a humpback and as a kid i was like well i don’t want that so set out to have good posture. When I am at my desk on my computer and i feel like i am slouching i sit up with my back straight and i stretch at the same time. Maybe i should get one of those chairs with the lumbar support. I don’t know what my posture says about me.
Hey, Jennette, I am nearly in 5th class in Ireland (not sure what grade that translates to in America. Sorry). I’m a big tomboy, and I usually stick my thumbs in my pockets and walk around with my back slightly curved. I play lots of video games in my room everyday, but I have no chair. I sit at the end of the bed with my head very near to my legs. I find this position uncomfortable for games, but I love it for walking. If I’m at a family event, I have good enough posture. I don’t walk like… Read more »
I googled it for further readers. Assuming this link is correct, you’re in 5th grade by US standards.
Here’s the link for reference.
http://www.educationista.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/UK-US-Ireland-Australia-school-years-and-grades.pdf
Well Jennette im happy with the way my posture looks like im not to tall not to small im 5’8 and i have my weight under controle and my sugar level is lower then iT was before and i feel great i walk Every day i drife my bike Every day i feel happy and Jennette may i say something? Into my eyes u always looked great with ur posture before u still look great u dont need to do much with ur weight i never liftend u up but im sure ur a very light weighted person if i… Read more »
Ah the flashbacks of my elementary school Music teacher. She was always saying “Rump on the hump” that way we could sit up strait and breath in and fill our diaphragm. It also kept us away from the back of our chairs so we could not really slouch. My posture is average. I mean I try to have decent posture most of the time. However, when it comes to my desk, I don’t have the proper equipment to make it very ergonomic. In fact most desks are not built for people to obtain good posture. As I sit here slightly… Read more »
Since I was little I have had good posture since I have been a dancer since I was a child (I take it as a hobby), that over the years have benefited me, makes my posture is not stooped and my metabolism well, but lately I had to leave for a Time dancing, (I needed a break time from that world), but I try to have good posture from time to time for example: if I am the laptop (as now) writing this I try to sit upright, or if I am watching a movie In my bed or on… Read more »
This has nothing at all to do with posture. Which is good because my mine right now is, shall we say, a “posture poster child” of how not to sit by a computer. Sadly I know better, so no real excuse other than laziness….this is from the last topic… Neurobiology is one science where we have only scratched the surface, and from a therapeutic perspective , our ability to intervene medically or surgically to help people with problems is primitive at best. I think neuroplasticity is a very real and observable phenomenon; I have seen it in many people with… Read more »
As a kid I was constantly being told to stand up straight. For many years I looked a little like an old hunched back and didn’t even know it. Nowadays, I try to walk and sit straight to avoid any problems; however, I been trying to keep a straight back and improve my form while deadlifting over 400lbs weekly but I have a slight curve due to my years or poor posture. i feel if I keep lifting and be more aware of my posture, I could avoid looking like a retarded hunchback of Notre dame in the long run.
Used to have bad posture. Got a wake-up call in middle school when everyone was required to have a scoliosis screening, and the on-site nurse was on the fence as to whether or not I should get checked out for it. Since then, tried to be better with it. Sometimes even the little things like posture can make all the difference! As another example, I play a lot of roller hockey. Skating posture can actually play a big role in how well you skate. I can’t claim I know the best way, but I know that when I lean too… Read more »