Feel Better in Minutes (Without Thinking Positive Thoughts)

The focus of this week’s Better You, Backed by Science is a science-backed way to boost your mood and energy without even having to think positive thoughts.

You’ve probably heard of the power pose. It’s that confident Wonder Woman or Superman stance that makes you feel stronger and more self-assured.

It really works. I do it myself, usually just before I do an online presentation.

But what’s even more helpful is understanding why it works — because once you know that, you can use it in lots of ways to lift your energy and shift your mood.

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Here’s the Why

There’s a constant synchronisation between how you feel on the inside and how that’s expressed on the outside – through your posture, facial expressions, and how you move.

It’s why you smile when you feel happy, or frown when you’re sad or stressed. You don’t consciously decide to do it – it just happens.

That’s because the muscles involved in smiling or frowning are linked to emotional regions of the brain.

But here’s the fascinating part: It works both ways.

Just as your feelings shape your posture and movement, your posture and movement can shape your feelings.

This two-way link – what psychologists call bi-directional – means that how you move and hold your body can literally create how you feel.

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Bi-Directional in Action

Here’s a few examples of bi-directional in action.

🧠You sit up straight when you feel alert – it’s also true that sitting up straight makes you feel more alert.

🧠When you feel tired, you slouch – it’s also true that slouching makes you feel more tired.

🧠You feel good, you walk taller – it’s also true that walking taller makes you feel better.

🧠You smile when you’re happy – it’s also true that smiling can make you feel happier.

Your body is always feeding information back to your brain, which responds by adjusting your mood and internal chemistry to match.

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Copying a Smile Changes Mood

Researchers at the University of Alaska, Anchorage, demonstrated this beautifully. Volunteers looked at photos of people smiling or frowning, then copied the expressions. 

Afterwards, those who had mimicked a smile felt more positive, while those who mimicked a frown felt worse – even though they were just copying a facial expression.

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The Power of Sitting Up Straight

In another study, researchers in New Zealand taped some people’s backs upright to keep their posture tall, while others were left to slouch.

After just 20 minutes:

• The upright group felt more energised and more positive.
• They even gave more confident presentations in a surprise stress test!

And remember – the only difference was how they sat.

Why? Because just as we slouch when tired, slouching also makes us feel tired.
And that second part? That’s the bit you can control.

This is where your power lies – your posture and movement is under your control. You can use it to create how you want to feel. Once you know this, you can shift your energy or mood at any moment.

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An Unexpected Stress Hack

This leads me to an unexpected stress hack. When you’re stressed, your movements often become fast and jerky. You might knock things over. You speak quickly. You breathe rapidly.

Our usual solution is to rest or try to think ourselves calm. And yes, those can help.

But here’s a quicker route:

Do the opposite to how you move when you feel stressed.

Slow your movements. Move with intention. Breathe more deeply. Speak intentionally more slowly.

In essence, move your body the way a calm person would. It works in exactly the same way as the above University of Alaska research where people felt more positive after mimicking a smile.

When you do, your body is saying, “I’m chilled.”

Your brain responds, “OK then,” and adjusts your internal chemistry accordingly.

No positive thinking required.

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How to Boost Energy – Do the Opposite

Let’s apply this to low energy.

When you’re tired or flat, notice your posture. Most likely: shoulders slumped, spine floppy, face heavy, shallow breath. Maybe even a frown.

Now… flip it.

• Straighten your spine.
• Relax your shoulders.
• Lift your head.
• Smile gently, with intention.
• Move in a self-assured way.
• Breathe consciously and fully.

In minutes, your body will send a new message to your brain:
“I feel energised.”

And your brain will follow suit.

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Proof in a Skip

In a simple study, 110 volunteers were asked to walk in a slouched way, or to use skipping-like movements – swinging arms and lifting legs more actively – for just two minutes.

Results?

• Slouched walking reduced energy levels.
• Skipping-style walking significantly boosted energy.

In just two minutes!

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Try This

Here are 3 easy experiments to try this week:

✅ Switch Your Posture:
Spend a minute or two in a slouched or tired posture, then shift to an upright one. Notice how quickly your mood and energy change.

✅ Skip-Walk:
Try a skipping-style walk – swinging your arms more and stepping lightly. Doesn’t need to be dramatic. Try it for a minute or two and notice the boost.

✅ Posture Check Alarm:
Set a couple of random alarms during the day. When it goes off, check your posture. If you’re slouching, shift to a high-power stance. You’re training a habit.

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References (if you’re curious):

• Power pose research
• Back taped to chair
• Copying smiles or frowns
• Slouching vs. skipping

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Want to go deeper?

👉Watch my YouTube video where I delve deeper into how to use your body to shape your feelings and energy levels.

Want to read more like this? Subscribe to my free Better You, Backed by Science weekly email (sends every Wednesday).

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