Being a man and only 5 ft 8, I used to think that I had to be tall to feel powerful. Yet, history of mankind shows that anyone one, man or woman of any height, can be powerful. Napoleon Bonaparte was short and stood tall in the eyes of his peers as well as those he led. He had a certain attitude that made men want to follow him. He believed in himself.
Today, I take from the lessons of all people who has shown that internal power. Each one of us can access it. Some easier than others. Depending on the circumstance, it does come out.
Exude Your Mental Power:
While it’s fine and dandy that we exude that physical power, it’s even more important to bring forth the mental one. I’ve seen many people who were physically imposing and lack the mental power to go along with it. On the other hand, I’ve witnessed people who were small in stature rise in mental power and take control. As I said before, Napoleon Bonaparte was one such person and so was Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy.
It’s not just men, women have rose due to their mental power as well.
A historical example would be Joan of Arc and a modern example would be the late Margaret Thatcher. Both were controversial for their time periods. Women are not supposed to exude power in the way they did. Yet, they did. Sometimes you have to step up and more are too afraid to face the criticism when they do. In the case of Joan of Arc, she lost her life.
Three ways to Feel More Internally Powerful:
Are you ready to access and unleash your internal power? I’m going to show you three easy ways to do so…
1. The Circle of Power (or Excellence).
This is an NLP technique that is quick and is something I’ve taught to many. Imagine there’s a circle in front of you. Within that circle is a you that is best you possible. That person is confident, powerful and shows it everywhere. The circle also radiates powerful energy of both confidence and power. Happiness is there as well. Look into it and make is vivid. See, hear, feel every aspect of that power and confidence.
Imagine a color that represents both power and confidence flowing in that circle. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you feel? Expand the energy in that circle so that if you were to have it within you, you’d have the confidence and power to accomplish anything. This includes being able to stand up to anyone you meet. Now, step into that circle. Have the energy flow into you. Adopt the same posture of confidence and power. Feel it! Be it! Hold your head high and your arms powerfully. Feet shoulder width apart, like a superhero! Feel confidence and power energy in every single cell of your body. Even smile when you do.
2. The Physiology of Power (or Excellence).
Much like the Circle of Power above. This moves to how we carry ourselves. Dr. Amy Cuddy described in a TED Talk the Power Pose. That pose can increase your confidence as well as increase your testosterone level. In NLP we call it the Physiology of Excellence. How you carry yourself can change how you feel. Your posture is everything when it comes to power and confidence. Do this, put your feet shoulder width apart and your hands on your hips like a superhero. How do you feel? Next, hold you arms high into the air. Again, how do you feel? Both should increase your sense of confidence.
3. Get Fit and Build Muscle.
A strong body exudes confidence and power. Whenever I walk around, people take notice versus if I was fat and out-of-shape. In the business world, people will get promoted faster (given all else being equal) when they are in good shape versus being fat. I realize that is discriminatory and yet, it happens. It happens on the subconscious level. Being fit also increases one’s energy level and the ability to carry themselves with confidence and power.
Those three ways are easy to do. Give them a go and you’ll be on your way to increased personal power and confidence.
Cheers,
