Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Perfect Posture This Instant!

No one ever intentionally slouches, but most people do it anyway.

Posture is a funny thing. When you’re not thinking about it, it just is what it is ... and that means it’s probably not great. But when you do think about it, when you turn your attention to the way you’re sitting or standing, you become prompted to hold yourself differently. You probably pull your shoulders back, your gut in, and your head up.

Perfect posture doesn’t happen on its own (unless you’re a professional dancer). It requires conscious effort. The more you pay attention to it, the more you strive to make it better and the easier it becomes to sit and stand straight. The same holds true for other things you long to change about yourself.

Struggling with bad habits? Stinkin’ thinkin’? Unhealthy but familiar patterns of relating with someone? Sure, you want to change, but it’s just so hard. The process seems too daunting. So you carry on “as is,” wishing things were different, but not putting forth the effort that actually causes change.

Instead of waiting for an instant, magical new you, what if you saw your “issue” as you do your posture? You can’t automatically have great posture without ever practicing great posture. And you can’t suddenly kiss your “issue” goodbye without ever putting forth bits of effort that will eventually make it a thing of the past.

As you try pulling your shoulders back, won’t you also try a small, kind gesture in place of a rapid, rude response? As you lift your chin, won’t you also try respecting your personal boundaries? As you sit with your tummy tucked in, won’t you also try replacing that self-defeating thought with biblical truth?

Practice, practice, and more practice ... it’s the perfect posture prescription!

“How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Luke 6:42

“First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” Matthew 23: 26

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