Presence: Bringing Your Boldest Self to Your Biggest Challenges

Impostorism, also referred to as impostor syndrome, is a state a person experiences when they do not feel that they have earned their place, such as in an academic program or leadership position. They fear that someone will discover that they do not deserve to be in that position and will be dismissed. This feeling plagues the majority of people at some point, and is exacerbated by the feeling of isolation when people do not talk about feeling like an imposter. 

Personal power is our ability to access our own inner resources, including our personalities, talents, skills, and values. When we feel strong in our personal power, we can better access our authentic selves and take advantage of opportunities that come our way. Personal power is our ability to control ourselves and accomplish what is important to us. 

A power pose communicates both to others and ourselves that we are not powerless in the moment and can be fully present. A power pose is an expansion of the body which takes up physical space and reflects good posture. Striking a power pose privately before going into an important meeting might look like putting hands on hips, feet hip-width apart, chest and head high and proud. Standing in a power pose communicates to our mind that we are powerful and can be present when we go into a challenging situation. While we might feel silly standing this way, the body’s position has a strong influence on our perception of personal power—where the body leads the mind will follow. If it is not possible to physically strike a power pose, it is also effective to do so mentally and picture ourselves in a power pose.

Cuddy defines presence as “the state of being attuned to and able to comfortably express our true thoughts, feelings, values, and potential” (24). Presence is a state that occurs when an individual experiences a connection between their mental and physical state. The body and mind are synchronized, which allows a person to showcase their best self without the distractions of a mind pulled away by anxiety or other emotions. The body also communicates power; this helps a person make the best possible nonverbal communication matching their verbal communication. Being present requires a person to be their true, authentic self, even in challenging moments like a job interview, a big presentation, or an athletic event. 

Self-nudges are “small tweaks in our body language and mind-sets” that allow us to be more present (25). As we continue to use these self-nudges to inch our behavior to a more present and authentic self, we become more confident and capable of making choices with less conscious effort. Self-nudges are “minimal modifications to one’s own body language and/or mind-set that are intended to produce small psychological and behavioral improvements in the moment” (256). It’s an easy way to bring more presence into our lives, little by little.