David and I have coffee at Starbucks quite often. Wednesday was a slow day for them; only 6 customers and us. As I looked around I noticed three young women between the ages of 18 and 20 all with cell phones in hand, an older gentleman sitting at our table reading and a woman at the end tablet in hand. Everyone had one thing in common outside of coffee. Everybody was slouching. The young women were slouching with forward head. I resisted the urge to fix them. I have done this in the past and it did not prove to be advantageous. I am conscious of my own habits and those of my clients and while I do try to fix myself and them, that's as far as I go. Slouching or poor posture has many negative affects in the long run. Years of slouching can lead to digestive and breathing issues. Just get a mental picture of the body all rounded forward and the lungs trying to work properly. The lower back is in for a lot of discomfort as are the neck and shoulders. Additionally, I recently read that slouching can also affect how we feel about ourselves. Good posture doesn't take the place of antidepressants or counseling, if needed, but it can be uplifting. Think about it like this. Looking down so much can't be the picture of your happy place. So stand up straight, pull your shoulders down and back, sit up as straight as possible, put your thumbs on the bottom of your rib cage and lift your rib cage. Pick one of those tips as a reminder for better posture and look out or up but not down.
