For a Quick Confidence Boost, Access Your Internal “Cocktail”

Ever needed a swift dose of confidence just before an important presentation or a high stakes conversation?

Skip the whiskey shot and try this simple trick to get a surge of assurance from your body’s own neurochemicals.

Stand or sit up straight, shoulders down, chin tucked and head tall. Bring your hands in front of your ribs, hold one arm facing down and the other facing up so that the heels of the hands touch. Now press the heels of the hands firmly against each other. You’ll feel your arms and shoulders engage; be sure to keep your back straight. Continue pressing for at least a minute or two. Then drop your hands, relax and close your eyes to see if you can feel a difference.

The exercise activates the adrenal glands to release testosterone into the blood stream, which gives us a burst of self-assurance and determination for several minutes.

OUR AMAZING INTERNAL DRUG STORE

Testosterone – shown to be associated with confidence and risk tolerance -- is just one of the powerful hormones our bodies produce to support the full gamut of our bodily functions. It turns out several hormones – or neurochemicals – are also found to activate emotions.

Claire Dale, dancer, choreographer and neurophysiologist, co-authored a fascinating book Physical Intelligence: Harness Your Body's Untapped Intelligence to Achieve More, Stress Less and Live More Happily, which won Business Book of the Year in 2020.

In the book, Dale explores how the body’s natural “cocktail” of chemicals affects our moods and behaviors. She and other neuroscientists are studying ways we can learn to employ them to intentionally shift thoughts and behaviors to enable change.

In addition to testosterone, some of the powerful neurochemicals and their validated effects on us, Dale says, are:

·      Dopamine – Motivation, Reward and Creativity

·      Oxytocin – Connection, Bonding and Trust

·      Acetylcholine – Balance and Renewal

·      DHEA – Vitality and Stamina

·      Serotonin – Happiness, Flexibility, Self-esteem and Sleep

·      Cortisol and Adrenaline - well-known “stress hormones” needed to detect threats, protect ourselves and feel excitement

MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE

I can attest to the power of oxytocin. As I headed to a networking event several months ago, I was excited to see people I hadn’t seen in a long time. But, as an introvert, I was also experiencing some nervousness.

Just before heading inside, I tried the exercise Dale calls “the Kate Winslet.” The exercise is named after the famous scene in Titanic when Leonardo di Caprio’s character asks the actress to close her eyes, stand on the ship’s bow railing and spread her arms wide open.

The exercise is named after the famous scene in Titanic when Leonardo di Caprio’s character asks Winslet's character to close her eyes, stand on the ship’s bow railing and spread her arms wide open as he held her.

I couldn't find an ocean liner there, of course, but  in a secluded spot, I closed my eyes, lifted my chin a bit and opened my arms wide. Instantly, I felt better, less self-conscious, more open. At the event, I was calm and secure, chatting with people I knew and connecting with a bunch of people for the first time, several of whom I’ve stayed in touch with.