Weekend Challenge - Rise Up!

I shouldn't have to tell you that the picture above is Olympic Gold Medalist Usain Bolt winning a race, arms raised overhead in celebration.

This is also a picture of an Olympian raising her arms in victory as she crosses the finish line. The difference is that Terezhina Guilhermina is blind.

It raises the question, why would someone who is blind raise their arms in victory the same way that someone with sight would? The answer is that it is a biological response to dominance over rivals. Think about it for a second. Numerous animals do it. When two animals square off in the wild, they will often raise up on their back legs and throw their front legs out.

So, try it yourself the next time you go into a situation that requires an extra boost of confidence. Toss your shoulders back, raise your arms up, and then go into battle. Your body will respond almost immediately.

To see more on the subject, take a few minutes and check out this TED Talk from Amy Cuddy on body language.