Thoughts are very powerful. They amplify the sense of achievement and make you feel stronger. And if you feel powerful, chances are you feel taller as well. Power not only makes people feel strong, it makes them feel taller and bigger, suggests a new study.
According to researchers from Washington University in St. Louis, powerful people tend to think they’re taller than they really are. The report is based on a series of experiments that have confirmed that there is a direct relationship between feelings of power and our own perception of how tall we are.
There is definitely a co-relation between the two. When people feel powerful, they automatically feel expansive, says Dr Rajat Mitra, director of Swanchetan Society for Mental health. He adds, “The sense of expansion comes from the sense of achievement. Similarly, when you are less powerful, you feel you are shrinking. So if the feelings of shame and humiliation make you feel dwarfed, feelings of triumph and accomplishment expand you internally.”
“My sense of power comes from achievements,” says Leonard Fernandes, co-founder of CinnamonTeal Publishing. “I do stand upright when I have achieved something and that, I guess, is a manifestation of me feeling taller. I feel big when I feel empowered. It’s addictive. I always feel the need to keep proving myself and every achievement makes me feel taller.”
Actor Anshuman Jha, who got popular with Love Sex Aur Dhokha, is not very tall physically, but believes that fame boosts confidence, which in turn makes you realise your energy. “It gives you the sense of being in power/control and maybe feel grander or taller. I feel I’m tall, so what if I’m just 5’9, which I guess stems from confidence. The mind of course plays a big role. When people appreciate my work, it definitely brings a sense of power and expansion,” explains Jha.
There’s a direct relationship between self-image and what you look like. Anugrah Kumar, a Delhi-based freelance journalist, confesses to having had a lower (not low) self-esteem until a few years ago. But when his self-image improved, he started feeling taller. “When we feel powerful, we feel on top of the world. I think it’s true at the subconscious level. Size does matter as we associate power with size. Our perception of ourselves does affect how we look and grow.”
However, experts warn that it’s a fleeting feeling. It doesn’t last forever. “It’s difficult to maintain the emotions. Many go into the state of depression when the feeling of powerfulness comes crashing and they begin to feel shrivelled,” cautions Dr Mitra.
Where will F1 fever set tracks on fire
Catch the blazing action at one of the most challenging tracks in the world as the three day-long 2012 Formula 1 Petronas Malaysia Grand Prix kicks off from March 23 at Sepang International Circuit Selangor.
With its extreme hot and wet conditions, the Sepang International Circuit tests the skills of the world’s finest racers to the limit. Be there to witness the action, live!
For more information visit: www.malaysiangp.com.my
Who has vowed to wear only laceless shoes
Stung by shoe-lace tying controversy, Madhya Pradesh minister for cooperatives Gauri Shankar Bisen has vowed to wear only lace-less footwear henceforth. Apologising for making the young boy tie his shoelaces, the minister said he is all set to buy six pairs of shoes without laces.
According to reports, while a road project inauguration programme was underway, Minister Bisen allegedly called the boy, believed to be a tribal school student, to tie his shoe laces.
He said the boy in question was his “personal assistant” and was helping him since following a surgery, doctors had advised him “not to bend forwards”.
When will Red Rock fest start at ground Ziro
After the successful stint of Red ribbon, a campaign on HIV/AIDS through musical concerts in Arunachal Pradesh, the second edition of the campaign which has been rechristened as Red Rock fest, will be launched from Ziro by chief minister Nabam Tuki on January 27.
The fest aims at generating mass awareness on HIV/AIDS among the youth between the age group of 15 and 29 years and will be conducted in 13 districts of the state till February 22.
What is the Ugliest Dog Contest all about
Since 1976, in California, the World’s Ugliest Dog Contest has celebrated the appearance of dogs who don’t quite conform to the traditional notion of beauty. Filmmakers John Beck and Don R. Lewis document not just the “ugliness” of the dogs in their documentary Worst in Show, but the obsessive nature of the people behind them.
