Fake Your Way to Happiness

Quick Win

Strike a power pose and exude confidence during uncomfortable or intimidating situations.

Try This Today

• Act the part. Convey confidence and happiness during meetings to make a great impression. Your mood may also influence your perception of — and expectations about — yourself and what you can accomplish.
• Stand strong. Sit or stand in a power pose: hands on hips, elbows out, knees apart. It may help you feel happier, more confident and less stressed.
• Crack a grin. Smiling when you don’t feel happy may trigger positive reactions that help you truly experience those emotions.

Why

If you’re facing an intimidating situation, whether it’s a job interview or a first date, some positive thinking might improve your chances of success. A powerful stance may boost your morale as well. A study published in 2019 in Current Psychology found that among 120 young adults, those who sat or stood in power poses for two minutes experienced a greater increase in self-esteem after the activity compared to participants who posed in slumped positions or were not instructed to pose.