I have been aware of my posture as far back as I can remember which makes it really hard for me to stop myself from screaming out, “Stand up straight!” at the nearest hunchback around.

The first thing I notice is posture because it screams messages about a person. You can be drop dead gorgeous, but if you have terrible posture I will automatically assume you are ashamed of taking up space. Whereas a person who stands up straight, shoulders back, stomach in, gives off a vibe of confidence and pride.

But looking good and giving off the right aura is not the only reason to be aware of your posture. It is your health. A good friend of mine ALWAYS points out people with bad posture. He is one of the few people who I know who considers posture to be an important aspect of fitness. What begins with an unawareness of your body can lead to real health problems in the long run if not corrected.

I am not a fan of working out and being too active. But if you feel as though you have poor posture, or sit at a computer all day long, then you might consider doing some basic yoga exercises. Yoga frequently requires you to sit erect and pull your shoulder blades back.

Truth is for the majority of people, having excellent posture does not come naturally, it takes effort. You have to work at it until it feels abnormal to slouch! The payoff in terms of your health is high and well worth the little effort it takes to get there.

So please sit and stand erect so I don’t have to force myself to quiet down…because next time I will yell at you!