Ever wondered why we tend to express our enthusiasm with arms raised high in the air like say after winning a marathon or a cricket tournament? Or have you the time to pause and reflect on how often we curl up around ourselves when feeling low or dejected? Well, social psychologist Amy Cuddy delivered a remarkable TED talk on how ‘Your Body Language Shapes Who You Are’, which became widely popular and initiated a dialogue for the author to further probe this phenomenon, when people from across the globe wrote to her on how her talk impacted and changed their lives forever. She was impelled to dive deeper into the question of how body language influences our mental strength and helps us in overcoming challenging situations. The book Presence interrogates and empirically proves this powerful discovery in an engaging manner.
Tapping into the tangible powerhouse which our body biologically is and tuning it in with our mental faculties, the author has demonstrated that Presence is a book about everybody! It reiterates that every individual can reclaim their most authentic selves in tough situations by simply responding to the moment with perfect mind-body synchronization – a state she calls “presence.” With a series of pain-staking research into highlighting the nuances of non-verbal language, Amy Cuddy intriguingly articulates some of the most fundamental questions dealing with self, power, and vulnerability. She has been largely successful in establishing a comprehensible relationship between body language and its impact on human behavior. Peppered with personal anecdotes of the author as well as insights into the intimate experiences of people whom the author has influenced, the book deeply brings out the interplay of physiology and biology that are imperative to inducing “presence.” The author not only introduces the reader to the philosophy of mindfulness without actually spelling it out but manages to transcend it by compelling you to reflect and practically adopt the insights presented in her work. The research stands enriched through narratives of multiple people from all walks of life – from army veterans to street rogues, from paupers to some brilliant Ivy League students! Presence is a deep dive into discovering the way out of your own vulnerability by identifying it, acknowledging it and amending it through ways ingeniously explained by the author.
The phrase “science of presence” – as suggested by the author herself at some point in the book – indeed sets out and remarkably justifies the essence of the book. By acknowledging some basic human instincts of self-doubt, powerlessness and self-deprecation, the book does not give you some magic formula of changing things overnight, but instills in you a sense of self-belief to start small and enjoy the process rather than thinking about the outcome of your challenges. It takes the reader onboard through an exciting body of research and experiments into human psychology, including some detailed analysis into the behavior of venture capitalists and potential recruiters, and perceptively demonstrates the hypothesis held by the author. What was particularly remarkable about the application of the ‘science of presence’ was that it demonstrated exactly the same results even in animal behavior, as the writer showed through one of her incredible case studies of a horse and his trainer. Most experiments in the book singularly corroborated the fact that altering one’s behavior is not as monumental a task as it is made out to be. It is something that one can nurture incrementally, through simple, mindful bodily interventions.
While the first half of the book adopts a psychological approach to explain the idea of “presence” to the reader, introducing the novice to the elements of “presence”, the second half of the book solidly focuses on the practical aspects needed to prime up that state through the body. The intricate web of physical and mental symbiosis brings the reader to a grand discovery on how simply can one mold the mind through the body. To quote the author, “all that you need for presence is already wired into your physiology”, she goes on to present a formidable line of articulation about the topic by introducing you to a variety of “power poses”, to an analysis of confident “walking styles” and other non-verbal behavior. Amy Cuddy has tangibilized the elusive idea of “presence” by demonstrating how powerful body language can engineer massive behavioral alterations that can fundamentally alter self-sabotaging habits and situations. The book prods you out of your physical dormancy by presenting a good amount of reason to adopt powerful postures mindfully, through some of its thoughtfully crafted chapters on “Slouching, Steepling, and the Language of the Body” and “Self-Nudging.” The chapter “Fake It Till You Become It” reminds the reader of the famous words of one of the most influential personalities of all times – ace boxer Mohammed Ali – “To be a great champion you must believe you are the best. If you are not, pretend you are.”
By particularly focusing on using simple language and lucid forms of expression to put across her ideas, Amy Cuddy manages to reach a much larger audience beyond the academia, for which she certainly deserves some worthy appreciation. As you sail through the book, you can easily identify that the book is totally guided by a humane and humble approach of disseminating this brilliant enquiry with which all the readers can easily relate to and benefit from. So, if you are the one who grapples with issues of low self-esteem or feelings of despondency, this book is certainly worth your time. The thoughtfully lined up chapters, resourcefulness of the author and a clever analysis of other related sub-themes (such as yoga), besides the generous amount of heart-warming experiences of a wide-range of people, make Presence an absolutely enthralling read! It will certainly influence the way you look at yourself!
