Stepford Wife, a Troll and a Pony. A Guide to Finding Your Swagger.

Stepford.

That's the nickname I was given a few years back because of the way I walk. At first I was slightly insulted until the person who called me that explained why. He said it was because I walked with confidence, with a certain stride and that I walked like a "textbook" woman should walk. Like the women in the movie "Stepford Wives". I took back my moment of feeling insulted and blushed.

As a woman, we are more powerful than we tend to realize and our walk is one of the ways our body language speaks to others. We have legs, hips and booties. We are beautiful creatures. Don't be shy about it. Use it. I am not saying that you have to strut like a Victoria's Secret model on the runway but you also don't want to shuffle like a troll.

I've always been aware of how important it is to walk with purpose. I did the beauty pageant thing when I was younger which really did involve going up and down the hall with books on my head. I also could always hear that little voice inside my head (usually my mother's or grandmother's) telling me to "sit up straight, shoulders back..." In more recent years I've been very aware of my walk after having 7 ankle surgeries. It took awhile to master a walk that did not showcase my injury. My foot doesn't go up and down anymore, which limits my available high heel choice as well.

Think about how you walk. Do you take long strides? Do you shuffle? Do you waddle? Do you walk fast with your head down?

A lot of your walk has to do with posture. You can pull off a wearing a burlap bag with the right walk or look completely schleppy in an evening gown with the wrong one.

So here is your mini lesson on walking like a lady.

Posture - 
A beautiful walk starts with good posture. 

• Hold your chin up. Pretend you have an invisible string attached to your head going up to the ceiling.

• Roll your shoulders up and back.

• Slightly (and I stress "slightly") stick your chest out.

• Hold your stomach in like you are pulling your belly button to your spine, which cause you to pull your tush in and your pelvis up.

• Don't flop your arms down or put them on your hips. You want to bend them a little and keep them close to your body but not stiff

• Don't lock your legs or knees.

Time to Walk - 
You want to walk with fluidity, a stride but not like a pony. Here is a step by step guide on finding your swagger.

• You want to lead with your legs not your upper body

• Your steps should be about a foot in length. Too big and you'll look like you're pacing out steps for a treasure hunt. Too small and you'll be shuffling.

• The way your foot lands should be a roll. Your heel should hit first and then roll to the ball of your foot and then toes, keeping your toes pointed forward like you're walking a line.

• Don't swing your arms like an ape. You want them to slide forward and back with ease, keeping them somewhat close to your body.

•  It's also okay to swing your hips a little when you walk but remember, you're not Shakira. You don't need to full out shake it.

You may not want to try this out for the first time in the grocery store. Put a full length mirror at the end of your hall and practice going back and forth. THEN showcase that strut at the store. Also, high heels are a great way to improve your walk BUT find a height you can actually walk in. That's the difference.

You will be amazed at how much more confident you feel.

There are a lot of different aspects that go into improving your self confidence. Your walk is just one step to get you there. More to come!

Walk this way baby...
xo
Bethany