Ten ways in which your body instantly changes your brain
The preceding chapters contain a series of quick and effective exercises that will help change the way you think and behave. Here is a one-stop description of ten of the most effective techniques that we have encountered.
1. Motivation: Pull me – push you
Pushing an object away from you (and so behaving as if you don’t like it) makes you dislike the object, whereas pulling it towards you (behaving as if you do like it) makes you feel far more positively about it. Next time that you are confronted with some sugary snacks or chocolate biscuits, simply push the plate away from you and feel the temptation fade.
2. Dieting: Using your non-dominant hand
When you eat with your non-dominant hand you are acting as if you are carrying out an unusual behavior. Because of that you place more attention on your action, do not simply consume food without thinking about it, and so eat less.
3. Willpower: Tensing up
Tensing your muscles boosts your willpower. Next time you feel the need to avoid that cigarette or cream cake, make a fist, contract your bicep, press your thumb and first finger together, or grip a pen in your hand.
4. Persistence: Sit up straight and cross your arms
In several experiments researchers have presented volunteers with tricky problems and measured how long they persevered. Those who sit up straight and fold their arms struggle on for nearly twice as long as others. Make sure your computer monitor is slightly above your eye-line and, when the going gets tough, cross your arms.
5. Confidence: Power posing
To increase your self-esteem and confidence, adopt a power pose. If you are sitting down, lean back, look up and interlock your hands behind your head. If you are standing up, then place your feet flat on the floor, push your shoulders back and your chest forward, and hold out your hands in front of you.
6. Procrastination: Make a start
To overcome procrastination, act as if you are interested in what it is that you have to do. Spend just a few minutes carrying out the first part of whatever it is you are avoiding, and suddenly you will feel a strong need to complete the task.
7. Creativity: Move outside the box
If you want to come up with new ideas, act in a novel way. Spend some time walking around, but ensure that your path is curvy and unpredictable. If that doesn’t get your creative juices flowing, try acting as if you are artistic by drawing, painting or making some form of sculpture.
8. Persuasion: Getting the nod
Researchers have found that when people nod their heads up and down whilst they listen to a discussion (causing them to nod as if they agree with the arguments) they are more likely to agree with the points being made. When you want to encourage someone to agree with you, subtly nod your head as you chat with them. They will reciprocate the movement and find themselves strangely attracted to your way of thinking.
9. Negotiation: Warm tea and soft chairs
When people think that they are connected to others they feel physically warm. And it is also true that by warming someone up with a nice mug of tea they become far friendlier. Similarly, hard furniture is associated with hard behavior. In one study researchers had participants sit on either soft or hard
chairs, and then negotiate over the price of a used car. Those in the hard chairs offered less and were more inflexible.
10. Guilt: Wash away your sins
If you are feeling a tad guilty about something, try washing your hands or taking a shower. In several experiments, people who carried out an immoral act and then cleaned their hands with an antiseptic wipe felt significantly less guilty than others.
用身体改变头脑的十个快速方法
——摘自理查德·怀斯曼著《Rip It Up（正能量）》，李磊译
一、行动力：拉我—-推你
把一个物品推远（表现得你不喜欢它），就会使你不喜欢这个东西；而将其拉向你（表现的就好像你喜欢它一样），就会使你对其产生感情。下一次，当你碰到甜品或巧克力时，仅仅将盘子推远就行了，这会使你感觉到自己的欲望逐渐消失。
二、节食：使用非惯用手吃饭
当你使用非惯用手吃饭时，你表现得仿佛自己在做一个不同寻常的行为。因此，你会更加关注自己吃饭的动作，而不是什么都不想只是简单的吃饭。如此，你就会吃得更少。
三、意志力：绷紧身体
绷紧肌肉会增强你的意志力。下一次你需要戒烟或者拒绝一个蛋糕时，握紧拳头、收缩肱二头肌，或者手中紧握一枝笔。
四、毅力：坐直了，交叉双臂
在一些实验中，实验人员让志愿者解难题并记录他们坚持的时间，坐直了、双手交叠的人坚持时间比其他人长一倍。确保你的电脑显示屏略高于你的视线，当你遇到难题时，交叉双臂。
五、自信心：有力的动作
为了增强你的自尊心和自信心，你应该做出强有力的动作。如果你是坐着的，就往后倚、目视高处并将双手交叠放于脑后。如果你是站着的，双脚在地上放平、挺胸抬头，双臂放在前方的桌子上。
六、拖延症：找一个起点
如果你想克服拖延症，表现得好像你对自己将要做的事情很感兴趣。花一点时间开始做那件你一直逃避的事情，然后你会突然发现你很想完成这个任务。
七、创造力：打破传统思维
如果你要想出新主意，那么你就要以新的方式行动起来。花点时间在屋里来回走动，确保你的路线尽量曲折蜿蜒。如果这样还不能让你思如泉涌，那么就绘图、画画、做雕塑等，表现得很有艺术气质。
八、劝导：让别人点头
研究人员发现，如果人们在听取讨论时上下点头（使他们表现得就好像赞同这个观点一样），他们更有可能同意这个观点。如果你想鼓励别人认同你的观点，就要在聊天时轻轻点头。对方会重复你的动作，然后发现自己莫名其妙就被你的想法吸引住了。
九、谈判：热茶和柔软的沙发
当人们觉得自己和别人建立了联系时，他们会感到身体发热。同样，给别人一杯热茶使他们暖和起来，这会让他们变得更加友好。在一个研究中，研究人员让实验参与者坐在柔软的沙发上或者硬的椅子上，讨论一辆二手车的价格。那些坐在硬椅子上的人出价更低而且不易变通。
十、负罪感：洗掉你的罪孽
如果某件事令你产生罪孽感，洗个手或冲个澡吧。在一项试验中，作出不道德行为后用消毒剂洗手的人比起其他人来感觉罪恶感小得多。
